The lands of Central and South America are recognized as the birthplace of the chocolate tree. Now, wild-growing cocoa (chocolate tree), belonging to the Sterkuliev family, can hardly be found. The plant has become domesticated since the development of the South American lands by the Spaniards. It is cultivated on plantations.

Theobroma is an ancient Greek meaning "food of the gods." It really lives up to its name. Treats made from cocoa beans have a divine taste. Chocolate, be it a hot drink, hard bar, candy, paste or cream, is a delight for every person.

Cocoa growing area

In the regions where the chocolate tree grows, special natural and climatic conditions prevail. It is mainly cultivated in the tropics, stretching across America, Africa and Oceania. African states are the main suppliers of cocoa beans. They supply up to 70% of this product to the world market.

Ghana is recognized as the largest supplier. In the capital of this country - Accra - the largest African market has been built, where cocoa beans are sold. The harvest of chocolate beans in (Ivory Coast) reaches 30% of the total amount produced in the world. Indonesia is also considered a major market player.

Many are harvested from the chocolate trees in Bali, where the combination of mountainous climate and fertile volcanic soils is ideal for cocoa growing. Cocoa seeds are brought from Nigeria, Brazil, Cameroon, Ecuador, Dominican Republic, Malaysia and Colombia.

Growing conditions for cocoa

It is difficult to find a tree more whimsical than cocoa. It requires special conditions for life. An incredible sissy - a chocolate tree - is capable of developing and bearing fruit only in multi-tiered tropical forests. The plant settles in the lower layer of the forest. Where shadow and dampness do not disappear, and the temperature regime is kept at marks from + 24 to + 28 0 С.

It loves places with fertile, loose soils covered with fallen leaves, where incessant rains pour and there are no winds. Such growth conditions can only be created by a canopy that forms in multi-tiered rainforests.

For example, in the Amazon basin, with the onset of the rainy season, when the tributaries of the river, overflowing the banks, turn the lowlands into endless lakes a meter deep, each chocolate tree stands practically in water for many weeks. However, under such conditions, the plants do not rot, but, on the contrary, continue to develop.

Growing a chocolate tree on plantations

The capricious chocolate tree is demanding on the temperature regime. It is completely incapable of development if the temperature does not rise above 21 0 C. The optimal temperature for its growth is considered to be 40 0 \u200b\u200bC. And at the same time, direct sunlight is harmful to it.

Therefore, in order to ensure normal growth of trees, they are planted in mixed plantings. Cocoa thrives on avocados, bananas, mangoes, coconuts and rubber trees. Whimsical trees, easily susceptible to many diseases, need constant care and careful maintenance. They are harvested only by hand.

Description of the chocolate tree

The average height of straight-stemmed evergreen trees is 6 meters. However, some specimens cost nothing to grow up to 9 or even 15 meters. The trunks of plants (up to 30 cm in girth with yellowish wood) are covered with brown bark and crowned with wide branchy dense crowns.

Trees that can live in the shade of rain-flooded plantations have giant oblong-elliptical leaves. The size of thin, whole-edged, alternate evergreen leaves, sitting on short petioles, is comparable to the size of a newspaper page. Their length is about 40 cm, and their width is about 15 cm.

Thanks to the chocolate, it captures crumbs of light, barely oozing through the lush greenery of plants endowed with greater height. The growth of giant foliage is not characterized by gradualness (leaves do not bloom one after another). It is characterized by undulating development. Either the leaves of the word freeze for several weeks or even months and do not grow at all, then suddenly an extraordinary surge in their development is observed - several pieces bloom at the same time.

Fruiting is observed all year round. The first flowering and fruit formation is observed in the 5-6 year of the plant's life. The fruiting period lasts 30-80 years. The chocolate tree bears fruit twice a year. Gives bountiful harvests after 12 years of life.

