Already, the Incas knew how powerful cocoa nibs are. As the name already suggests, cocoa nibs are obtained from the cocoa beans or from the cocoa.
Although cocoa is well known here, and many other places for making tea and others, the cocoa raw materials have more uses and advantages.
For this reason, cocoa nibs as a Superfood is traded and increasingly finds its way into Western households.
Cocoa nibs are always rich in magnesium and calcium and this form of cocoa is also suited even for vegetarians and vegans.
Where do the cocoa nibs come from?
How the cocoa really comes is not accurately proved. But, it is believed that the tree is native to South America.
It is believed that it already existed for about 1000 BC, according to Farmpally.
The cocoa bean, and importantly the sugary pulp was used in the brewery industry which is usually fermented into an alcoholic drink in the past, and till today.
The Aztecs, however, knew the cacao tree since the 14th century and the plant was used then as sacred and as a gift of God Quetzalcoatl.
Accordingly, the cacao tree was also worshipped. The fruits then were used as sacrifice, and also as a means of payment.
By the Aztecs, the name “Xocólatl ” (bitter) originated because the drink consisted of water, cocoa, vanilla, corn, salt, and cayenne pepper, chaktty said.
After the Spanish conquistadores, Mexico discovered the “brown gold” in 1519, Thus, the production of cocoa in Europe or the European colonies spread.
The cocoa tree was first cultivated in the region of Guayaquil in Ecuador and Venezuela (Caracas).
Bahia and Belém in Brazil were then added at the end of the 17th century.
In the Dutch colonies in South America, as well as the Caribbean, the tree was cultivated in the 18th century.
Portugal and the islands of Príncipe and São Tomé were around 1900 the world’s largest cocoa producer.
The cocoa tree
The cocoa tree is a thin and long undergrowth. It has heavy-like leaves that are smooth.
By Carolus Linnaeus, a botanist, it was the so-called “Food of the gods” and also called Theobroma.
The cocoa tree grows well only in tropical areas and is grown only in areas up to about 20 degrees of North and South latitude because here the air is perfectly warm and also humid.
In addition, the cacao tree can not withstand direct sunlight and must be protected accordingly with cocoa mothers, or canopy plants.
Cocoa mothers are plants such as coconut, rubber, mango or avocado and banana trees that protect the cocoa tree from too much sun exposure, especially in the early stage of life
In Nigeria, bananas are mostly planted as a cocoa mother to protect the young plant from excessive sunlight.
This preference of banana or plantain is to reduce the stress of felling mother plants when the Cocoa tree is grown to maturity and does not need shed or mother plant again.
Also, native forest trees are used for mixed planting on the plantations.
To protect from the wind, the cocoa tree’s growth is limited to a height of 6 metres.
The height also serves to facilitate the harvesting of fruits as a cocoa plant can be up to 15 metres high.
The pollination of cocoa flowers is carried out not by bees, but by small gnats.
At the age of about 5 years, flowers of the tree sprout for the first time and then can bring the full yield from the 12th year.
The cocoa tree is an Evergreen plant and thus bears fruits for almost the whole year.
The fruits, which are greenish-yellow to red, depending on the variety, can be about 30 cm long and weigh up to 500 g.
The cocoa beans are embedded in the flesh of the fruit which is then processed into cocoa nibs.
The harvest of cocoa fruit takes place twice each year, usually at the end of the rainy season until the beginning of the dry season and the beginning of the next rainy season.
However, the first crop has a higher quality.
What are cocoa nibs and how are they made?
Chocolate is loved and consumed by many people in the United States, especially among teens; and most especially male.
According to a British study, men eat even more chocolate than women. However, more than 40 percent of women indicated they are addicted, while only 15 percent of men claimed to be addicted to chocolate.
However, chocolate has more accessories and is far more unhealthy compared to cocoa nibs because they are made from raw chocolate and with other chemical additives and sugar, according to healthpally.com.
Cocoa nibs are made from the cocoa pods of the cacao tree.
The cocoa beans are made soft first, peeled and broken into small pieces before they are fermented and dried carefully.
The production, in particular, determines the quality of the cocoa nibs, and while it is very important that 45 °C is not exceeded for the production; because that’s when they would be able to get their ingredients fully.
To ensure the temperature is not exceeded, the cocoa beans are used repeatedly by hand, so that it can fully develop the excellent aroma nuances.
The cocoa nibs are the most primitive form of cocoa and have a very tasty and tart flavour.
Already, the Incas knew how to appreciate them and cacao beans were used in South America as a means of payment, and they were so valuable.
How to taste the cocoa nibs?
Cocoa nibs are pieces of the cocoa beans, which have a rather bitter taste.
However, the taste is very hard to describe because the flavours are now different.
Usually, you will find it difficult to compare cocoa nibs to chocolate, which has a cocoa content of 85%.
Of course, everyone must decide for themselves whether the taste is suitable and whether the product is the best choice.
Of course, the taste varies depending on the recipe. Especially for the classic chocolate mousse, cocoa nibs are perfect.
These cocoa beans are ideal as a cooking or baking chocolate and many more recipes.
