Table of contents
Cocoa beans (organic) are the seeds of the cocoa tree (Theobroma cacao L.). When unroasted, but fermented and dried, the dark brown beans or pieces thereof (cocoa nibs) are often referred to as raw.
Culinary uses of cocoa beans
Can you eat cacao beans raw? Yes, you can eat cocoa beans raw. Fermented cocoa beans are particularly suitable as a snack. It is questionable whether it is really raw food, since temperatures of around 50 °C occur during fermentation and the beans lose their ability to germinate.
How can you eat cocoa beans? Cocoa beans have a bitter taste that can be mitigated by eating them with a sweet date. Cocoa nibs can be made from cocoa beans (fermented). Cocoa nibs are fragments of peeled, fermented, dried and cleaned cocoa beans. Store-bought nibs are often roasted. They are used in baking, in muesli or in nut-fruit mixtures. The crispy nibs are also suitable for vegan smoothies and shakes. Even savory dishes, such as chili (sin carne), can be refined with the tart cocoa nibs.
Ground cocoa beans are the roasted or unroasted raw material for chocolate. Pressing the cocoa mass separates the cocoa butter, a yellowish fat. What remains is the de-oiled press cake, which is ground into cocoa powder. The powder is used for baking, cocoa drinks or ice cream. The shell of the cocoa bean is often used in tea blends.
Vegan recipe for Cake with Cocoa Beans (Nibs)
Ingredients (for 6 people): 200 ml almond drink, 150 g soy yogurt, 150 g rolled oats, 50 g cacao nibs (organic), 50 g linseed, 30 g wheat flour, 2 tbsp agave syrup, 2 tbsp apple pulp, 1 tsp baking powder.
Procedure: First, preheat the oven to 200 °C (top and bottom heat). Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Pour the batter into a greased spring form pan and bake the cake in the oven for 30 minutes. Allow the cocoa cake to cool slightly before slicing. The vegan cake should still be very moist on the inside.
Vegan recipe for Date Balls with Cocoa Nibs
Ingredients (for 10-12 pieces): 70 g macadamia nuts, 3 tsp cocoa powder (unsweetened), 6 dates, 3 tbsp cocoa butter, 2 tbsp agave syrup, (1 tbsp cane sugar), 50 g cocoa nibs (organic), 1 pinch salt, ½ vanilla bean.
Procedure: Roughly chop the macadamia nuts and finely grind them in a blender. Cut the dates into small pieces and add 2 teaspoons of cocoa powder and salt to the macadamia nuts. Mix the ingredients until you get an even mass. Chill the mixture for 10 minutes and then shape into small balls. Then cool again. Now carefully melt the cocoa butter in a water bath and mix with the agave syrup, the pulp of the vanilla bean and the remaining teaspoon of cocoa powder. Dip the chilled date balls in the chocolate mixture and roll them on the cacao nibs. Chill the balls in the freezer for at least 30 minutes. As soon as the chocolate has set, you can serve the vegan date balls.
To find vegan recipes with fermented cocoa beans, follow the reference: "Recipes that have the most of this ingredient".
Not only vegans and vegetarians should read this: A Vegan Diet Can Be Unhealthy. Nutrition Mistakes. |
Purchasing - storage
Where to buy raw cacao beans? Fermented cocoa beans with the shell (sometimes skinned) and cocoa nibs are marked as raw food and are available in organic shops, organic supermarkets, health food stores, drugstores, delicatessens or online.
As mentioned at the beginning, the term "raw" is not always clear. On the one hand, there is no standardized raw food label (seal) - on the other hand, the temperature limits vary from region to region and are difficult to check. Fermented cocoa beans are often referred to as raw if they are not roasted and gently dried. However, cocoa beans usually lose their ability to germinate during fermentation (at around 50 °C) and are therefore, strictly speaking, no longer of raw food quality. More on this in the section ‘fermentation of cocoa beans’.
