O cocoa it is a fruit very appreciated for its sweet pulp and for its seed, which is used in the chocolate making. It is very beneficial to our health, presenting anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and cardioprotective properties. The higher the cocoa content, the greater the benefit of the product. Brazil stands out as one of the countries that produce the most cocoa, with Bahia and Pará being the largest producers in our territory.
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Cacao
Cocoa is the fruit of the cocoa tree (theobroma cacao), a plant of the Malvaceae family and gender Theobroma, originated from the American rainforest. THE species is not endemic to Brazil and, according to Flora do Brasil 2020, it is probably naturalized in the Amazon since the Pre-Columbian Era. In Brazil, the species has been confirmed to occur in the states of Acre, Amapá, Amazonas, Bahia, Espírito Santo, Maranhão, Pará, Rondônia and Sergipe.
The cocoa tree, when coming from seeds, can present between 5 and 8 meters high
is 4 to 6 meter canopy in diameter. When it grows in forests, it can reach up to 20 meters in height. This is due to shading and competition for light with other species that thrive in the forest. Cocoa grows in soils with good drainage and medium/high fertility.
At sheets cacao trees are large and oval in shape. Ostalk is erect, being the place from which the branches and flowers come out. Atflowers they have a chalice with five white sepals and a corolla formed by five white petals, which have an extension of yellow color (ligula). The petals and sepals are arranged alternately on the flower. The flowers are hermaphroditic, and pollination is carried out by insects, being the fly of the genus forcipomy main pollinator.
Cocoa characteristics
O cocoa is the fruit of the cocoa tree and is supported on the plant by a woody peduncle. It has an elongated shape and has grooves. THE cocoa color is varied, there are differences between the varieties and also during ripening. Fruits range from green to purple and yellow to orange.
The seeds are ovoid and covered with a white mucilaginous pulp. Although the pulp is also highly appreciated for its sweet taste, the main product sold is the seed, whaté used, for example, in the manufacture of chocolate.
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cocoa varieties
The cocoa tree has three varieties: criollo, outsider and trinitarian.
Creole variety: it has large fruits and seeds with white to pale violet cotyledons. It produces a chocolate with a smooth and fruity flavor, being known as a superior quality cocoa, being called “fine cocoa”. It is more vulnerable to disease than the outsider type.
Outsider variety: presents a seed with an intense violet color, having a considerable amount of anthocyanin. It is called “basic type” cocoa and is the most produced in the world. This cocoa produces a chocolate with a more bitter and astringent taste, due to the presence of a greater amount of phenolic compounds, compared to criollo.
Trinitarian variety: it is obtained from crossing the criollo and foreign varieties. The seed of this cocoa varies from pale yellow to dark purple.
Use of cocoa
cocoa is raw material for the manufacture of chocolate, however this is not the only use of this fruit. the seeds beyond gives chocolate production, are also used for the production of cocoa powder and cocoa butter.sthe last employee also in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industry. Cocoa pulp is also consumed, being used in the manufacture of jellies, liqueurs, wine and juice. The cocoa husk is also enjoyed in the manufacture of feed for livestock.
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Cocoa Benefits
Many people think of the chocolate, the main product obtained from cocoa, as a great villain, being closely related to weight gain. However, what many don't know is that cocoa has a number of benefits for our health.
Among the benefits of cocoa, we can mention its capacity antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and cardioprotective. With regard to the cardioprotective function, cocoa stands out for having substances that reduce the aggregation of platelets, therefore reducing clot formation.
It is worth noting, however, that, when choosing foods produced from cocoa, the consumer must pay attention to the cocoa content presented, in order to be able to take advantage of the fruit's properties. More processed products can be high in fat and sugars and thus be less beneficial. With regard to chocolate, for example, a healthier choice is to opt for 70% cocoa chocolate instead of milk chocolate.
By Vanessa Sardinha dos Santos
Biology teacher
