Cacao powder is considered “raw” because the cocoa bean is fermented, and then processed at low temperatures and then milled into powder. It’s got a much more bitter flavor than cocoa powder, but it does have health benefits due to the amount of minerals and nutrients it retains since it is less processed. Cocoa powder is created when the beans are fermented and then processed at a much higher temperature / roasted. This gives cocoa powder a milder, sweeter flavor (and less acidic in taste). The tradeoff is that it may have less of the natural nutrients of the cacao bean due to the additional heating. But it’s still much much healthier than using whole chocolate to make hot chocolate!