Natural cocoa powder is cocoa made by pressing cocoa mass to remove most of the cocoa butter and milling the remaining cake into powder, with no alkali treatment. It stays acidic, with a pH of about 5.2 to 5.8, and has a lighter colour and a brighter, fruitier flavour than alkalized cocoa.

Natural cocoa is acidic, lighter in colour and fruitier in taste, and it keeps more flavanols. Alkalized (Dutch-process) cocoa has been treated with an alkali, so it is darker, smoother, dissolves more easily and is closer to neutral in pH. Natural cocoa is paired with baking soda, alkalized cocoa with baking powder.

Usually, yes. Natural cocoa powder is unsweetened, with no sugar added, and plain “unsweetened cocoa” in many recipes means the natural, non-alkalized type. Alkalized cocoa is also unsweetened, so check whether a label says natural, non-alkalized or Dutch-process.

It depends on the leavening. Recipes with baking soda are built around natural cocoa, because its acid activates the soda and helps the bake rise. Recipes leavened with baking powder usually call for alkalized cocoa. Using the type the recipe specifies gives the most predictable result.

Natural cocoa is acidic (pH about 5.2 to 5.8) and baking soda is a base. When they meet in a moist batter they react and release carbon dioxide, which lifts the bake, and the reaction also softens the cocoa’s acidity for a more balanced flavour.

Yes, with an adjustment. If a recipe uses alkalized cocoa and baking powder, common guidance is to replace the baking powder with about half the amount of baking soda when using natural cocoa. Colour and flavour will still differ, so test a small batch first.

It is the cocoa butter content: 10/12 means 10 to 12% fat, which is classed as low-fat or reduced-fat cocoa powder. Ordinary full-fat cocoa powder is sold as 20/22, with 20 to 22% fat. Radad natural cocoa powder is typically 10 to 12% and is available across a range of up to 24%.

Natural cocoa powder is light to medium brown, often with a reddish tone, and has a bright, fruity, slightly acidic chocolate flavour. It is lighter and sharper than alkalized cocoa, which ranges from medium to very dark brown with a smoother taste.

Yes. Natural cocoa keeps the most flavanols, because alkali treatment reduces them. In one published study, lightly alkalized cocoa kept about 40% of the natural level, medium about 25% and heavy about 10%. If your formulation specifies flavanol content, natural cocoa is the usual starting point.

It dissolves less readily than alkalized cocoa and tends to settle in liquids, so it benefits from whisking or blending with a little liquid first. For hot chocolate and drinks that must disperse easily, many producers prefer alkalized cocoa, but natural cocoa works well where a bright cocoa taste is wanted.

Radad natural cocoa powder is non-alkalized and processed mechanically only, with a pH of 5.2 to 5.8, a light to medium brown colour, 10 to 24% cocoa butter (typically 10 to 12%), a bright, fruity flavour and a shelf life of 18 to 24 months. A full specification sheet is available on request.

Store it in an airtight container in a cool, dark, dry place, ideally at 15 to 25 °C and away from strong odours. Under these conditions the shelf life is typically 18 to 24 months.

Yes. Radad International supplies natural cocoa powder in both retail and bulk quantities. Tell us your volume and preferred grade and we will recommend the right pack and send a quote.

Yes. Radad International supplies buyers in Dubai, the wider UAE and around the world, on FOB and CIF terms. Tell us your destination, grade and quantity, and we will reply with a quote.

Start with your leavening and your target colour. Baking soda or a bold, fruity flavour points to natural cocoa. Baking powder, deep colour, a smooth taste or easy dissolving points to alkalized cocoa. Use the quick picker on this page, or ask the Radad team and we will help you decide.

Use the Request a Quote button on this page, or message us on WhatsApp at +971 522 501 039. Tell us the grade, quantity, pack size and destination, and we will reply with a quote.