10 Facts about Cacao
Facts about Cacao inform you with the cacao bean produced by cacao trees. The cacao butter and cacao solid are extracted from the cacao beans. There are several types of Mesoamerican foods created from cacao beans such as tejate and mole sauce. Moreover, cacao is also used as the main ingredient of chocolate. Here are some interesting facts about cacao for you:
Facts about Cacao 1: the native plant
Let’s find out the origin of cacao. The people believe that cacao is originated from the foothill of Andes. It is considered as a native plant in America. Today, you can find the wild cacao in the present day Venezuela and Colombia.
Facts about Cacao 2: the sweet pulp
The cacao beans are covered inside the white sweet pulps. Actually the pulps were more popular in the past for they were used to produce the fermented beverage with the alcohol concentration at five percent.
Cacao Picture
Facts about Cacao 3: before the conquest of Spain
Before Spanish conquered Mesoamerica, the common currency in the region was cacao beans.
Facts about Cacao 4: the crops of cacao trees
Today, West Africa occupies 70 percent of the cacao trees in the world. Not all areas in the world can grow cacao trees. They are limited to the 20 degree to the south and north of Equator.
Facts about Cacao
Facts about Cacao 5: the botanical name
Carl Linnaeus was the Swedish natural scientist who gave the cacao trees a botanical name Theobroma cacao. It means food of the gods. Find facts about blueberries here.
Facts about Cacao 6: an important commodity
During the pre-Columbian Mesoamerica, cacao was considered as prominent commodity. When Henan Cortes dined with emperor of the Aztecs Moctezuma II, he only took the chocolate drink in a golden goblet.
Cacao
Facts about Cacao 7: the introduction of chocolate in Europe
The Spaniards introduced chocolate to European world. In the mid 17th century, chocolate became the popular beverage in the continent. Then chocolate was brought to Philippines and West Indies.
Facts about Cacao 8: the color of cacao seeds
The common color of cacao seeds is in brown color. But in some cases, you can find the white seed of cacao. The Rama people of Nicaragua cultivated the white cacao.
Cacao facts
Facts about Cacao 9: the varieties of cacao
There are three primary varieties of cacao. Those are Forastero, Trinitario and Criollo. Get facts about avocados here.
Facts about Cacao 10: the common type of cacao
More than 95 percent of cacao production in the world is from Forastero. However, the Criollo has the highest quality of cacao.
Cacao Beans
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