Some manufacturers measure the temperatures during fermentation and air drying and guarantee a maximum value of 40-45 °C. If you want to be sure that the cocoa beans are raw, we recommend asking the retailer specifically.
Although fermented cocoa beans may not be available in all supermarkets, they usually sell processed products made from cocoa beans, such as cocoa powder (baking cocoa), drinking chocolate (with sugar), chocolate bars (with and without milk) - but not in raw food quality (raw). Buy and consume cocoa and chocolate products seldom and consciously; when buying, pay attention to organic quality and fair-trade products (look for fair trade seal).
Storage tips
Always store cocoa beans (fermented) in a cool, dry and dark place. Cocoa bean is very sensitive to odors, so you should never store them next to coffee or similar foods with strong odor. Excessive humidity leads to mold. Storage temperatures above 25 °C can trigger overfermentation of the cocoa beans and spoil the beans.2 If the cocoa beans smell bad or rancid or have a strange taste, please stop using them.
Ingredients - nutritional values - calories
100 g of fermented cocoa beans has approx. 639 kcal. They come mainly from the fat (57 g/100g), of which approx. 34 % are saturated fatty acids. The carbohydrate content is approx. 24 g/100g (of which 13 % is dietary fiber). They also contain approx. 14 g/100g proteins (see table above).
The protein in the cocoa beans (fermented) consists of valuable amino acids: This includes 0.22 g/100g tryptophan which covers 91 % of the daily requirement, 0.61 g/100g of the really essential threonine which is 66 % of the daily requirement and 0.88 g/100g valine which covers 55 % of the daily requirement. Tryptophan acts as a precursor for the vitamin niacin and the messenger substance serotonin.6 Roasted peanuts and roasted cashew nuts contain a similar amount of tryptophan. Shelled hemp seeds have even more tryptophan with 0.61 g/100 g.3
Cocoa beans contain 240 mg/100 g magnesium which is 64% of the daily requirement, and is comparable to pine nuts. Even more can be found in pumpkin seeds (dried).3
In addition, cocoa beans contain 1099 mg of potassium per 100 g of cocoa beans, which covers 55 % of the daily requirement. Hemp seeds, unpeeled, and pistachios have comparable values. Cumin seeds (1788 mg/100g) and turmeric (2080 mg/100g) contain even more of this trace element.3
However, neither cocoa beans nor spices and seeds are consumed in large quantities every day.
You can find the total ingredients of cocoa beans (fermented), the coverage of the daily requirement and comparison values with other ingredients in our nutrient tables. In the article Nutrients explained you will get a detailed insight into the topic.
Health effects
Are cocoa beans healthy? The term "superfood" is often used when talking about cocoa beans. Indeed, cocoa beans do have health-promoting substances such as antioxidants, but cocoa beans also contain a high proportion of saturated fats.
The antioxidants found in raw (unfermented) cacao beans are said to help prevent chronic diseases associated with inflammation, oxidative stress and metabolic disorders.8 In addition, the phenolic antioxidants in cacao affect "insulinresistance", which is said to reduce the risk of developing diabetes. Antioxidants are also said to have a protective effect against UV rays. Consuming cocoa is said to improve cognitive function and elevate mood. However, due to the energy density, there is a risk of becoming overweight in the event of overconsumption.10
The flavonoids (flavanols) present in cocoa beans protect against vascular diseases.11 It is important to mention here that the processing of cocoa beans (e.g., roasting) significantly reduces the flavanol content.16
In addition to a small amount of caffeine (0.2 %), cocoa beans also contain the active ingredient theobromine (1.8-2.7 %).4 Theobromines are bioactive compounds (purines) and are related to caffeine. The darker (more cocoa content) a chocolate, the more theobromine it contains. Theobromine and caffeine have beneficial effects on brain health by improving neuroplasticity and protecting neurons from dysfunction and degeneration.9
Dangers - intolerances - side effects
Is too much cocoa harmful? Theobromine has a mood-enhancing effect in small amounts, but too high a dose can lead to tachycardia, migraine-like headaches, tremors, over-excitability and sweating.12
(Raw) cocoa beans often have a high cadmium content. The cocoa tree absorbs the heavy metal from the soil and water and accumulates it in its seeds. Cadmium is toxic in all forms. It accumulates primarily in the kidneys and liver and is said to accelerate cell aging and is carcinogenic.13
Traditional medicine - naturopathy
In America, in pre-Columbian times, cocoa was used as an aphrodisiac, the raw cocoa bean is said to have a stimulating and euphoric effect. In Indian folk medicine, the fermented cocoa beans are used to treat diarrhea because the tannins they contain have a constipating effect. The young, fresh leaves can be used to make an invigorating tea or used externally as an antiseptic.5
