Cacao beans where so valued in pre-Columbian Mesoamerican civilizations that they were actually used as currency. Cacao "beans" are the pod-like fruit of the cacao or cocoa tree Theobroma cacao. Native to South and Central America, this tree has been domesticated for many centuries. Each bean weighs about a pound, and produces a few hundred seeds. Each cacao tree only produces about 20 beans a year. The seeds are crushed and processed into cocoa paste and cocoa butter, both of which are used to make chocolate and cocoa.

Our tea is made from the husks of cacao seeds that are leftover from the chocolate making process. These husks contain a hint of the chocolate flavors once inside, but do not retain measurable quantities of caffeine or the other bitter flavors of pure cacao.

Thought by some archaeologists to be one of the oldest medicines in the world, peppermint is now known for its soothing effects on the digestive system. Additionally, then menthol in peppermint is a good expectorant and decongestant, explaining why mint teas are so wonderful when you have a cold or flu.