So you are probably asking yourself how we maintain our cacao trees to make sure the end product is quality and unbeaten in the market. That is our topic of discussion today. Cacao trees survive in hot and humid climates for decades. If they are not well taken care of, Cacao trees can be affected by pests, diseases, and other insufficiencies that could lead to low yield and low-quality produce.
LIGHT
The cacao trees need at least three hours of direct sunlight before being subjected to partial shade. Too much sunlight can burn the leaves of the trees and even attract pests and diseases. We practice agroforestry at the early stages of growth to ensure our trees get shade when necessary.
SOIL
Cacao trees do well in soils rich in organic matter. This is the reason we do not use toxic chemical fertilizers in our farms. The soils must have the ability to balance acidity and alkalinity. They also must have good drainage, they do well in loamy soils.
WATER
Cocoa trees do well in soils with constant moisture. However, do not overwater the trees as the soil becomes soggy and this could lead to the rotting of the trees.
TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITY
Cocoa trees have a good heat tolerance as long as their leaves are not damaged and there is constant moisture in the soil. Temperatures between 65 degrees and 85degrees are ideal for the trees.
High humidity is also important for trees to grow well. However, constantly inspect your trees as high humidity could lead to pests and diseases.
FERTILIZER
Using compost and manure to nourish the plants is important. The Theobroma trees feed a lot of nutrients from the soil and therefore the supply should be consistent. Using chemicals and toxins could lead to dying of the tree and low yields.
PRUNING
It is important to prune the cocoa trees at least twice a year. This can be done after harvesting the fruits. Pruning helps to eradicate diseased, dead, or damaged leaves or branches and as a result, protect the whole plant. Selective pruning also helps a sufficient supply of sunlight to all parts of the plant and good air circulation.
Most people will never differentiate cacao from cocoa. Well, that is okay but as chocolate lovers, I have made it intentional to feed us with knowledge about this great product. Although there is not much about the topic on the discussion today, you will get one or two points to carry home.
Although cacao and cocoa powders are by-products of the seeds of the cacao tree (Theobroma), there is a difference in the way they are processed. In the previous articles, I have told you how cocoa powder is formed. The cacao beans are fermented, dried, and roasted under high temperatures. After that, the hulls are removed, and then they are pressed to form the chocolate liquor. they are further pressed to extract cocoa butter and the powder that is left is what is called cocoa powder. Cacao powder undergoes an almost similar procedure but skips the roasting part. The cacao beans are cold pressed to separate the cacao butter from cacao solids. These solids are then ground to form cacao powder. The major difference is therefore on the processing procedures. Cacao powder is pressed under low temperatures while cocoa powder is pressed under high temperatures
The cacao powder is ground and sifted retaining most of the nutrients, enzymes, and minerals. Cocoa powder on the other hand loses most of its nutrients, minerals, and enzymes when pressed under high temperatures. Cacao powder is therefore considered “raw” and better for consumption.
The other difference between these two is the taste. Cacao powder is more bitter than cocoa powder. This again is because of the processing procedures. Cacao powder is however preferred as it is more natural and offers more nutritional benefits.
The chocolate flavor that cacao powder has is deeper than in cocoa powder and this is why most bakers prefer cacao powder. It is rich in flavor and deeper in color.
The cocoa powder loses its power as a superfood when it undergoes processing under high temperatures. Some processing companies also add sweeteners to cocoa powder. Cacao powder is left raw and this allows it to retain all its nutrients and therefore considered a “SUPERFOOD” That doesn’t mean that cocoa powder doesn’t have health benefits, it has. If you visit the grocery store and miss on cacao powder, take cocoa powder. It will work perfectly as a substitute.
However, this is why I prefer cacao powder over cocoa powder;
Cacao powder is full of antioxidants. Cacao has been proven to contain more antioxidants even more than blueberries. Antioxidants prevent diseases and help all the vital organs in the body function better.
Cacao powder is a mood enhancer. You remember those stories about the Aztecs and how they used cacao to make ceremonial drinks right? Raw cacao powder has compounds that help to relieve the body from anxiety and lift your mood.
