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🌰 Nut / seedLow glycemicGluten free
Cacao bean
Kakao çekirdeği
Homeland
The upper Amazon basin and Mesoamerica
Season
Year-round, in two harvests
Nutrition values
Per 100 g, raw
| Energy | — kcal |
| Carbohydrate | — g |
| of which sugars | — g |
| Fiber | — g |
| Protein | — g |
| Fat | — g |
Did you know?
The seeds ferment for several days in their own pulp and are then dried; the flavour of chocolate is largely made during that fermentation. The earliest traces of use come from the Ecuadorian Amazon, while its spread as a crop happened in Mesoamerica. The raw bean is intensely bitter and astringent.
Consumption tip
Even natural produce may carry pesticide residues. Wash fruits and vegetables under plenty of running water and discard the outer leaves of leafy greens. A short soak in vinegar water can also help reduce residues. Where possible, prefer certified organic or good-agricultural-practice products.