Although you need to follow a few tips for making a perfect smoothie, you can let your imagination run free with the combination of fruits and veggies. But sometimes a smoothie is just, well, a little too smooth, and it lacks a little pizzazz. Cacao nibs are a health-food staple ingredient that when sprinkled on top of a smoothie adds a satisfying crunch and a substantial nutritional benefit to boot.
Cacao beans are harvested from the Amazonian, Asian, and West African tree, Theobroma cacao, which translates from the Greek as “food of the gods,” and refers to the ancient Mayans’ and Aztecs’ reverence for its mystical medicinal properties. In the chocolate-making process, cacao beans are roasted and cracked into small bits — “nibs” — from which cocoa butter and potent chocolate liquor are extracted. Cacao nibs are naturally bitter, and sugar and milk solids, depending on the type of chocolate, are added to temper that bitterness. The less sugar and higher percentage of cacao, the darker and more bitter the chocolate. Dark chocolate isn’t to everyone’s taste, but it is the healthiest of all types of chocolate.
Because cacao nibs are minimally processed and lack sugar, they’re a nutritious option for adding texture to your smoothies. Cacao nibs are packed with minerals, fiber, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory agents, and are a better source of caffeine than a cup of coffee. If you’re looking to give your smoothie an extra eye-opening kick, sprinkle these little health bombs on top.
The best smoothies for cacao nibs
There are many refreshing smoothie recipes, but since some often have a healthy green or other veggie in the mix, cacao nibs might not pair as well as it does with all-fruit smoothies. A couple of obvious choices for topping a smoothie with cacao nibs are those that are chocolate-forward, like a Black Forest smoothie. This healthful blend of frozen or fresh cherries, bananas, and cocoa powder mimics the flavors of the luscious Black Forest cake, and when it’s topped with a generous pinch of cacao nibs, you’ll get an extra burst of intense chocolate. Chocolate and strawberries are a heavenly match, and Mexican chocolate has a touch of cinnamon, so a strawberry-cinnamon smoothie is a perfect candidate for a crunchy finish of cacao nibs. Although the strawberry isn’t actually a berry, blueberries are, and chocolate brings out the best in them. For example, this blueberry and avocado smoothie could be elevated with a cacao nib sprinkle.
If you’re new to making smoothies — or even if you’re a smoothie-blending pro — you want to avoid the biggest mistake people make and strive for a balanced approach to the fruits, veggies, and healthy fats you mix in the blender. The order of the ingredients you put in also matters, and we wouldn’t advise adding cacao nibs until after you’ve poured the smoothie into the glass.