Ecological footprint - animal welfare
Various methods have been established for the cultivation of cocoa trees for commercial use. The trees either grow in monocultures, for which existing primeval forests are often cleared to create enough space. Alternatively, there is agroforestry, in which cocoa trees grow in a system of other plants. As a result, they are not directly exposed to the sun and therefore require less water. Compared to monocultures, there is more potential for biodiversity here.18
The ecological footprint (in terms of the amount of CO2 emitted for the production of cocoa beans) depends on the cultivation method (organic or conventional cultivation), but also on the management (monoculture or agroforestry). Compared to conventional agroforestry or the cultivation of cocoa trees in monocultures, organic agroforestry generates the lowest amounts of CO2 emissions.19 Overall, however, the ecological footprint is large, mainly because of the long transport routes from Africa or South America and the high use of pesticides.18,20 The carbon released during the clearing of jungle for monocultures, which the trees have stored, must also be considered. This further increases the ecological footprint.21
It is difficult to understand the type of cultivation under which the cocoa trees grow for the production of cocoa products. However, you can look out for the Rainforest Alliance certified seal. Farms with this certification are encouraged to plant more native trees on their land and to practice agroforestry. Child labor can also be excluded with this (or Fairtrade) seal.22
Cocoa beans have a large water footprint: almost 20,000 liters of water are needed to produce 1 kg of beans. This is similar to roasted coffee but lower than cocoa butter.23
When buying cocoa products, you should choose products that are as sustainable as possible. Organic logos indicate environmentally friendly cultivation (pesticide-free) and careful production, while fair trade seals indicate that the product is produced under fair conditions and without child labor. Organic producers also refrain from fumigation during transport and from alkalizing the cocoa mass (additives such as sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate and magnesium oxide, tartaric acid and citric acid – can be added without labeling requirements).24
Worldwide occurrence - cultivation
It is believed that the cacao tree originally came from Central America. However, some research also traces its origin to South America.25 The sweet pulp of the cocoa fruit has been processed since 1000 BC to an alcoholic drink. The plant has been known to the Aztecs since the 14th century. The bean was considered a gift from God. In 1502, Spaniards discovered the cacao tree and brought the brown beans to Europe. Today, 70 % of cocoa production takes place in the rainforests of West Africa and 15 % in Central and South America. The most important growing countries are the Ivory Coast, Ghana and Indonesia.4 The most important commercial varieties are Forastero, Criollo and Trinitario, from which numerous hybrids are bred. Forastero cocoa is considered consumer cocoa and accounts for 80 % of the world harvest. Compared to the other two varieties, it is significantly more resistant, but it is a bit more bitter, more acidic and less aromatic than Criollo cocoa. Criollo is difficult to cultivate and is considered a fine flavor cocoa. It accounts for only 3-5 % of the cocoa harvest and tastes more aromatic and milder than Forastero cocoa. Trinitario is a fine flavor cocoa hybrid of Forastero and Criollo.7
Growing wild
Wild cacao can still be found in southern Mexico5 and South America (Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, Colombia, etc.).15 The cacao trees grow irregularly along rivers (e.g., the Amazon) in the shade of large rainforest trees. The fruits and the raw cacao beans of the wild plants are smaller than the cultivated beans.1 With some wild cacao species, the pulp is used in addition to the seeds, e.g., for jams and compotes (Theobroma grandiflora) or for refreshing, fermented, wine-like drinks (Theobroma bicolor).5,15
Cultivation - harvest
The cocoa tree needs an evenly warm and humid tropical climate and no direct sunlight to grow. It can therefore only be grown in regions around the Equator. The trees reach a size of up to 15 m and thrive best in the shade of other trees. You can harvest starting from the 8th year, but the trees reach an age of up to 60 years. The tree flowers all year round, so the flowers and fruits that grow directly on the trunk and on the thicker branches develop at the same time. The fruits (pods) change color from green to yellow to red and acquire a purple appearance when ripe. The harvest takes place in at least two periods.5,15
The cultivation of the cocoa beans is largely based on manual work and is therefore very labor-intensive. The ripe fruits are separated from the tree with sharp knives. The fruit is opened with a machete and the flesh (pulp) together with the raw cocoa beans is removed from the shell.