Tufts formed by small pinkish-white flowers cut right through the bark covering the trunks and large branches. Inflorescences emitting a disgusting odor are pollinated by woodlice midges. Brown and yellow fruits, similar in shape to a small elongated ribbed melon, hang from the trunks. Their surface is indented with ten grooves.

Chocolate tree seeds

It takes 4 months for them to mature. Due to such a long ripening, they are all the time decked with flowers and fruits. In fruits 30 cm long, 5-20 cm in diameter and weighing 200-600 g, 30-50 cocoa beans are hidden. The beans are covered with a dense leathery shell of yellow, red or orange tones. The length of each almond seed is 2-2.5 cm, and the width is 1.5 cm.

Longitudinal rows of beans are surrounded by juicy, sweetish pulp, which is considered a delicacy by squirrels and monkeys. They suck out the watery pulp, discarding what is valuable to humans - the beans used as raw materials for the production of cocoa and chocolate.

Collecting cocoa fruits

Since the chocolate tree is quite tall, not only machetes are used to collect fruits, but also knives attached to long poles. The removed fruits are cut into 2-4 shares. The beans, extracted from the pulp by hand, are laid out for drying on banana leaves, trays or in closed boxes.

Drying the seeds in the sun produces cocoa with a bittersweet taste with tart notes, which is less valuable. Therefore, preference is given to the closed drying of the beans. The fermentation period takes 2 to 9 days. During the drying process, the size of the seeds decreases.

Seed processing

Cocoa beans of brown-purple hues have a buttery taste and a pleasant aroma. The seeds, sorted, peeled, roasted and removed from the parchment shells, are crushed and sifted through a sieve to obtain high-quality cocoa powder.

Parchment shells are used as fertilizer, and any tree, or rather its raw material obtained from seeds, is an excellent basis for many delicacies for further processing.

Bitter chocolate is obtained from the fried crumbs, ground into a thick stretching mass, by cooling. By enriching the resulting mixture with sugar, vanilla, milk powder and other additives, various chocolate is obtained.

Cocoa butter is obtained from the pressed roasted fruit. The crumb left after pressing is ground into cocoa powder. Thus, two valuable products are given to humanity by the chocolate tree. The confectionery factory uses both powder and butter to produce all kinds of chocolate treats. In addition, the oil is widely used in the production of perfumery, cosmetic and pharmacological agents.

The benefits of cocoa

Cocoa is not just a tasty treat, it has healing properties. Its composition is based on proteins, fiber, gum, alkaloids, theobromine, fat, starch and coloring matter. Thanks to theobromine, which has a tonic effect, cocoa has found application in medicine. With its help, successfully suppress diseases of the throat and lungs.

Treats and pharmacological preparations made from cocoa restore strength and soothe. They normalize cardiac activity. They are used in the prevention of myocardial infarction, stroke and cancer. Cocoa butter cures hemorrhoids.

Chocolate tree COCOA

How cocoa beans grow or four features of cocoa.

The Cocoa tree has a scientific botanical name - Theobroma cacao. It was given in 1753 by a Swedish naturalist Karl Linnaeus (1707 - 1778), which means in Latin "food of the gods".

Karl Linnaeus

By nature, its cocoa blooms almost all year round andbranches and trunks of cocoa trees,literally covered with dense, five-petal flowers of delicate pink-reddish tones, and in any season you can see both flowers and fruits on the branches of cocoa trees. However,hardly a tenth of all cocoa flowers are converted into fruits.

Flowers and leaves of cocoa tree

Trees can reach 10-15 meters in height, but on plantations they are usually pruned at a level of several meters to facilitate harvesting.Each tree bears such fruits 20-30 pieces per year., And they, theyare formed not only on the branches, but also on the tree trunk. The hard fruits of the cocoa tree are like small melons or rugby balls. Their length is 15-30 centimeters, weight - 400-500 grams, color…. It is difficult to determine the color because as it ripens, the fruit changes it from green to yellow, red or orange.

Ripe fruit of the cocoa tree

Each fruit contains 20 to 30 seeds arranged in five rows - this is what was called "cocoa beans" 500 years ago. So they are called today.They have nothing to do with real beans and legumes.

