– Forastero (yellow cocoa beans). This kind represents around 70% of the world’s production. It grows almost everywhere in the world, but mainly in Western Africa. Its cocoa is not very aromatic and, therefore, not very widely used for the production of fine chocolates.

– Criollo (red cocoa beans). Criollo is a cocoa variety originating from Belize and maybe related to the first cocoa trees grown by the ancient Mayans more than 2,000 years ago. It grows only in Latin America and represents a mere 5% of world production of cocoa. This variety is very susceptible to diseases and its cultivation is very difficult. It is highly valued by producers of chocolate for its unique taste.

– Trinitario (a hybrid of the Forastero and Criollo varieties). This hybrid partially contains the taste quality of Criollo and at the same time it is resistant to diseases like Forastero. In Chocotopia plantations in the Yucatan region of Mexico, we grow cocoa trees of the Criollo variety, because we prefer quality to quantity and we want to ensure the sustainability of our production.

Although the cultivation of cocoa is widespread, its worldwide production is endangered. Experts argue that a cocoa shortage may occur by 2050. How is it possible? On the one hand, there is the fragility of cocoa trees, climate change and the pressure on the industry to produce constantly lower prices, on the other hand, the chocolate consumption has increased considerably in Asia, especially in India.

Hint: Eat good quality chocolate to benefit your health as well as our planet! AtChocotopia we care about the environment and the conditions in which our Mexican farmers live. Good natural quality and diligent care of those who work for us, is our recipe for good quality chocolate.

The post Various types of cocoa tree appeared first on Choco-Story.

In the 15th century, cocoa beans were so rare that Aztecs used them as currency. Just like today, each thing had its value. For example, one rabbit was sold for 10 cocoa beans, one turkey for 40 cocoa beans and one slave for 100 cocoa beans!

Did you know that the scientific name of the cocoa tree is Theobroma cacao L.?

The letter L.  stands for the surname of Carl von Linné, the Swedish natural scientist who laid the foundations of modern botanical and zoological systematic nomenclature (binomial names of plants and animals). He classified more than 6,000 plants and more than 4,400 animal species. He became so famous that it was sufficient to just add the letter “L”. (He is the only scientist, who had this distinction!)

And what does “Theobroma” mean?

In Greek, theos means god and broma is food. Thus, the name means “food of the gods”. And the word cocoaoriginates from the word cacahuatl from the Nahuatl language, part of the Uto-Aztecan family of languages, spoken by 1.5 million indigineous Mexicans today.

The post Cocoa beans appeared first on Choco-Story.

The first cocoa trees were cultivated by Mesoamerican Indians (Mayans and afterwards Aztecs) in Mexico around 2500 BC. Europeans later exported the trees and established plantations in Venezuela, Ecuador and Brazil. The consumption of cocoa in Europe continued to grow, therefore, in the 19th century, more plantations were based in Asia and Africa, in particular, on the Ivory Coast, which remains the biggest exporter of cocoa in the world.

A bit of geography…

Today, cocoa is grown in 45 countries around the world. All of these countries are situated between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, because they need a hot, humid climate. Cocoa trees are very sensitive to cold and grow only in altitudes from 0 to 800 meters above sea level. On the other hand, they do not tolerate direct sunlight, therefore, they need shade from larger trees. In the wild, cocoa trees can grow to a height of 10 meters, but cultivated varieties do not exceed 3 meters.

How does cocoa grow?

Cocoa is obtained from cocoa pods, which grow directly on the trunk of the tree. Pods may contain 16 to 60 seeds and they are harvested twice a year. Raw cocoa beans are very bitter, which is, in fact, to our advantage, because monkeys do not like to eat them!

The post Once upon a time there was… chocolate appeared first on Choco-Story.

Among the Aztecs, cocoa called “xocoatl” was a highly respected drink which only the tallest (nobles, priests) could access. It is said that the Aztec emperor Moctezuma consumed 50 cups of it and since he had many wives, this gave rise to the connection between love force and cocoa. In more recent history, it would seem that Casanova and the Marquise de Pompadour also consumed it before starting crazy romantic nights.

It should not be forgotten that when chocolate arrived in Europe, it was sold in pharmacies because it was perceived to have healing properties like drugs. It also had a sulphurous reputation because in 1838 in the hygiene treaty the doctors É. Tourtelle and J. Hallé wrote about chocolate that he had “the faculty to awaken venereal desires and to excite the pleasures of love”

Currently and with the progress of science, it has been discovered that cocoa contains a large number of active substances such as antioxidants, the caffeine of phenylethylamine, also called “pleasure hormone” which provides a sensation of pleasure close to the But, as much to tell you right away, it would take an enormous amount to feel a real aphrodisiac effect. There remains the imagination and the pleasure … of eating chocolate.

The post How February became a symbol of love ? appeared first on Choco-Story.

