
25/08/2025
If I had a pound for every time someone said ‘cacao is a heart-opener’… but looked blank when I asked why, I’d have… well, a lot of pounds. 🤷♀️
Don’t be that person who just parrots stuff they heard someone else say. Here’s the real biochemistry behind that heart-swelling, loved-up feeling cacao can trigger:
1. Anandamide boost: Cacao contains compounds called n-acetylethanolamides (NAEAs) that act on your body's endocannabinoid system to help your body make more of the ‘bliss molecule", anandamide.
2. PEA (Phenylethylamine): The same chemical your brain releases when you fall in love. This increases serotonin and dopamine levels, helping you feel more uplifted, gratified and in love with life.
3. Theobromine: This is the gentle stimulant in cacao that's directly responsible for helping you feel like your heart is swelling. It's a vasodilator, which means it widens blood vessels, triggering increased blood flow and increased heart activity - which literally feels like your heart is opening up.
You'll feel the greatest effects from a ceremonial dose (around 35 to 40g), but a daily dose of 15 to 20g is a great place to start if you're new to cacao.
Xx Dr Ifey