Fun Facts about Cocoa

    Interesting facts about cocoa and cacao trees:

    beans in hands

    Historical Facts

  1. The original form of “hot chocolate” was what the Aztecs called “xocolatl.” When xocolatl is translated it means bitter water.
  2. When Montezuma was defeated by Cortez in 1519, the Conquistadors found large quanitities of cocoa pods instead of gold, silver, or any precious metal. That is just how valuable the crop was.
  3. England made the chocolate bar public in 1847 after being only accessible to royalty for 17 years.

    4. Tree Facts

    cocoa pod on tree

  4. The scientific name for the cacao tree is theobroma cacao which translates to “food of the gods.”
  5. Cacao trees are only found in hot, rainy, tropical climates, just like vanilla.
  6. The peak growing period for a cacao tree is a duration of 10 years.
  7. Cacao trees range from 13-26 feet tall. Sometimes they reach 32 feet tall.
  8. Cacao flowers can blossom on cacao trees all year round, but the flowers will die within 24 hours if they aren't pollinated.
  9. It takes a healthy cacao tree 5 years to produce it's first cocoa pod.
  10. The fruits of the cacao tree are called cocoa pods.
  11. One pod can produce anywhere from 20-40 bean or seeds.
  12. Raw ground seeds are cacao. They only become cocoa after they are fermented, dried, and roasted.

    13. Random Facts

  13. Cocoa is considered to be a type of aphrodisiac.
  14. The Swiss consume more chocolate per capita than any other nation on Earth. While in the United States it would be 11 pounds per person, in Switzerland, they are at about 22 pounds per person.