If you like leveraging raw organic products as I do, then it’s definite that you will go for cacao powder. At tropical cacao, we ensure the consumers get the best quality, most organic, and benefits-packed cacao. Contact us
We have discussed over and again why it is important to consume organic cacao. It is everyone’s responsibility to take care of their health by caring about what they consume. It is difficult to differentiate organic and inorganic cacao. The difference comes in with the farming practices adopted. Organic farming protects the ecosystem by promoting the most sustainable farming methods. Organic farming helps the final consumer to get all the benefits of the product as well as a healthy final product.
At tropical cacao, we not only offer you quality but also the most healthy and organic cacao. We will quickly reflect on what makes us the best cacao producers.
OUR PLANTS ARE IRRIGATED ORGANICALLY
We use the solar-powered “Futurepump SF2” to efficiently water all our plants. Sun is a renewable source of energy and when used effectively, gives the best results.
THE SOIL ON WHICH OUR CACAO IS GROWN IS ENHANCED ORGANICALLY
Many farmers have destroyed the soil acidity levels and killed all the important nutrients in soil by using fertilizers. That is something we highly disregard at tropical cacao. We use compost and animal manure to enrich our soils and this in the long run ensures that the consumers get cacao that is free from chemicals and toxins and importantly rich in nutrients.
OUR CACAO IS GROWN UNDER THE RIGHT OPTIMAL TEMPERATURES
It is very important that cacao grows under the right temperatures including sunlight and shade. Cacao that has been subjected to too much sunlight loses some of its nutrients and in-turn insufficiency in quality.
OUR CACAO IS DRIED AND FERMENTED USING NATURAL PRACTICES.
We do not fasten the fermentation process nor do we use electricity to dry our cocoa. We ensure that the end consumers get the true taste of cocoa. Through the right fermentation and drying methods, we sell cacao that is rich in flavor and deep in color.
As said earlier, Cacao nibs are formed after a cacao bean has been fermented, dried, and roasted. Then taken out of its husk and broken into little chunks or bits. Just like macadamia nuts, they have crunchy, tender, and chewy mouth-feel. Cacao nibs are raw chocolate chips that are not yet processed and no refined sugar has been added. They have a bitter chocolate flavor.
Today we will focus on the health benefits you will get from consuming cacao nibs.
Cacao nibs are packaged with phytonutrients such as magnesium, flavonoids, sulfur, and phenylethylamine and hence the name SUPERFOOD.
The cocoa nibs’ antioxidant activity is more than that of tea, wine, goji berries, and even blueberries.
Cacao nibs prevent cell damage
By now you have already confirmed that cacao nibs are rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants are important as they absorb the free radicals that cause cell damage.
They fight oxidative stress and stimulate the nervous system.
Eating cacao nibs promotes the release of serotonin, a feel-good, hormone produced by the brain that lifts your mood and treats mental fatigue. Cacao nibs protect the cells from oxidation and this keeps you feeling young.
Do you remember the story of the Aztecs in the “gods of chocolate” article?
“The Aztecs believed that cacao was holy as the cacao pod was symbolically used in human sacrifice rituals (Coe and Coe, 2013). Every year they would choose a well-built slave to be sacrificed in honor of their god (Quetzalcoatl) and for forty days he would be treated as the “god” himself and at the end of the forty days he would give up his life. If he got scared of dying, the Aztecs gave him a chocolate drink which would make him “unconscious” and would return him to his cheerfulness. The Aztecs culturally relied on chocolate to bring joy to everyone that drank it. It was kind of an alcoholic drink, if you drank it you became cheerful and all your worries disappeared”
The phenethylamine compound in cacao nibs triggers the release of endorphins and other feel-good chemicals in the brain. These chemicals boost the mood and stabilize it. This explains why women love chocolate during their menstrual cycles.
Improve the functioning of the heart.
Cacao nibs contain flavonoids. These are anti-inflammatory antioxidants that protect the arteries and the heart. They:
Prevent blood clotting by thinning the blood
Prevent heart diseases
Improve blood circulation
Prevent stroke
Lower the blood pressure
Improve overall kidney, digestion, gut, and bowel functioning
Cacao nibs are high in fiber and this stimulates the bowel and other digestive enzymes. They help keep the glucose levels in the body stable.
Help in weight loss.
