Cacao

Description

The fruit that gives us chocolate! Large pods containing beans covered in a sweet, white, mucilaginous pulp. The pulp is eaten fresh; the beans are fermented for chocolate.

Benefits

Raw pulp is rich in magnesium and antioxidants. The beans are the source of flavonoids linked to heart health and mood improvement (theobromine).

History and Origins

Cacao is native to the Amazon basin. It was domesticated by Olmecs and Mayans in Central America, who used the beans as currency and to make a sacred drink. Brazil is a major historic producer, especially in Bahia.

Fun Facts

You can eat the white pulp raw—it tastes nothing like chocolate! It is sweet and tart, like Mangosteen. Chocolate flavor only develops after fermenting and roasting the bitter seeds.

What are the varieties of Cacao?

Varieties: Criollo (fine flavor, rare), Forastero (robust, common), and Trinitario (hybrid).

Nutritional Values per 100g of Cacao

Harvest Months