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Cacao

Within the PermaTree FoodForest we grow high diversity of fruits.

Theobroma cacao, also called the cacao tree and the cocoa tree, is a small (4–8 m tall) evergreen tree in the family Malvaceae, native to the deep tropical regions of the Americas.

 

Origin & History of the Cacao

Drinking chocolate dates from pre-Colombian times to the Native American civilizations that populated Central and South America. It was particularly favorited by the Mayans who considered it a sacred gift from the gods.

Traditional knowledge and practices related to cocoa cultivation, consumption, transport and marketing are part of a process of historical and cultural construction that have remained unchanged over centuries. Recent studies in Palanda, county in the province of Zamora Chinchipe, show that at least one variety of Theobroma Cacao has its origin in the Upper Amazon, according to archaeological evidence found in the culture called Mayo-Chinchipe where confirmed use of cocoa from 3,300 BC in Santa Ana -LaFlorida site located 1,040 meters above sea level.

How is chocolate produced?

See our step by step guide of cocoa to chocolate.

Raw cacao offers amazing health benefits for your entire body! The Incas considered it the drink of gods, an association that gave rise to the scientific name of the cocoa tree, Theobroma cacao, from the Greek words theo (god) and broma (drink).

Raw Cacao VS cocoa

The studies that boast of chocolate’s amazing health benefits are not referring to your average store-bought chocolate bar… The chocolate that they’re referring to is raw cacao. Raw cacao is made by cold-pressing un-roasted cacao beans. The process keeps the living enzymes in the cacao and removes the fat (cacao butter). Cocoa looks the same but it’s not. Cocoa powder is raw cacao that’s been roasted at high temperatures. Sadly, roasting changes the molecular structure of the cacao bean, reducing the enzyme content and lowering the overall nutritional value.

Health benefits of raw cacao

The health benefits of raw cacao are fantastic: it can improve your memory, reduce heart disease, shed fat, increase immunity, boost your bliss, and give you loads of energy. It may surprise you that cacao raw chocolate contains about four times the antioxidant content of processed dark chocolate, which is 20 times more than blueberries and 119 times more than bananas.

  • 40 Times the Antioxidants of Blueberries. Raw Organic Cacao has over 40 times the antioxidants of blueberries.
  • Highest Plant-Based Source of Iron.
  • Full of Magnesium for a Healthy Heart & Brain.
  • More Calcium Than Cow’s Milk.
  • A Natural Mood Elevator and Anti-Depressant.