Cutaway Cocoa Fruit

Cocoa seeds (aka beans)can be round,flat, convex, with a grayish, bluish or brownish tint. Ripe seeds roll inside the fruit with a thud. A good healthy tree givesup to 2 kilograms raw seeds (beans) per year.

Freshly harvested cocoa beans are not suitable for use in chocolate making and are not suitable for any food purpose. However, it is one of the most demanding seeds in the world; since left to themselves, they lose their germination after a few days.

The cocoa tree grows relatively slowly: even on the most well-groomed, carefully prepared lands, they begin to bear fruit only 305 years after planting; trees need 10 years to achieve maximum yield, but in general the fruiting period can last up to 50 years.

First featurecocoa. Interestingly, the question about the maximum lifespan of a tree Theobroma (cocoa) still remains open.Individual specimens are known that have already lived for 200 years, but how manyyears of life ahead of them is unknown. This unknown is quite understandable, since"Cultural" old trees are cut down for no need, butwild, although they grow in the tropics, but like "cultural"not form annual rings.

The tree usually bears fruit for several months a year and produces two crops.

The timing of fruiting depends on the variety and country of origin of the cocoa.Where the rainy seasons are pronounced, the main crop is harvested 5-6 months after the start of the rainy season, and then the second crop follows - a smaller crop. Cocoa ripening dates in differentregions are different. So, in the African country of Côte d'Ivoire, the first crop is harvested in October-March, and the second- May-August; in American Ecuador- accordinglyin March-June and December-January, and in Indonesia in September-December and March-July.

Now kind of tree Theobroma ( Theobroma) has 22 species (relatives).

The ancestors of today's Theobroma - wild cocoa trees have grown for millions of years in the rainforests of Central South America east ofAndean mountains. This vast region is considered the birthplace of wild cocoa. For many millions of years, only two botanical subspecies of cocoa were formed: In Central America, a subspecies calledCriollo ( Criollo) , and in the South - Forastero ( Forastero).

The natural habitat of cocoa trees is the lower tier of an evergreen rainforest, and therefore climatic factors, in particular temperature and humidity, are critical in the development of this capricious plant.

Cocoa trees feel best in constant heat and stuffiness - the maximum average annual temperature should be from +30 to +32 C, and the minimum average from +18 to +21 C. Steam room humidity is good for cocoa - 100% at night, at least 70% - in the afternoon.But cocoa reacts most of all to rainfall. It is desirable that 1500-2000 millimeters fall out per year, and the precipitation should be more or less evenly distributed over the months. Less than 100 millimeters of rain a month is a disaster for cocoa; the trees will not stand even a couple of months of such waterlessness and will die.

Second featurecocoa . It turns out that the cocoa tree, which does not ripen anywhere except in the stifling tropical heat, still cannot stand direct sunlight !.

This is the legacy of the wild ancestors of cocoa, which grew in the Amazonian jungle in the shade of other, more light-loving trees. Therefore, on plantations, cocoa trees have to be shaded. This is especially important for young seedlings, whose future fate for many years is determined by whether they received a life-giving shadow in the first years of their life or not. Unshaded trees are more sick and less resistant to attacks by insects and other pests, and cocoa has enough of them.

Because trees are shadesgrow next to cocoa, occupying a precious place on plantations, and at the same time they do not give anything but shade, then people have long sought to use such plants as a shade that would benefit not only cocoa, but also a person personally.Bananas are often used for such shades, but the shade of bananas is not the most "correct" one, and bananas live less than cocoa. Another shader is the coconut tree. Other shades are also used.

Creation of a marketable product for high-quality chocolate.

Collecting cocoa fruits is a difficult job, almost impossible to mechanize. The fruits of the melon are removed from the trees and carefully chopped lengthwise, taking out precious seeds (cocoa beans) from them, for which one could once buy a strong slave, after which ... ..

