The
cocoa bean, also called cacao bean, cocoa, and cacao, is the dried
and fully fermented seed of Theobroma cacao, from which cocoa
solids and, because of the seed\'s fat, cocoa butter can be
extracted. Cocoa beans are the
fermented seed of the cacao tree, whose Latin name
is Theobroma
cacao, which means Food of the Gods.
It is native to the Amazon region and as the meaning suggests,
it was historically considered a very important crop in Central and
South America. In fact, its beans were so prized that the
native tribes used them as a form of currency. The cacao tree
stands about ****5 feet tall and grows naturally in tropical
climates. The fruit of the cocoa
tree is a pod full of sweet pulp enfolding a cluster of about ****0
cacao seeds. Today, it is produced across the world, with
about forty percent of the harvesting done in Cote dIvoire, along
with Indonesia, Ghana, Brazil, Nigeria, and Cameroon contributing
to the overall production. Along with its well-established role in
the manufacturing of chocolate, the healing and
medicinal benefits of cocoa have been appreciated since
the ancient Mayan and Aztec civilizations were ruling. Cocoa and chocolate are
diverse terminologies. Cocoa refers to the low-fat constituent of
the finely ground cacao beans. These ground beans, known as cocoa
liquor or cocoa mass, also contain cocoa butter, which is a
non-dairy, naturally occurring fat present in cacao beans. About
****0% of cocoa liquor consists of cocoa butter. Health benefits of cocoa
include relief from high blood pressure, cholesterol,
obesity, constipation, bronchial, asthma, and various
neurodegenerative diseases. It is beneficial for quick
wound healin, skin care, and it helps to improve
cardiovascular health and brain health. It also helps in
treating copper deficiency. It possesses mood-enhancing
properties and exerts protective effects against
neurotoxicity.
