Navitas Organics Raw Cacao Nibs 16oz. bag, 15 servings — Organic, Non-GMO, Fair Trade, Gluten-Free (Pack of 2)

I'm a certified chocoholic with a weight problem. I had heard that cacao nibs had all the health benefits of dark chocolate (way more, actually) without the sugar and junk food aspects. They are loaded with antioxidants and have those powerful endorphin releasing stimulants. They are also quite high in fiber (but also in saturated fats). I got my big pile of Navitas Naturals nibs and dug right in. Well - these are a bit of an acquired taste; but once acquired, they really satisfy. Cacao nibs are broken pieces of raw whole cacao beans that have been fermented and dried (and that's it). They are brown, with a dark cocoa smell, and a seductive texture that's partly like a coffee bean (crunchy and hard), and partly like a piece of chocolate (buttery with a crisp and then melting fat). The flavor initially gives you a cocoa hit and then a winey fermented flavor that is hard to describe. The aftertaste is bitter like baking chocolate. Like a coffee bean, there's some fibrous grit with the aftertaste after the creamy fats have dissolved on your tongue. My first impressions was "phew - that's disgusting". The winey flavor was off-putting and the bitterness in the aftertaste was hard to take. That didn't prevent me from immediately having more, however - as the crisp rich creamy quality made me want more. After a few pinches (maybe 3/4s of a tablespoon) I was flying! I mean, these things are POTENT. They really are loaded with all those endorphin releasing stimulants - and man they wake you up and then make you feel loved. Over the next few days I kept a big baggie of these in my pack and ate them whenever I wanted a cup of coffee. The stimulant effect is totally as strong as coffee - and more. To go with the speed, there's a feeling of well being and intellectual stimulation that's seductive in the extreme. I began to almost enjoy the odd powerful flavor. My only concerns at this point are whether these are addictive! About 1/2 way through my bag I have yet to hit a stem or a stone or an inedible piece (unlike what I've heard with some other brands). The flavor and texture is pretty consistent as I work my way through too - pretty good for a totally raw organic product. I found that I could grind them up into powder in the blender and use the powder to "cocoa" up various foods (especially ones bearing some sweetness). For example, after my workout I'd put a tablespoon of nibs and a tablespoon of chia seeds in the blender and grind nice and fine and then toss in a fist full of frozen blueberries, a glug of Walden Farms zero calorie chocolate sauce, 8 oz water and two scoops of whey protein powder (chocolate flavor, of course) and then blend. It all whips up into a rich chocolatey blueberry shake that packs the nutritional wallop of a steak dinner with omega 3 oils, TONS of antioxidants, and a wicked emotional and blood sugar pick-me-up. You can buy the powder pre-ground, but I imagine the goodies keep better in this coarsely cracked version. All in all - I think of cacao nibs as much as a drug like coffee as I do a food. People who eat ultra-dark chocolate for the health aspects should absolutely check nibs out because my body tells me they have WAY MORE of the chemical goodies of chocolate with far less sugar and fat. They also are brimming with a rich raw cocoa flavor that's weird and wonderful and hard to describe. If you are bent in this way - this stuff is wonderful.

Not much more I can add to this discussion that hasn't already been said -- great cocoa taste, rich flavor, good to snack on and good for you. I was moved by several reviewers complaining about the taste and having been stuck with 32oz of cacao nibs they can't use, so here are a few suggestions for you that I developed by combining these nibs with other things I've found on Amazon: 1. Add to granola cereal for a chocolatety taste -- highly suggest Nature's Path Organic Flax Plus Pumpkin Granola Cereal or the Hemp Plus granola. Eat these together with or without milk for a great chocolate treat (the sweetness of the Hemp Plus granola mixes well with the bitter chocolate) 2. Make Your Very Own Chocolate Soy/Rice/Almond Milk -- Add 3 or 4 tablespoons of nibs along with the soybeans/rice/almonds to the Soyapower Plus Soy Milk Maker, press the Soy+ button and in less than 20 minutes you will have deliciously chocolatey Soy/Rice/Almond milk. The device does the rest, heating, chopping, mixing -- just strain and serve. Add 3 tablespoons Madhava Organic Agave Nectar - Amber or Light to sweeten. 3. Make your own healthy snack by mixing Cacao nibs, Dry Roasted Edamame, and Gogi Berries for a choco-nutty and fruity treat. This last pick is targeted at those of you who also bought Navitas Naturals Goji Berries and have plenty extra. Anyway, have fun with these Cacao nibs -- if you don't like them straight-up there are many ways to enjoy this delicious and healthy alternative to chocolate. Happy Eating!

I ordered this item to make homemade chocolate the way I had tasted it Mexico. I never was a fan of hot chocolate until I tasted hot chocolate in Puebla. I have since researched how to make the real homemade hot chocolate and learned I needed raw cocoa which is hard to find. I finally found these nibs. This is how I use them. 1) I break them in my food processor, 5 seconds at a time. I turn the food processor on pulse 5 seconds. Stop. 5 seconds pulse. Stop. 5 seconds pulse. Etc. I read online that if you do it continuously, you will burn the engine of the food processor. 2) Once the nibs are broken, I then put them in the Krups coffee grinder which I also purchased on Amazon (thanks Amazon) and do the same thing. I pulse. Stop. Pulse. Stop. etc until I reach the results mentioned in 3) below. In the middle, I often have to stir to make sure the crushing is even. 3) After a while, you will notice that the coarse bits, become powder, and then sticky powder, and then slowly chocolate paste. 4) Meanwhile the whole time I have had hot coconut milk on the stove (with cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla essence (also home made), sea salt or himalayan salt, coconut sugar/stevia mixed (to your taste), pinch hot pepper or rosemary or chipotle or whatever you like and I let it heat and when the chocolate has melted, I take it off. I have noticed that can be enough food for a huge part of my day. It really fills me up. It is a superfood indeed. Enjoy. I see that Navitas also has the powder but I saw in Mexico that the indigenous and locals did not use powder. They used the paste with the grease in it. That is what gives it this rich taste and fills you up.

These cacao nibs are a lot sweeter than others I've tried, which was exactly what I wanted.These disappeared out of the bag without my noticing - I blame the flatmates!

Happy with product. Tastes good.

Raw Cacao Nibs Sweetened を注文したのに SWEETではないカカオニブが届きました． 気付かず開封してしまったので返品もできず...

Really pleased with this product and pleasantly surprised how good it tasted

Wow, these surpassed my expectations honestly I did not think I would like them I thought they would be bitter but little did I know that they are quite the opposite, they have the perfect balance of sweetness and crunch! When I crave a snack now, I grab these instead of a chocolate bar! That is how good this stuff is! Eat them on it's own or throw them into your cereal or smoothies.