After that, these beans are most often dumped along with the leftovers.pulp in a heap and wait for the chemical process to begin in it, called the beautiful word "fermentation", or simply put - rotting of the pulp of the fruit.

But fermentation is already a technology, and like any technology, it has its own approaches - howput precious seeds to rot.

In small farms,they just pile everything together in a heap and cover with banana leaves, so that it rot better.In a heap there can be 25 and 2500 kilograms of bean-pulp mixture. On average, this fermentation takes about five days.In the middle of this perioda bunch must be mixed.

Some peasants use baskets lined and covered with leaves for fermentation, some farmers "throw everything in a hole" - also an element of fermentation technology.

On large cocoa plantations, the fermentation process is carried out in a more civilized manner - beans with pulp are poured into large wooden boxes with holes on the sides, 1-2 tons of mixture each, and covered with leaves or bags. Civilizedfermentation takes a little longer - 6-7 days.

The third feature of cocoa. Fermentation is necessary in order for the cocoa beans to acquire a REAL CHOCOLATE TASTE AND AROMA!

The fermentation process begins with the rapid growth of microorganisms, one of the main roles in which is played by yeast fungi, which first convert the sugar contained in the pulp into ethyl alcohol, thenalcohol into vinegar and then into carbon dioxide and water.Other chemical processes take place, accompanied by heat release, so that the temperature in the boxes rises to +45. Acidic environment and high temperatureleads to certain physical processes inside the seeds, as a result of which the inner pulp of the seeds is literally saturated with cocoa butter.

And then there are more subtle and complex bioorganic processes associatedwith destruction proteins and educationamino acids that create unique chemical complexes that giveawesome taste and aroma of chocolate ..

After fermentation, the cocoa beans are dried to reduce their moisture content from 60% to 7-8%.Beans just laid on wood or cement floors,where they slowly dry up,with constant stirring,in a hot tropical climate.
During the drying process, cocoa seeds acquire the qualities of a valuable raw material for the confectionery industry.

Cocoa beans.

As a raw material for the confectionery industry, cocoa beans are packed in jute bags and sent to world markets.

In such jute bags, cocoa beans travel all over the world.

The mecca of the world trade in cocoa beans is Amsterdam. Here, as in other markets, cocoa beans are stored in bags in well-ventilated dry areas. Now their main enemies are high humidity and mold.Therefore, cocoa has to be stored carefully, and especially carefully to ensure that the level of its own moisturecocoa beans did not exceed the standard rate.

Cocoa Bean Tasting Institute.

Like in the manufacture of other especially valuable products, in the production of cocoa there is a tasting institute. Testing is usually done by a team of 5-10 qualified experts who sell either ground cocoa beans or chocolate already made from them.
The advantage of the firstthe method lies in the fact that it makes it possible to evaluate precisely the taste of the beans themselves, without the impurities of cocoa butter, sugar and milk included in chocolate.

The parameters for which testing is carried out are clearly defined by the International Cocoa Organization and include, among others, the strength of the aroma of cocoa or chocolate, residual acidity, bitterness, astringency, the presence of foreign odors, etc.

The fourth feature of cocoa ... By the way, odors are the scourge of the cocoa and chocolate industries. There are thousands of them - from the smell of mold that has struck some of the beans to the smell of smoke absorbed by them during drying.And these odors remain in the final product after any, even the most thorough processing of the raw material.

The sour taste of the beans can be due to the fact that they were not fermented correctly, the bitterness, which, in general, is inherent in cocoa beans, should also be in measure; an excess of bitterness and an astringent taste is evidence that the beans were harvested unripe or, again, poorly fermented. In addition, beans, like chocolate, tend to absorb all the smells coming from their neighbors in storage and transportation (for example, the aromas of rubber and gasoline). So the preservation of cocoa beans in the "marketablecondition " is a very, very difficult task.

Based on materials from the book "Chocolate".
Evgeny Kruchina.
Zhigulsky Publishing House M. 2002

Everyone loves chocolate, and everyone knows that it is made from cocoa beans that grow on an evergreen chocolate tree.

