The Cacao Myth Files: Does Cacao Contain Serotonin?

One of the most common things you’ll hear in the wellness world is:

“Cacao contains serotonin.” 

Not quite. Let’s unpack that. 

Does cacao contain serotonin? 
The short answer is… Not in a way that explains why you feel good after drinking it. Even if tiny amounts of serotonin are present in some foods, including cacao, serotonin from food doesn’t meaningfully cross the blood-brain barrier.

In other words, eating or drinking serotonin isn’t the same as increasing serotonin in your brain. So when someone tells you that cacao makes you happy because it “contains serotonin,” they’re oversimplifying a much more interesting story. 

So why do so many people feel amazing after drinking cacao? 
That’s the million-dollar question. And the honest answer is… We’re still learning. Cacao is one of nature’s most chemically complex foods. It naturally contains minerals like magnesium, iron and calcium.

It contains healthy fats. Fibre. Polyphenols. Small amounts of caffeine. Theobromine. Tiny amounts of compounds such as phenylethylamine (PEA) and tryptamine. It also contains tryptophan, an amino acid that your body can use to make serotonin.

But simply eating a food that contains tryptophan doesn’t automatically mean your brain produces more serotonin. It’s a far more complex process than that. In other words…

There isn’t one magical ingredient responsible for the “cacao feeling.” It’s much more likely that it’s the whole orchestra, rather than a single instrument. 

Here’s what I think. 
One of the things I find fascinating is how often we try to reduce whole foods down to a single compound. Coffee becomes caffeine. Turmeric becomes curcumin. Oranges become vitamin C. And cacao becomes serotonin.

But whole foods don’t work like that. They’re incredibly complex. Their compounds interact with one another in ways we’re still trying to understand. Personally, I think that’s far more interesting than chasing one magical molecule. 

Maybe it’s not just what’s in the cup. ?
Here’s another thought. When you make yourself a mug of cacao, something else usually happens. You slow down. At Mamamuti, we’re proudly Team Saucepan. You warm the milk. Whisk the cacao. Watch the bubbles appear. Breathe in the aroma.

Take the first sip. Your shoulders soften. Your breathing slows. For a few precious minutes, you’re fully present. Could that be part of the experience too? I think so.

Sometimes I wonder if we’ve become so busy searching for the one chemical responsible for making us feel good that we’ve forgotten the power of simply pausing.

Trust your own experience. 
One of the things I hope Mamamuti inspires is that we stop outsourcing our relationship with food.

Think for yourself.
Ask questions.
Stay curious.
Use a little common sense.

If someone tells you that cacao contains serotonin, ask another question. “Is it really that simple?” Usually, the answer is no. And that’s okay. Science doesn’t become less beautiful because it gets more nuanced. It becomes more fascinating.

A final thought 
Cacao doesn’t need to contain serotonin to be extraordinary. Its story is already remarkable. A whole food. A complex food. A food we’re still discovering. And perhaps that’s the most exciting part of all.

There is still so much to learn.

Less hype. 
More curiosity.
Less certainty.
More questions.

That’s the Mamamuti way.

With all my heart
Irma Schutte
Founder Mamamuti