Of all the exciting new innovations on display at Balance’s health and wellbeing festival over the weekend, the one which I was perhaps most excited to try was Cascoa – the new edible coffee bar – which has received a lot of press lately as a hotly anticipated industry favourite
Cascoa
Cascoa is an ‘edible coffee bar’ made from just a few whole-food ingredients: cascara – a pulpy substance that makes up 45% of the fruit of the coffee cherry – roasted coffee beans and cacao butter. The energy-boosting snack is full of natural caffeine (each 10g bar contains 50mg – equivalent to a shot of espresso!), packed with heart-healthy antioxidants and 100% vegan.
It’s rich in fibre and healthy fats, plus it’s super sustainable too as the coffee cherry – a by-product of coffee production – is usually discarded or burned by coffee farmers. Other benefits for the farmers include:
- Better pay – by selling this cascara in addition to the coffee bean, the farmer gets offered substantially more money simply by working with what they already have
- Local job opportunities – since all of Cascoa’s materials are processed in farmer’s country, adding value to the economy
- Environmental improvements – since Cascoa only work with 100% organic farms, don’t use plastic in their production chain and are taking care of the rainforests by planting replacement trees
Cascoa – the ‘mindful coffeebar’
Cascoa is a healthier alternative to energy drinks and bars – boosting focus and concentration using all-natural ingredients. It’s an efficient source of caffeine too since the cacao butter used to create the smooth mouthfeel also slows its digestion and absorption in the intestines giving you longer-lasting energy which delivers up to 4 hours of effect. That also means no more of the peak and jitters that some people experience after drinking too much coffee!
The bars offer your daily dose of caffeine packed into a convenient, on-the-go sleeve that you can use whenever and wherever you feel. That means no more cold coffee or waiting in long queues for sub-standard coffee at the office or train station. You can simply consume your bar and be on the move in seconds. No more plastic cups either since Cascoa comes wrapped up in biodegradable packaging!
Macros (per 10g bar):
- Calories – 52
- Fats (of which saturates) – 3.9g (2.5g)
- Carbs (of which sugars) – 2.2g (2.2g)
- Protein – 0.6g
Ingredients:
Cocoa butter, organic coffee beans, organic coffee fruit, organic cane sugar, salt
The Verdict
If you’re a coffee aficionado then Cascoa’s coffee bars are a must-try. The aroma of roasted coffee beans when you open the pack is enough to make your mouth water and the taste is absolutely incredible.
I think my brain was expecting it to taste like chocolate since the look and texture of the bar were totally identical so it was quite an unusual sensation at first but one which I enjoyed and quickly got used to! I could see this innovative product becoming an alternative ‘coffee on the go’ for many busy people.