Where do beans grow?

Cocoa beans grow in subequatorial countries with warm and highly humid climates. Most of these are South American countries.

For a long time, Ecuador and Venezuela were the production centers. As popularity grew in European countries, plantations of chocolate trees began to increase. So the cultivation of cocoa beans began in Indonesia and throughout the continent of Africa.

Today, African countries account for 69% of the world's cocoa bean harvest. Second place is d'Ivoire - 30%

The largest producers of cocoa beans are countries such as:

• indonesia;
• ganna;
• brazil;
• ecuador;
• cameroon;
• nigeria;
• malaysia;
• colombia.

Growing conditions and harvesting of cocoa

The chocolate tree is rather capricious about weather conditions. He needs a temperature not higher than plus twenty-eight and not lower than plus twenty one degrees. High humidity and exposure to sunlight have a bad effect on it. The chocolate tree bears fruit all year round. Two crops are harvested a year - before and at the end of the rainy season.

Harvesting cocoa is a laborious and exhausting process. It is made by hand using both a machete and special knives attached to poles. The fruits are not attached to the branches, but to the trunk of the chocolate tree. They are berry-shaped in shape, with longitudinal grooves, with ridges between them. The fruits are cut and the seeds are taken out. They are dried on special pallets from two to nine days.

The cultivation technology and production of cocoa beans in each country is different. In Africa, small businesses dominate, and in America, the largest plantations.

Taste, aroma and color depend on the place of growth, the characteristics of the harvest, and the processing technology of the beans. Cocoa varieties are named by country of origin. For example: "Cameroon", "Ganna", "Brazil", etc. Cocoa production is increasing every year. Consider the statistics of this growth.

Production of cocoa beans in the world

In order to expand the palette of taste and aroma in the production of recent years, blends have been used that combine the most noble, expensive varieties and more affordable ones. Cocoa is not only tasty, but also a healthy product, loved by both children and adults.

Areas suitable for growing cocoa are located between 10 ° parallel north and south of the equator. Cocoa trees prefer high temperatures with average values \u200b\u200bof + 32 ° C and + 18 ° C at the maximum and minimum values, respectively. Yield volumes from year to year depend more on the amount of precipitation than on other weather factors. Rains should be abundant and dispersed throughout the year, with levels of 1,500 to 2,000 mm per year and daytime humidity up to 100% preferred, with periods of drought not exceeding three months per year.

The cocoa tree is adapted to survive in all light conditions and traditionally grows in the shade of other high-growing tropical crops. The natural habitat is the Amazonian forest with densely shaded areas. Young cocoa trees need a place hidden from the sun.

Cocoa grows in a wide variety of soil types. The tree needs a soil containing coarse particles and a moderate amount of nutrients spread down to a depth of 1.5 meters, which will ensure the development of a good root system. Cocoa is able to withstand waterlogging for short periods of time, but excess moisture should not linger for weeks. Insufficient soil moisture and droughts are detrimental to these plants.

It is estimated that cocoa is now grown over 70,000 km 2 around the world. For many years now, the top three in terms of production of cocoa beans include Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana and Indonesia. Other major exporters of cocoa products are Nigeria, Cameroon, Brazil, Colombia, Argentina, Mexico and other countries in South America, Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and some tropical island states.

Over the past 30 years, the volume of cocoa cultivation has almost tripled and reached 3.6 million tons of beans due to the expansion of the area under plantations. Farmers have not achieved much success in increasing yields, since the plant is quite distinctive and additional fertilization and selection do not give tangible results.

Cocoa is grown by both large agro-industrial companies and small producers, which are millions of ordinary farmers who have small cocoa crops on their own land, together with other crops. The enterprises harvesting beans buy from such farmers the harvest in all available volumes and thus form a large part of the global volume of chocolate grown.

