Chocolate-the drink of wisdom! The utilization of cacao dates back to the ancient Aztecs, who believed it was a source of wisdom, energy and that it was great as an aphrodisiac. Think about it. You couldn't beat something that taste not only good but also made you smart and in the mood for love. Montezuma used to drink chocolate from a gold goblet. I imagine these drinks were organic chocolate yummies. It was from there that this product made it's was into Europe, where the first eating chocolate was created in 1849 in England. Leave it up to the Europeans create the first Chocolate bars.
Organic chocolate could be categorized as a snack, treat, candy, or even beverage. Chocolate lovers around the world would argue that chocolate deservers it's own category. How about gourmet? How about health food?
Where does this wonderful chocolate come from? Commercial chocolate is derived from the Theobroma Cacao tree. The Greek name means "drink of the gods". I don't think I will hear anyone contradicting this. The cacao pods are carefully processed through fermentation, drying, agitation, roasting, and heating to produce what we refer to as cocoa.
Did you know? * the cacao tree grows from 10 to 30 feet high * the cacao tree flowers all through the year and produces fruit yearlong * each flower after pollination becomes a pod-fruit * it taks the fruit about 6 months to ripe and be ready to process * each pod-fruit contains about 30-60 seeds or what we call cacao beans * the average American consumes over 12 pounds of chocolate a year
As we learn about the effects chemicals used on our foods have on our bodies, more and more people are turning to organic foods. Organic chocolate is grown free of pesticides. Are you aware that non-organic chocolate has the second highest use of pesticides outside of commercial non-organic cotton? It is a no brainer, eat organic chocolate instead of the typical off the shelve you find in the grocery store unless you enjoy pesticides in your system.
Women everywhere have always known of the benefits of chocolate. Now the world knows of its health benefits, as well - not to mention the fact that organic chocolate helps our environment. An organic chocolate bar contains as much antioxidant power as a glass of red wine. Antioxidants are substances that may protect your cells against the effects of free radicals. Free radicals are molecules produced when your body breaks down food, or by environmental exposures like tobacco smoke and radiation. Free radicals can damage cells, and may play a role in heart disease, cancer and other diseases. Just think, that next bite or organic dark chocolate is fighting those free radicals.
The phenols in chocolate are known to help the immune system, reduce the risk of cancer, and promote heart health. Pound for pound, organic dark chocolate has higher levels of antioxidants than blueberries! Dark chocolate also contains more flavanoids than green tea. Flavanoids found in organic cocoa stimulate the blood vessels to produce nitric oxide. Nitric oxide relaxes the smooth muscles in blood vessel walls.
All through the ages, people have known that chocolate can soothe the soul. I guess rock n roll takes a backseat to milk chocolate. With the help of modern science, we now know that is because organic chocolate boosts the brain chemicals serotonin and endorphin. These chemicals produce a feeling of euphoria. Another compound called anandamide has known calming properties. Anandamide is a lipid that binds to cannabinoid receptors and mimics the psychoactive effects of the drug marijuana. It is not the same but you get the picture. I guess chocolate is definitely the ultimate comfort food!
Chocolate's other ingredients include magnesium and chromium (known to regulate blood sugar); theobromine which stimulates the central nervous system and is an appetite stimulant; caffeine (in relatively small quantities); and tryptophan (an essential amino acid). This also gives the calming effects.
Why organic chocolate? If regular chocolate is so good for you, why go organic? For many of the same reasons that buying organic is better in the first place. You can support fair trade practices in the forests of South American countries where cacao beans are grown. Shade grown beans encourage biodiversity, and you avoid toxic chemicals. No pesticides is a major reason to buy organic chocolate. Why not have one more reason to feel good when you bite into that chocolate bar?
The Cacao tree is very difficult to grow, there are very few instances of it bearing fruit outside its natural setting which is a band 20 degrees north and 20 degrees south of the Equator. It also requires a temperature of at least 60 degrees, and requires year round moisture, so if there is a specific dry season it needs to be irrigated.
If the growing conditions are poor it is more susceptible to the many diseases that are its enemy, pod rots, witches brooms which are fungus-produced external growths and wilts are only a few of its enemies. Rodents such as monkeys, squirrels and rats eat the white pulp surrounding the seeds, avoiding the bitter seeds, even though they will scatter them about.
With proper conditions the seeds will sprout in just days and bear fruit in the third or fourth year. In most of the cacao plantations today the planting are done with cuttings or with seeds that are carefully raised. Cacao seeds only remain viable for 3 months, assuming modern technology is used; they are killed immediately with low temperatures or low humidity. Bearing this in mind you will understand why long trips to transport these plants were out of the question in the past.
Eagerness to introduce these plants to the Old World was in part due to the use of Cacao beans by the Aztecs as food and money. About the size of an orange tree, they have similar leaves that are a little wider and longer than the orange tree. However, unlike the orange tree they flower from small cushions on the trunk and larger branches like other tropical fruit trees. Only one to three percent of the flowers on plantation trees actually bear fruit, which puzzles the growers of today. Because Cacao trees are pollinated only by midges (small gnats) the trees produce poorly in the modern plantations where midges dont grow in abundance.
Organic Chocolate: Selling for $7.00 a kilogram is quite an increase from the $2.00 per kilogram that Venezuelan farmers were receiving for conventional cacao beans just a few years ago. This price jump is the result of new organic farming methods funded by the Venezuelan government who has put $10 million dollars into research and training.
Being sought for production of high end single bean malt whisky in Europe and the USA organic cacao is bringing the highest price ever to the cocoa growers of Venezuela. These growers are taking their production one step further and have now begun to produce their own chocolate as well.
Nearly half of every day is spent caring for the trees, monkeys, rats and squirrels eat the pulp of the pods, even though they do not eat the seeds. Insects and bad weather are other problems; a river going over its banks can wipe out a stand of young cacao trees in a matter of hours.
Twice the work is required because they use only natural compost on their trees rather than fertilizers that are man made. However this is well worth it when they sell their beans directly to foreign chocolate manufacturers, effectively eliminating the local intermediaries. An association of organic cacao farmers has been created by fifty families who have joined forces to aid each other in this endeavor.
Those who bid on the Venezuelan cocoa have said that it is fine, elegant and has a consistent aroma, it would be good to see more being exported, but only at a fair price. In the seaside village of Cata, a handful of cooperatives have begun processing their own chocolate, as visitors enter the shops of the village the sweet smell of melting chocolate greets them.
Some of the products they offer are chocolate punch, wine and pudding. Asked if they would be exporting their products, tourists have been told that export would be the next step for them.
Both Jerry Johnson & Stephen Campbell are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Jerry Johnson has sinced written about articles on various topics from Motorola Cell Phone, Coffee Advantages and Burglar Alarm. Jerry Johnson owns the website as well as several other successful webstores. Organic chocolates make perfect gifts for the gourmet. Jerry Johnson's top article generates over 60500 views. to your Favourites.
Stephen Campbell has sinced written about articles on various topics from Psychology, Email Advertising and Personal Development Plan. Stephen C Campbell is a Business Consultant, Internet Marketer & Entrepreneur. He produces topical articles, & newsletters for his clients such as those at. Stephen Campbell's top article generates over 90500 views. to your Favourites.