Q: Can I melt the cocao nibs in a microwave and coat the cocoa onto the surface of a strawberry?

Hi Isabel L.,Unfortunately, the consistency of cacao nibs is not identical to chocolate chips. Raw cacao nibs are higher in protein and fiber and as a result, will not melt. Chocolate chips are a combination of cocoa powder, milk ingredients, sugar and other fillers that allow the chocolate to melt, whereas cacao nibs consist of tiny bits of cacao beans that been broken. Cacao nibs represent the true essence of cacao and are considered to be all-natural additions to cookies, muffins, cereals etc. Hope this helps answer your question, and if you have any other questions you can reach us by responding to this comment thread or by email at amazon@vivalabs.com.BesaRegistered NutritionistViva Labs

Q: Just got my cacao nibs. They smell and taste like vinegar? Have they gone bad?

Cacao nibs are the end product of fermented cacao beans. The fermentation produces lactic acid ethanol and acetic acid. The vinegar smell is from the last phase of cacao fermentation. They should have a vinegar smell. If you roast them at 250 deg f. for around 30 minutes you will have roasted nibs. not chocolate yet. The acetic acid smell will turn into a flavor profile specific to that cacao.

Q: A lot of people are saying these are hard on the teeth. If you suck on them, will they soften & melt in your mouth?

They don't really soften like chocolate does. However, I don't think they are hard on your teeth at all. I would compare them to eating an almond or peanut. I think that because they smell just like chocolate that you expect them to melt in your mouth like chocolate does. There is no cocoa butter and no milk in these which is what makes a chocolate bar smooth and creamy.

Question 1

How do the metals (Pd, Cd, As, Hg, and Al) rank in ppm for this product? Info found on other brands, but not this one...

Accepted Answer

I have no affiliation with this company other than buying their product.  I regularly consume fairly large amounts of their powdered cacao product (usually ~25 grams/day), so with concerns about this stuff being grown in volcanic soil, I had myself tested and got the following results: lead 0.019 mcg/g, mercury below detectable limit, cadmium below detectable limit.  I take beneficial element supplements so I can't say where those are coming from, but I consume only highly filtered (carbon block) water. Note that ppm and mcg/g is equivalent, and reference range for lead is <=0.048 mcg/g      Hope this helps.

Question 2

Can I  melt the cocao nibs in a microwave and coat the cocoa onto the surface of  a strawberry?

Accepted Answer

Hi Isabel L.,Unfortunately, the consistency of cacao nibs is not identical to chocolate chips. Raw cacao nibs are higher in protein and fiber and as a result, will not melt. Chocolate chips are a combination of cocoa powder, milk ingredients, sugar and other fillers that allow the chocolate to melt, whereas cacao nibs consist of tiny bits of cacao beans that been broken. Cacao nibs represent the true essence of cacao and are considered to be all-natural additions to cookies, muffins, cereals etc. Hope this helps answer your question, and if you have any other questions you can reach us by responding to this comment thread or by email at amazon@vivalabs.com.BesaRegistered NutritionistViva Labs

Question 3

Just got my cacao nibs. They smell and taste like vinegar? Have they gone bad?

Accepted Answer

Cacao nibs are the end product of fermented cacao beans. The fermentation produces lactic acid ethanol and acetic acid. The vinegar smell is from the last phase of cacao fermentation. They should have a vinegar smell. If you roast them at 250 deg f. for around 30 minutes you will have roasted nibs. not chocolate yet. The acetic acid smell will turn into a flavor profile specific to that cacao.

Question 4

A lot of people are saying these are hard on the teeth.  If you suck on them, will they soften & melt in your mouth?

Accepted Answer

They don't really soften like chocolate does. However, I don't think they are hard on your teeth at all. I would compare them to eating an almond or peanut. I think that because they smell just like chocolate that you expect them to melt in your mouth like chocolate does. There is no cocoa butter and no milk in these which is what makes a chocolate bar smooth and creamy.

ASIN	B00MGW81YM
Age Range Description	All Ages
Allergen Information	Gluten Free, Milk, Peanuts, Soy, Tree Nuts
Best Sellers Rank	#3,554 in Grocery & Gourmet Food ( See Top 100 in Grocery & Gourmet Food ) #13 in Baking Chocolates, Carobs & Cocoas
Brand	Viva Naturals
Brand Name	Viva Naturals
Color	No Color
Container Type	pouch
Cuisine	Any Cuisine Type
Customer Reviews	4.4 out of 5 stars 9,379 Reviews
Diet Type	Vegan
Flavor	Cacao Nibs
Global Trade Identification Number	00700465936974
Item Form	Chip
Item Weight	16 ounces
Manufacturer	Viva Naturals
Model Number	TRTJUNEBEAUTY60755
Number of Items	1
Package Size Name	1 lb
Part Number	TRTJUNEBEAUTY60755
Protein	2 g
Set Name	1 lb set
Size	16 Ounce (Pack of 1)
Specialty	Gluten Free
Sweetness Description	Unsweetened
UPC	700465936974
Unit Count	16 Ounce

Viva Naturals Organic Cacao Nibs, Unsweetened, 1 LB (454 g), Keto Friendly, Vegan, Non-GMO, Gluten-Free Crunchy Chocolate Chip Substitute

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