Cocoa trees are often susceptible to viral and fungal diseases, due to which the entire crop or the plants themselves are lost. This makes the process of growing cocoa beans a rather risky business, sometimes leading to bankruptcy of already poor farmers. The areas where cocoa grows are initially significantly limited by climatic conditions, and as a result of global changes, unprecedented droughts and floods, these areas are shrinking. In a few decades, cocoa deficiency is predicted for reasons beyond human control. Probably in the near future, real chocolate will become an expensive product, a real sign of luxury.

Tell your friends about it.

Cocoa beans are the grains that fill the fruit of the chocolate (cocoa) tree. They have a bright aroma and natural taste of bitterness, and they are used both raw and processed in various industries (cooking, cosmetology, pharmacology, perfumery).

The cocoa tree belongs to the evergreen species of the Theombroma genus from the Malvov family, whose life span is more than a hundred years.

• It is quite powerful and can reach a height of up to 15 m.
• The crown of the tree is very spreading, with a lot of large foliage.
• Cocoa flowers are located on the bark of strong branches and trunk. They are small in size with an unpleasant odor that attracts dung flies and butterflies. After pollination by these insects, the formation of cocoa fruits occurs.
• Fruits are red, yellow or orange in shape and appearance reminiscent of a lemon, but much larger in size and with deep grooves on the surface. The inside of the fruit consists of pulp, in the compartments of which there are seeds - cocoa beans, up to 12 pcs. in everyone.

Cocoa beans began to be used for their taste and aroma. They gained wider popularity after studying their chemical composition. The amount of vitamins, micro- and macroelements in beans in total reaches 300 items, which gives them a large list of useful properties.

The seeds of the chocolate tree include:

• vitamins - PP, B1, B2, provitamin A;
• alkaloids - theobromine and caffeine;
• micro and macro elements - magnesium, potassium, chlorine, phosphorus, calcium, sodium, sulfur, and also iron, zinc, cobalt, copper, molybdenum and manganese;
• antioxidants, organic acids, carbohydrates and proteins, tannins, aromatic and coloring substances, oils.

The high calorie content (565 kcal) is due to the presence of fat in the cocoa beans, which is 50%.

Despite this, dietitians include cocoa beans in the diet of obese people. This is due to the presence of certain substances in the grains that contribute to the breakdown of fats, improve metabolism and digestion.

Where cocoa beans grow

To grow a chocolate tree, a climate with a temperature of at least 20 degrees and high humidity is required. Therefore, tropical humid conditions of South America, Africa and Indonesia are most suitable. The main producers and suppliers of cocoa beans are Nigeria, Colombia, Indonesia, Brazil, Ghana. There are also cocoa plantations in the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Bali and wherever climatic conditions permit.

Beneficial features

The unique composition of cocoa beans gives them a lot of beneficial properties for the human body.

• Brown grains are very powerful natural antidepressants. They have a calming effect on the nervous system, improve mood and reduce pain. Serotonin in beans has a beneficial effect on performance and improves mental performance.
• Eating raw cocoa beans strengthens and restores the cardiovascular system, helps to normalize blood pressure in hypertensive patients, eliminates vasospasm, and improves blood circulation. All of these benefits in general help prevent cardiovascular disease.
• Cocoa beans are able to normalize hormonal balance, cleanse the body of toxins and free radicals, improve vision and rejuvenate the body. They are also advised to be consumed by people during the period of rehabilitation after operations and serious illnesses for a speedy recovery.
• The substances contained in grains strengthen and stimulate the immune system, which helps the body fight viruses and infections, and also speeds up the healing process of wounds and burns.
• The constant consumption of cocoa beans leads to weight loss by improving metabolic processes in the body, stimulating the endocrine system and normalizing the fat balance.

Applications

Cocoa beans and their products are very popular in the food industry. They are used in the production of chocolate, drinks and confectionery.

Cocoa butter, due to its beneficial properties, began to be used in the manufacture of cosmetic products and in pharmacology. In the alcoholic industry, the pulp of the fruit of the chocolate tree is used.

