Development & Aid, Environment, Tierramerica

Food of the Gods

Feb 10 2002 (IPS) - The cacao tree is an illustrious native of the Americas whose fame has been sustained by the massive consumption of a product much desired around the world: chocolate. But many people are unaware that this delicious food originates from a tropical tree, producer of an extraordinary fruit.

In the mid-18th century, this fruit received a formal name from botanists, 'Theobroma cacao'. The first part of the name insinuates a relation dating back to ancient times, that of “food of the Gods.”

The main consumers of cacao in antiquity were the Meso-American peoples. The Olmecas, Mayans and Aztecs were well aware of the secrets possessed by this fruit, or bean. They used it as currency and consumed it as a beverage, known as 'xocolatl', the world that gave rise to the English word “chocolate”.

For the Europeans it was at first a curiosity, and then a highly prized product, sought by the first merchants in the New World and demanded by the elite classes on the European continent. It was there that cacao, or cocoa, was first mixed with milk, and where the first chocolate bars were produced.

The cacao tree grows in areas of dense vegetation. The fruits, which can be of extraordinary colors, grow on branches and hold the seeds covered by a white and refreshing pulp. In the process of turning cacao into chocolate, the seeds are dried, toasted and crushed.

The Internet holds a vast array of information about cacao, ranging from its role in the world market to its history and its amazing transformation into delicious chocolate