Bénac R, Dejardin J (1970) Essais d’engrais sur cacaoyers au Cameroun (région de Yaoundé). Café Cacao Thé 14(1):13–27 Flavonoids, flavan-3-ols, and their oligomeric derivatives, procyanidins, have a variety of beneficial physiologic actions. Flavonoids have a number of properties that may contribute to their cardioprotective effects, including antioxidant and antiplatelet activity, immunoregulatory properties, and beneficial effects on the endothelium ( 42). The epicatechin content of cocoa is primarily responsible for its favorable impact on vascular endothelium, which is the result of both acute and chronic upregulation of nitric oxide production ( 222, 277). The combined catechin/epicatechin content in chocolate is 460–610mg/kg ( 150). Epicatechins improve vascular function, reduce BP, improve insulin sensitivity, and reduce platelet activity ( 42). Epicatechin in cocoa quenches OH· 100 times more effectively than mannitol, a typical OH· scavenger ( 239). Monsy, Karen Ann (24 February 2012). "The bitter truth". Khaleej Times. Archived from the original on 15 April 2012 . Retrieved 28 April 2012. In West Africa, where about 70% of global cocoa supply originates from smallholder farmers, recent public–private initiatives such as the Cocoa Forest Initiatives in Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire (World Cocoa Foundation, 2017) and the Green Cocoa Landscape Programme in Cameroon (IDH, 2019) aim to support the sustainable intensification and climate resilience of cocoa production, the prevention of further deforestation and the restoration of degraded forests. [91] They often align with national REDD+ policies and plans. [91] Consumption [ edit ]

The seeds are the main ingredient of chocolate, while the pulp is used in some countries to prepare refreshing juice, smoothies, jelly, and cream. Usually discarded until practices changed in the 21st century, the fermented pulp may be distilled into an alcoholic beverage. [8] Each seed contains a significant amount of fat (40–50%) as cocoa butter. Many major chocolate production companies around the world have started to prioritize buying fair trade cocoa by investing in fair trade cocoa production, improving fair trade cocoa supply chains and setting purchasing goals to increase the proportion of fair trade chocolate available in the global market. [69] [70] [71] [72] [73]

a b Raghavan, Sudarsan; Chatterjee, Sumana (24 June 2001). "Slaves feed world's taste for chocolate: Captives common in cocoa farms of Africa". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Archived from the original on 17 September 2006 . Retrieved 25 April 2012. Leite JO, Valle RR (1990) Nutrient cycling in the cacao ecosystem: rain and throughfall as nutrient sources for the soil and the cacao tree. Agric Ecosyst Environ 32:143–154 Climate change, coupled with pests, poor soil health, and the demand for sustainable cocoa, has led to a rapid decline in cocoa productivity, resulting in reduced income for smallholder cocoa farmers. [81] Severe droughts have led to soil fertility decline, causing a decrease in yields, and resulting in some farmers abandoning cocoa production. [82] [83] Criollo Chocolate: Efficient Food of the Gods". MetaEfficient. Archived from the original on 28 August 2008 . Retrieved 17 May 2008. Bastide P, Cilas C, jimmy I (2003) Variability of leaf parameters in the foliage of cocoa trees in Vanuatu. Paper presented at the 14th international cocoa research conference, Lagos

Coe, Sophie D. (1994). America's First Cuisines. Austin: University of Texas Press. ISBN 0-292-71155-7. CONACADO: National confederation of cocoa producers". Archived from the original on 8 April 2014 . Retrieved 27 March 2014. Alexander Walker (1822). Colombia, relación geográfica, topográfica, agrícola, comercial y política de este país: adaptada para todo lector en general y para el comerciante y colono en particular. Tomo II. Londres: Banco de la República, pp. 284. The cacao bean in 80% of chocolate is made using beans of the Forastero group, the main and most ubiquitous variety being the Amenolado variety, while the Arriba variety (such as the Nacional variety) are less commonly found in Forastero produce. Forastero trees are significantly hardier and more disease-resistant than Criollo trees, resulting in cheaper cacao beans. [21] The main flavanols found in cocoa are epicatechin and catechin, and procyanidins ( Table 2). Procyanidins provide the majority of antioxidant activity in cocoa products ( 200).Murray DB (1965) Factors affecting the shade-nutrition interaction in cacao. Paper presented at the conference internationale sur les recherches agronomiques du cacaoyer, Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire) Main articles: Children in cocoa production and Harkin–Engel Protocol Collecting beans after drying Cunningham RK, Burridge JC (1960) The growth of cacao ( Theobroma cacao) with and without shade. Ann Bot, NS 24(96):458–462 Balasimha D, Rajagopal V, Daniel EV, Nair RV, Bhagavan S (1988) Comparative drought tolerance of cacao accessions. Trop Agric 65:271–274 Mac Donald JA (1934) Some effects of deficiencies of essential nutrient elements on the growth of young cacao plants. lCTA, Trinidad, 83–85 p

Cacao Vs. Cocoa: Updating Your Chocolate Vocabulary". Archived from the original on 18 January 2012 . Retrieved 12 November 2007. Thong K, Ng W (1978) Growth and nutrients composition of monocrop cocoa plants on inland Malaysian soils. International conference on cocoa and coconuts, Kuala Lumpur, pp 262–286 Giller, M.; Laiskonis, M. (2017). Bean-to-bar Chocolate: America's Craft Chocolate Revolution: the Origins, the Makers, and the Mind-blowing Flavors. Storey Publishing. p.224. ISBN 978-1-61212-821-4 . Retrieved 28 October 2017.Lachenaud P (1991) Facteurs de la fructification chez le cacaoyer ( Theobroma cacao L.): influence sur le nombre de graines par fruit. Paris-Grignon, Paris, p 186 Zipperer, Paul (1902). The manufacture of chocolate and other cacao preparations (3rded.). Berlin: Verlag von M. Krayn. p.14. white cacao, ... Ecuador ... rare ... In Trinidad also Coe, Sophie D.; Coe, Michael D. (1996). The True History of Chocolate. London: Thames & Hudson. ISBN 0-500-01693-3. Kurppa M, Leblanc HA, Nygren P (2010) Detection of nitrogen transfer from N 2-fixing shade trees to cacao saplings in 15N labelled soil: ecological and experimental considerations. Agrofor Syst 80:223–239 Cocoa solids, the dark, bitter mass that contain most of cacao's notable phytochemicals, including caffeine and theobromine