Cocoa might sound and look the same as cacao, there is a big difference between the two. Cocoa powder is, in essence, the ‘raw cacao’ which has been roasted at very high temperatures. This means processing and therefore its nutritional value gets lower and many health benefits get spoiled. It might come as a surprise but cocoa powder is highly processed, it contains little amounts of cacao so will have very little to no nutritional value. It often contains fats, sugar-hydrogenated oils, or even gets artificial flavors added. Cacao, on the other hand, is a lot less processed with a high antioxidant content, it is believed to have the highest level of antioxidants and magnesium from all foods. The power of antioxidants is all well-known, healthy heart, healthy-looking skin, cholesterol-lowering superfood, it is super high in flavonoids. Cacao powder is the best to use in smoothies and eat as raw as possible. I do bake with it because I do not buy and I have not bought cocoa powder for many years now so I have none in my pantry cupboard.