A unique property of these beans is that they contain more theobromine and caffeine than the other varieties. Only 5–10% of the world's cocoa production is criollo. It is considered the highest grade of cacao and is more expensive due to the fragile trees and low yields of inconsistent beans.
Typically, this is the minor quality grade of bean blended with particular types of cocoa to improve the flavor.Ĭriollo: This is the "native" cocoa bean found in Central and South America. Up to 80–90% of all cacao comes from this plant because it is highly resistant to disease and climate and produces a high yield of beans. These are:įorastero is the bean most commonly found in Africa, hence the name "foreign" in Spanish. There are three central cocoa beans, each varying in flavor, aroma, and nutritional makeup. Of course, not all cocoa beans are the same. Once mature, cocoa trees produce 20–30 pods a year, yielding 20–50 beans each. While some organic products are not much different than standard grade (and some are), conventional cocoa is one of the world's most heavily sprayed crops (again, just like coffee).Īnd since the cocoa butter (the fat) of the beans quickly absorbs and retains pesticides, it is a product that you should always try to buy organic (like coffee).įrom Plant to Bean to Bar: Types of CacaoĪfter three or four years of growth, a cocoa plant will start bearing fruit. The processing methods for growing cocoa vary greatly depending on whether you buy organic or conventional. Since then, cocoa has continued to spread across the globe through new and improved methods for growing, cultivating, and processing. The plant has come a long way since the time of Cortes and the fall of the Maya empire. West African countries now account for 69% of the world's cocoa bean production, most of which is used for mass-produced chocolate products. Ivory Coast is in first place, then Ghana and Indonesia.
The world's three largest cocoa bean producers are in Africa and Asia. More recently, cocoa bean production has expanded beyond the traditional Central and South American countries.
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