Fermentation of cocoa beans
How to ferment cocoa beans? To achieve this, spread the raw pulp of the cocoa pods on banana leaves and cover it with another layer of leaves. Alternatively, you can ferment the beans in a box. In the tropical heat, yeast, acetic acid and lactic acid bacteria quickly begin to convert the sugar into alcohol and then into acetic acid. During this biochemical fermentation process, the beans reach temperatures of around 50 °C,17 and the pulp (the slimy, white mass in which the beans are embedded) evaporates. The fermentation of cocoa beans is complete after about 3–6 days, depending on the fermentation method and weather conditions. This step is essential for the taste of the cocoa beans.15 Only now do the beans get their dark color and can no longer germinate.
The fermented beans then have to dry in the fresh air for about 15 days (with or without direct sunlight).4 Conventional cocoa beans are fumigated before transport to prevent them from being eaten by pests such as cocoa moths, flour moths, ants or cockroaches.2
Then the cocoa beans (“raw”) are cleaned, peeled and processed. In addition to the broken pieces known as nibs, you can also roast whole cocoa beans4 (temperatures between 90 and 150 °C are common). The broken kernels (roasted or unroasted) are often further processed by grinding.
Additional information
The Latin name Theobroma cacao comes from Karl von Linné. The word ‘Theobroma’ means "food of the Gods" in Greek. The Mayas called the tree, the fruit and the well-known drink "cacao". The Aztecs called their drink "xocolatl", from which the word chocolate was derived.5
Alternate names
Cocoa beans (raw) are also known as cocoa seeds in some parts of the world. Often one only finds the term cocoa or cacao. Incorrect spellings such as cacao bean are often seen.
Rätsch named some Latin synonyms, such as Cacao guianensis, Cacao minus, Cacao sativa, Theobroma caribaea, Theobroma interregima, Theobroma kalagua, Theobroma leiocarpa, Theobroma pentagona, Theobroma saltzmanniana, Theobroma sapidum, Theobroma sativa, Theobroma sphaerocarpa.5
In English, they are called cocoa beans or just cocoa, fermented beans are called fermented cocoa beans (wrong: fermented cacao beans) or raw, unfermented cocoa beans where applicable.
Other applications
The shells of the fermented cocoa beans are also used as fertilizer or as fodder for poultry. The fat contained in cocoa beans (cocoa butter) is sometimes also referred to as cocoa oleum (drug name) and is used as the basis for suppositories.14 Due to its caring and nourishing properties, cocoa butter is used in many cosmetic products. Creams and soaps, anti-aging products, shampoo or hair masks make use of their moisturizing effect.
Bibliography - 25 Sources
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16. | Ioannone F, Di Mattia CD, De Gregorio M, Sergi M, Serafini M, Sacchetti G. Flavanols, proanthocyanidins and antioxidant activity changes during cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) roasting as affected by temperature and time of processing. Food Chem. 1. Mai 2015;174:256–62. |
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