Cacao nibs contain nutrients that naturally suppress appetite. This keeps you feeling full all the time and in turn, leads to low-calorie intake in the body. The properties in the cacao nibs also reduce cortisol, the stress hormone, and fasten the fat-burning process in the body.
Lastly, according to research, cocoa has been used to treat anemia, tuberculosis, fever, kidney stone symptoms, and low libido.
Do you now see why it is important to get some cacao nibs today?
You have assumingly been wondering why I keep telling you about cacao. I get that. Cocoa has a variety of products plus a heap of health benefits. I don’t want any of my readers to miss that. That’s why in this article, I introduce you to the products you get from our cacao.
CACAO BEANS
When the cacao tree grows, pods start growing from the tree. These pods are called cacao pods. Inside the cacao pods, you find the cacao fruit and seeds. These seeds are what are referred to as cocoa beans. All chocolate comes from these cacao beans. Cacao fruit is fermented, and then dried. It is later used for cocoa solids (nibs), and cacao butter.
CACAO NIBS
When the cacao beans are separated from their husks and broken into small chunks/bits you find the cocoa nibs. Cacao nibs is chocolate in its most natural state. They are bitter-tasting actual pieces of the cacao bean. Cocoa nibs are packed with phytonutrients hence the name “superfoods” There are various ways to use cacao nibs.
CACAO POWDER
Oil is cold-pressed out of the cocoa nibs to form a dense dry mass packaged with nutrients. This mass is thereafter grounded into fine powder which is known as the cocoa powder. Cocoa powder is packaged with fiber, a fair amount of proteins, carbohydrates, and minerals such as manganese, zinc, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, and selenium among others.
CACAO BUTTER
Do you wonder where and how chocolate gets the unique “mouth feel” taste? Cacao butter! Cocoa butter is the edible, stable, and pure vegetable fat that is cold-pressed from cacao beans. It melts at room temperature and in some cases just below normal human temperature. It is used to make toiletries, pharmaceuticals, beauty and hair products, and some ointments. It is loved for its flavor and aroma. Cacao butter is also known as Theobroma oil.
CHOCOLATE LIQUOR
Chocolate liquor is formed when the cocoa beans are pressed under pressure and then turned into liquid at over 100 degrees (F). This chocolate paste/cocoa liquor then hardens in a solid or semi-solid mold. chocolate liquor has cocoa butter and solids in equal proportions.
Every cocoa processing factory should use cacao that is organic. We want to produce only Cacao that has been grown using the best environment-friendly farming practices. That way the end-users can experience quality, non-toxic end products. That is why we, at Tropical Cacao, stand in the gap to give you the best quality well-grown Cocoa. Contact us.
I know I’m not the only one who did not know that chocolate had/has gods until today. I have always focused on the mouth-melting taste and the princess-like feeling I get after eating chocolate.
Anyway, I am going to bless your day with this bonus read on the different myths of the “gods’ of chocolate”. Stories build better relationships, right? Listen to these;
According to Linnaeus (1735), the story of chocolate begins withTheobroma (the cacao tree) which is a genus Greek word that means “food for the gods” Chances are, Linnaeus might have been aware of the early Spanish writings that had it that the Mayan and Aztec believed that Cacao was a “gift from the gods”. This is so considering cacao was the Mayan word retained by the Spanish colonizers of Mesoamerica to describe the cacao tree and its products.
Others believe that IxCacao is the Mayan Goddess of Theobroma. Some had it that she was made from cacao, the fruit of the tree, while others believed that she was handmade, ceramic, and an ornamental piece that was used in alters. The latter believe that she was made with big breasts to resemble the shape of the cacao pods. All, however, believe that she was invoked in prayer along with the rain god, the maize god, and other agricultural deities. Tribes in South and Central America also worshiped this goddess.
A third group, still Mayans, according to (Coe and Coe, 2013) believe that the cacao tree is the bearer of life. The Popol Vuh story has it that there were two men, the sons of the bearer of the universe, who were beheaded in the Mayan underworld. One twin who was supposed to become the maize god was hung on a cacao tree and the other twin impregnated a princess who gave birth to another set of twins. The twins fought to resurrect their father(the maize god) and this brought back honor to their land. The planting of the cacao tree, they believe, symbolizes the start of a new life.