The popularity of this healthy and tasty product is gaining momentum and expanding the scope of its application.

Cocoa butter: benefits and harms

The fat that is obtained during the processing of cocoa beans is called cocoa butter. It retains many of the beneficial properties of the beans themselves, but in limited quantities.

Cocoa butter mainly consists of fatty acids, the use of which in cosmetology promotes the regeneration and rejuvenation of the facial skin, smoothes wrinkles and relieves stretch marks.

It also perfectly moisturizes and softens the lips, and is also suitable for almost all skin types without causing allergic reactions.

The enveloping properties of the herbal product help with brittle hair and "glue" split ends.

In medicine, the agent is used:

• to maintain normal blood cholesterol levels;
• for the healing of wounds and burns;
• in the treatment of cough, bronchitis, tuberculosis;
• in the treatment of acute respiratory infections.

Cocoa butter makes the walls of blood vessels and other tissues more elastic and strengthens them, which helps in the treatment of varicose veins, atherosclerosis, stomach ulcers and cancer, and also reduces the likelihood of a heart attack.

Researchers have confirmed that regular use of the oil for 5 to 10 years reduces the risk of cancer cells in the body.

Like any other natural and natural product, cocoa butter should be used in moderate doses and the body's reaction to it should be monitored, since the harm from excessive use of such a drug is significant.

It can cause:

• allergic reactions;
• rash on sensitive and oily skin;
• insomnia;
• overexcitation.

Important! Overweight people should refuse food with cocoa butter, even in small doses, since its calorie content is very high.

How to use it correctly

Cocoa beans can be consumed in many ways:

• raw, dipping in honey or jam, since a rich taste of bitterness prevails in a pure product;
• peeled seeds are mixed with crushed nuts and honey (jam);
• dried beans are ground into powder, poured with boiling water and consumed as a hot drink.

How to use and how much depends on how you feel after a single dose. But even if the body does not give out a negative reaction, you should not overdo it and consume more than 50 g of beans per day.

By the way, the peel remaining after cleaning the grains is crushed and used as a face and body scrub.

Cocoa Bean Recipes

Many dishes with cocoa beans are distinguished by their pronounced taste and aroma, and most importantly, they are very healthy.

1. Homemade chocolate. Grind 150 g of cocoa beans, add 100 g of cocoa butter and 250 g of sugar. Mix everything and bring to a boil over low heat, stirring constantly. Pour into molds, let cool and refrigerate for an hour.
2. Chocolate cocktail. Milk, one banana and 1 - 2 tablespoons of powdered cocoa beans, mix in a blender until smooth.
3. Chocolate candies. Place chopped nuts and dried fruits on the molds. Add vanilla, cinnamon and honey to the homemade chocolate made according to the first recipe. Melt the resulting composition and pour the prepared molds with it. Allow to cool.

Important! Grated cocoa is added to yoghurts, desserts, ice cream and muesli, and is also used as a flavoring agent or to decorate various dishes.

Who are contraindicated

Despite the beneficial properties of cocoa beans, they are absolutely contraindicated in the case of:

• diabetes mellitus, since they provoke an increase in blood sugar levels;
• bowel disorders, since the acceleration of metabolic processes leads to a laxative effect;
• planning surgical intervention due to the likelihood of profuse bleeding at the time of the operation, caused by improved blood circulation and hematopoiesis;
• tendency to allergies and intolerance to the product;
• frequent migraines, as beans can cause vasospasm;
• pregnancy, because the substances contained in the grains tone the muscles, which can provoke a miscarriage.

It is important for everyone, without exception, to monitor the amount of cocoa beans eaten, since their excessive consumption can be disastrous even for an absolutely healthy person.

Do not forget that you should purchase cocoa beans and products from them from trusted suppliers who can guarantee their quality and naturalness. By following all the recommendations, you can safely use tasty and healthy seeds of the chocolate tree to improve the health, beauty and taste of homemade dishes.