Did You Know People Have Been Consuming Cocoa For 4,000 Years?

You may already know that we get chocolates from cocoa beans. But did you also know that out of 200 years it takes a tree about 25 years to produce pods?

Here are 19 awesome facts about cocoa:

• December 13th is National Cocoa Day.
• The tree takes about five years to produce its first seed pods.
• Cocoa was first exported to Europe in the year 1585.
• The first chocolate bar was made in the year 1848.
• Theobroma is the Latin name for cocoa; it means “food of the gods.”
• The trees live as long as 200 years but only produce quality pods for 25 years.
• The trees also need to be planted next to tall trees in order to protect them from direct sunlight.
• Flavonoid-rich cocoa is effective in lowering blood pressure and improving the elasticity of blood vessels.
• The consumption of cocoa powder has also shown to be effective in improving insulin resistance and glucose metabolism.
• The bean shells are an effective and nourishing fertiliser.
• It contains antioxidants that help repair skin cells and neutralize the effects of free radicals.
• It requires about 400 cocoa beans to make a pound of chocolate.
• The United States is the biggest importer of cocoa seeds.
• Cocoa beans were once used as currency by the Aztecs in Mexico.
• Cocoa pods are the fruits of the Cacao tree.
• The reason why the beans are being called cocoa and not cacao beans is due to a spelling mistake made by the English exporters in the 18th century.
• People have been consuming cocoa for 4,000 years.
• The soil that the cocoa tree grows on influences the taste of the beans, this explains why chocolates have different taste.
• West Africa produces more cocoa than any other region in the world.

Sources: Organifacts.net and Amp.health.com

Featured image: realfoods.co.uk