Difference between cocoa and cacao
What is the difference between cocoa powder and cacao powder? Can they be used interchangeably (taste and function the same)? I understand somewhat the processing difference. It's like cold vs hot pressed oils, cocoa is "hot pressed" and cacao is "cold pressed" so I would imagine that you wouldn't get some of the roasted flavors in cacao. I tried eating some plain powder of both. Bitterness was about the same, and the cocoa seemed a little chocolatier but kinda hard to tell from eating dry powder.
I'm not asking from a health perspective, only from a culinary one.
The 2 products I am comparing are standard Hershey's cocoa powder vs nativa cacao powder 
https://thrivemarket.com/p/navitas-organics-organic-cacao-powder
This is in the eastern USA.
Best Answer
I learned* that before roasting, the (raw) beans are called cacao, after roasting it is cocoa.
And yes, that does noticeably change the smell and taste.
AFAIK, only special kinds of cacao are consumed without roasting.
I recently had some samples of raw cacao and roasted cocoa beans in the lab (same kind of cacao, same region + cooperative doing the fermentation) and they did smell very differently. Only the roasted samples had what I'd call the pleasant cocoa/chocolatey smell - I'd have said the unroasted samples were much different, not just a bit less chocolatey.
Differences in smell and taste can be caused by a variety of influencing factors such as region, cultivar, fermentation + roasting protocols, alkalizing (for the powder), ...
* in the academic context of botany, food and biotechnology
That being said, I'd suspect that cacao vs. cocoa could also be a caused by non-English product naming: In German, it is usually Kakao (before and after roasting), but occasionally Cacao is used, presumably to create an impression of old-fashioned quality produce. Or maybe to refer to the Spanish term.
Edit: about the linked product:
Your example cacao says on the backside that it is actually produced from unroasted beans.
It is degreased (cocoa/cacao butter removed), though: raw cacao beans have roughly 50 % lipids (cocoa/cacao butter) whereas that powder has 10 % lipids.
Degreasing is AFAIK part of the milling/grinding process: the beans or nibs are put through roller mills and the molten cocoa/cacao butter (melting at 34 - 38 °C, so roughly human body temperature) can then be removed by pressing. Thus, a certain amount of heat is involved, but far less than in roasting (e.g. 120 - 140 °C).
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Quick Answer about "Difference between cocoa and cacao"
Cacao is the raw, unprocessed version of cocoa. Both can benefit your health, but it's best to stick to either the raw version, cacao, or a chocolate product that has a high chocolate liquor content. Raw cacao can take some getting used to. It tastes a little different than cocoa products and can be slightly bitter.Which is healthier cocoa or cacao?
Cacao products are clear winners. They have higher antioxidant content than cocoa products, and the former is also the purest form of chocolate you can consume as they are raw and less processed than cocoa powder or common chocolate bars. Cacao is one of the best sources of antioxidants, iron, fibre and magnesium.Can I substitute cacao for cocoa?
For example, cocoa and cacao powders can be used interchangeably with just the flavour being affected, but it is not recommended that you replace chocolate chips with cacao nibs in your baking. Other than that, especially in powder form, cacao and cocoa can be used fairly interchangeably.What is the difference between cocoa powder and cacao?
Cocoa powder and cacao powder are very similar, the only difference being that cocoa is processed at a much higher temperature (and often packaged cocoa contains added sugar and dairy). Both start out as beans from the cacao plant (confusing, right?), which are separated from the fatty part known as cocoa butter.What is the taste difference between cocoa and cacao?
While they're confusingly close in name, cocoa and cacao have their differences. These are: Taste. Cacao is more bitter than cocoa, although both still taste chocolatey.Difference Between Cacao \u0026 Cocoa?
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Answer 2
Cacao is the actual plant that chocolate products are made from. Cacao powder is the processed powdered cacao plant beans. Cocoa is a product made from that cacao powder. According to Wikipedia:
Cocoa solids are a mixture of many substances remaining after cocoa butter is extracted from cacao beans. When sold as an end product, it may also be called cocoa powder or cocoa. Cocoa solids are a key ingredient of chocolate, chocolate syrup, and chocolate confections.
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