Description

Cocoa beans are the seeds of the cacao tree (Theobroma cacao), which is native to the Amazon rainforest. They are the key ingredient in chocolate and chocolate confections.

Cocoa beans are harvested from the cacao tree’s fruit, which is called a pod. Each pod contains about 20-60 beans. The beans are fermented for several days, which develops their flavor. After fermentation, the beans are dried and roasted.

Roasting cocoa beans further develops their flavor and aroma. It also releases the cocoa butter, which is the fat in cocoa beans. The roasted beans are then ground into a paste, which can be used to make cocoa powder, or chocolate.

Cocoa beans are a good source of antioxidants and magnesium. They also contain small amounts of other nutrients, such as iron, copper, and zinc.