On February 14, women offer chocolates to men. But there are two types of chocolate, giri-choco (translated as courtesy chocolate) and honmei-choco (translated as destiny chocolate).
The giri-choco is a chocolate generally bought in stores and is offered to men whom they meet regularly (like work colleagues, neighbors …). Honmei-choco is for men who are very important to them. They can be bought in stores but they are very good quality or they can be made at home. In all cases, the honmei-choco will be offered in a heart-shaped box.

And what do men do in all of this? Well, they patiently wait for March 14 to offer a gift to the woman who gave them chocolate on February 14. If it is a giri-choco, the man will offer in return white chocolates (hence the name) and if it is a honmei-choco, the man will rather offer jewelry or lingerie (but still white!).

The white day is a holiday that can be found in South Korea and in certain regions of China. There are now even other types of chocolate which tend to sell more and more: the tomo-choco (translated by friendship chocolate) which is offered mainly between young girls and the jibun-choco (translated by chocolate for yourself) and which is either for singles or for a little narcissistic people.

The post Valentine’s traditions in Japan appeared first on Choco-Story.

Because we are convinced of the health benefits of chocolate, we offer a range of chocolate-based cosmetics in our store to treat your skin (shower gel, hand cream, body cream, body butter) and your hair (shampoo and conditioner). We also offer you a unique experience: a cocoa butter-based massage oil for chocolate-scented moments of relaxation.

The post Chocolate-based cosmetics appeared first on Choco-Story.

A dark chocolate bar rich in antioxidants called Oxanti. Made with cocoa beans from Ecuador, this bar, which contains 65% cocoa, is specially designed to provide you with your optimal daily dose of antioxidants.

A square of 7.5 grams per day will bring you all the benefits of antioxidants. Thanks to a unique conching system that helps to maintain the natural antioxidant content, this chocolate acts as a gentle, natural blood thinner, lowering blood pressure and therefore lowering the risk of heart disease and cancer. The bar is designed to bring you a month of benefits, combining the delicacy of Belgian chocolate with the natural qualities of cocoa.

The post Chocolate with antioxidants appeared first on Choco-Story.

Chocolate is a source of minerals and caffeine

In addition to proteins, carbohydrates, and fats, chocolate contains fiber, vitamins, and many minerals. These are essential to the body. Here are the main minerals:

–           Magnesium is essential for nerves, muscles, and to fight fatigue.

–           Calcium (mainly in milk chocolate and white chocolate) is essential for the formation of bones and teeth.

–           Phosphorus is essential for chemical reactions inside our cells. In addition to calcium, it also constitutes the mineral framework of bones. Chocolate is a good source of phosphorus.

–           Copper is essential for protein synthesis, iron absorption, and the formation of red blood cells.

–           Potassium is involved in muscle excitability and in heart metabolism. Chocolate provides a large amount, which is good for the heart.

–           Iron helps build red blood cells and myoglobin in muscles. Cocoa is one of the main foods rich in iron of plant origin.

Mineral breakdown

Source: Table CIQUAL 2012

Caffeine:

Chocolate also contains caffeine, which acts on the neurotransmitters of the central nervous system to cause a stimulating effect that increases attention and helps to fight against drowsiness.

For comparison, here is the relative caffeine content of some foods:

–  Instant coffee (100 ml): 60 mg

–           Black tea (100 ml): 40 mg

–           Can of cola (330 ml): 30 mg

–           Six squares of dark chocolate (40 g): 42 mg

Proteins

5 to 10% of chocolate is made up of proteins.

These proteins, of plant origin, are provided by cocoa paste, but also by the added milk powder in some chocolates.

Fats

They represent 30 to 42% of chocolate and come from cocoa butter and cocoa paste. Their quantity therefore varies according to the cocoa content of the chocolate, but also with the presence or absence of milk powder.

Chocolate contains little cholesterol.

Carbohydrates

Sugar accounts for 33 to 58% of various chocolates. It results mainly from the addition of sugar or sugary foods during chocolate manufacturing.

Fibers

Dark chocolate is rich in fiber because it contains 7 to 13g per 100g:

Dark chocolate with 70% cocoa: 12.6g

Dark chocolate with 40% cocoa: 7.3g

Fiber, which regulates intestinal transit, is provided by cocoa paste. The richer a chocolate is in cocoa, the richer it is in fiber. Milk chocolate contains just a little, 1.2g per 100g, and white chocolate is completely lacking in fiber.

Antioxidants

Cocoa contains a large number of antioxidant substances that trap or neutralize the free radicals responsible for oxidation, thus protecting our body.

The main antioxidants in cocoa are flavonoids and certain minerals such as copper, zinc, and manganese.

Vitamins

Chocolate contains small amounts of vitamins A, E, and B.

The post Health benefits of chocolate appeared first on Choco-Story.