the cacao tree

The cacao tree is quite prolific once it reaches maturity. It produces cocoa pods every six months for about twenty years. The pulp from the pods is sweet but the beans are bitter, because of their alkaloid content. The beans must be fermented before they begin to taste like the chocolate we know and love.

There are 400 health-promoting phytochemicals inside each cocoa bean. Many of these ingredients can also be found in grapes, apples, red wine, and tea.