The Aztecs believed that cacao was holy as the cacao pod was symbolically used in human sacrifice rituals (Coe and Coe, 2013). Every year they would choose a well-built slave to be sacrificed in honor of their god (Quetzalcoatl) and for forty days he would be treated as the “god” himself and at the end of the forty days he would give up his life. If he got scared of dying, the Aztecs gave him a chocolate drink which would make him “unconscious” and would return him to his cheerfulness. The Aztecs culturally relied on chocolate to bring joy to everyone that drank it. It was kind of an alcoholic drink, if you drank it you became cheerful and all your worries disappeared. Aztecs also used cacao beans in barter trade to buy food and other goods.
The Aztecs are also believed to associate chocolate with their Xochiquetzal god, who is the goddess of flowers, fruits, and fertility. They enjoyed chocolate, corn, and honey drink in her honor and her mother’s honor.
Hayes Lavis, curator of the cultural arts for the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian suggests that the Olmec pots and vessels used in ancient times around 1500 B.C were found to have traces of Theobromine. It is believed that they used cacao to make a special ceremonial drink. It is however unsure if they used cacao beans or pulp of the cacao pod in their concoctions. The Olmecs then passed their cacao knowledge to the Central American Mayans who used chocolate drinks in celebrations and to finalize important transactions. Mayans enjoyed their chocolate thick and frothy combined with chili peppers, honey, or water.
The last myth is of the ancient Toltec who believe in Quetzalcoatl, the feathered serpent god, as the planter of the cacao trees in Southern Mexico. Quetzalcoatl was also known as the god of light and the giver of the chocolate drink. They believed that one Aztec ruler, Montezuma II, drank chocolate from a gold gallon to give him energy before visiting one of his many wives and stored some of his cacao beans for his military.
All these myths stand out in the joy, cheerfulness, and unity that chocolate brought/brings to the community. Chocolate has always added value.
We are here to preserve and pass on history and the value of chocolate to generations.
Our chocolate is traditional and organic and we keep it that way to ensure that even generations coming after us will have the true taste of chocolate.
Would you like to have a taste of what our ancestors had? Click the “Contact Us” tab on the menu and we will get in touch right away.
We not only serve market needs, but also community and environmental needs. We incorporate the best farming practices which are and economical, and environmentally friendly. Our vision is to build a resilient cacao production and manufacturing system.. We meet these needs by ensuring the following;
SOLAR POWERED IRRIGATION
We use energy and natural resources responsibly by watering trees with a solar-powered “Futurepump SF2” which is a renewable source of energy. This pump is made in Indian factory that uses an ISO 9001:2015-certified quality management system.
TAKING A STAND AGAINST CHILD LABOUR
We also ensure responsible human resources by employing laborers that are 18 years and above. WE DO NOT ALLOW CHILDREN TO WORK ON OUR FARMS.
SOIL FERTILITY ENHANCEMENT
Through the use of compost and animal manure, we produce cacao that is organic (free from chemicals and toxins) and rich in nutrients.
We also test soil regularly to keep up with the right acid levels. Enhancement of soil fertility also contributes to the production of quality cacao that has a competitive advantage in the market.
Cacao has very many health benefits but the use of inorganic fertilizers alters the final product which becomes dangerous to the consumer. We are here to ensure the world gets quality original product and value for their money.
WATER QUALITY MAINTAINANCE
The cacao trees also known as Theobroma cacao are important water catchment amenities. They slow down rainfall and this prevents soil erosion and flooding. Cacao trees moreover collect and filter rainfall and slowly release it to the streams and rivers and this improves the quality of water consumed by the community. This also prevents diseases caused by the consumption of dirty water such as cholera and flood water such as bilharzia and malaria.
BIODIVERSITYMAINTAINANCE
Our cacao trees retain a complex canopy when grown which is significant in biodiversity. It acts as a habitat for plants and animals such as birds and ants. Which in return are sources of drugs and biological pest control agents. They also clean the air by taking in carbon dioxide.
REGIONAL ECOLOGICAL BALANCEPRESERVATION
By integrating organic cocoa farming practices we enhance environmental and ecological benefits. The cacao canopy inhibits the growth of weeds hence reducing the need to use chemical herbicides that are harmful to not only humans but also plants and animals in these environments.
You get the best when you buy from the best. Our contact details are in the “Contact us” tab on the home page.
