Cocoa beans are the fruit of the cacao tree and the source of all the tasty chocolate products you know and love. The ancient Olmecs and Mayans are responsible for first cultivating this tree and recognizing its potential as a food. There are many more forms of cocoa available today, however, than these ancient people could have ever dreamed of. Alkalized cocoa powder is one product that people frequently wonder about, and it can easily be confused with other forms of cocoa.
When compared to natural cocoa powder, alkalized cocoa powder is darker brown, with reddish undertones; it is milder in flavor and mixes with liquids more easily. Alkalized cocoa powder has an alkaline pH from 7 to 8, while natural cocoa powder has an acidic pH, around 5. Alkalized cocoa powder is sold in stores alongside other types of baking chocolate and is sometimes labeled as Dutch-process cocoa or European-style cocoa. It should list alkali in the ingredients.