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Contents
- 1 Introduction
- 2 The cacao tree is native to South America and Central America
- 3 It’s called “the food of the Gods” for good reason
- 4 Cacao is a fruit
- 5 The seeds are inside of pods.
- 6 People have been eating cacao for more than 3,000 years
- 7 There are at least 60 species of cacao trees in the world.
- 8 The word ‘chocolate’ comes from xocolatl, a Nahuatl word meaning ‘bitter water.’
- 9 Chocolate was used as money in pre-Columbian Mesoamerican civilizations.
- 10 Some legends say that chocolate was discovered when someone threw away some ground up cacao beans into a fire..and they grew! (But this isn’t likely.)
- 11 The journey from seed to chocolate is long and fascinating
- 12 Conclusion
Introduction
The journey from seed to chocolate is long and fascinating. The cacao tree is native to South America and Central America, where it has been cultivated for thousands of years. It’s called “the food of the Gods” for good reason—cacao contains more antioxidants than any other food on earth! Cacao seeds are inside of pods, which you can see in this picture:
The cacao tree is native to South America and Central America
It grows in tropical rainforests, where the climate is hot and humid with lots of rainfall. Cacao trees can live for up to 100 years.
The cacao tree produces fruit pods that contain seeds called “beans.” The beans are harvested from the pod, fermented and dried, then roasted and ground into chocolate liquor (or cocoa mass). This substance is used as a base for all types of chocolate products, including powdery cocoa solids used for baking or making hot chocolate drinks!
It’s called “the food of the Gods” for good reason
Cacao is a very nutritious food. It’s full of antioxidants, fiber and vitamins and minerals that can help reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer. Cacao also contains anandamide (the “bliss molecule”), which contributes to feelings of happiness by stimulating the same receptors in your brain as marijuana does. Eating chocolate will not get you high or make you fail a drug test, but it may make you feel good!
Cacao is a fruit
Cacao is a fruit–not a nut, berry or drupe. It’s also not a capsule.
The fruit comes from the tree’s ovary and looks like this:
The seeds are inside of pods.
The cacao tree produces fruit in the form of pods, which contain the seeds that we call “beans.” The pulp surrounding each bean is sweet and fleshy, while its skin is thin and translucent.
People have been eating cacao for more than 3,000 years
The ancient Maya were one of the first cultures to drink it as a beverage and use it in religious ceremonies. They also used cacao as an aphrodisiac and medicine–and even as a stimulant!
Today you can find a wide variety of chocolate products on store shelves all over the world: bars with different flavors, types of milk or white chocolate; even vegan versions (which don’t contain any dairy). But if you want to experience these delicious treats like they’ve always been enjoyed by humans throughout history–you have to make them yourself!
There are at least 60 species of cacao trees in the world.
The most common species are forastero, criollo and trinitario. There are many different types of cacao beans and trees that grow best in different climates. The most important thing to understand about these trees is that they need a tropical climate to grow properly–they will not thrive in any other type of environment!
The equatorial zone is where cacao trees do their best work: it’s hot there all year round (between 20-30 degrees Celsius), which makes it easy for them to produce fruit year-round without suffering too much frost damage or disease outbreaks during cold weather seasons like wintertime here in North America where we live on our farm in Vermont USA).
The word ‘chocolate’ comes from xocolatl, a Nahuatl word meaning ‘bitter water.’
The Mayans and Aztecs drank this bitter beverage as a stimulating drink, not for pleasure or taste. They also used it for medicinal purposes such as for headaches and heart problems.
The cacao tree’s journey across the globe began in South America where it was first discovered by the Olmecs around 1000 BC. The seeds were then taken northwards by migrating tribes who spread them over large parts of Central America before eventually reaching Mexico where they became known as chocolate (or “food of the gods”) when they were consumed by royalty during religious ceremonies and rituals held in honour of their gods
Chocolate was used as money in pre-Columbian Mesoamerican civilizations.
The cacao tree has a long history of being used for currency.
The Aztecs and Mayans used cacao beans as money, and they were known as “the food of the Gods” for good reason. In fact, they believed that if you ate chocolate every day you would live longer than normal humans do!
Cacao trees are native to Central America but their seeds were traded throughout the region before Europeans arrived in America.
Some legends say that chocolate was discovered when someone threw away some ground up cacao beans into a fire..and they grew! (But this isn’t likely.)
Chocolate is made from the seeds of the cacao tree, which are inside pods. The word ‘chocolate’ comes from xocolatl, a Nahuatl word meaning ‘bitter water.’
Some legends say that chocolate was discovered when someone threw away some ground up cacao beans into a fire..and they grew! (But this isn’t likely.)
The journey from seed to chocolate is long and fascinating
The journey begins with a seed, which is planted in soil and grows into a tree. After eight years (or more), the cocoa pods are harvested and cracked open to reveal the seeds inside. These seeds are then dried out so they can be roasted, milled and ground into cocoa powder or nibs–the key ingredient for making chocolate!
Conclusion
Chocolate is a delicious treat that we all love, but it’s also a fascinating journey from seed to chocolate. The cacao tree is native to South America and Central America, where people have been eating it for thousands of years. Today, there are at least 60 species of cacao trees in the world–and they’re still growing strong!
