sun dried cocoa beans, from Nicaragua

Ingredients: dried cocoa beans *

* produced from certified organic cultivation

The „Food of Gods“   

One can hardly resist cocoa or cocoa beans to be more specific, from which the chocolate is produced. But whom should we thank for this popular fruit also known as "Divine Food" or "Food of the Gods"? The cocoa plant is probably native to Central America, from where the name is derived from the Mayan language. The discovery dates back to the year 1100 BC, during this period, the cocoa bean was probably not used but instead, the sweet pulp of the cocoa bean was used to brew an alcoholic drink. The Aztecs were also aware about the plant and they gifted it to the Gods as a sacred plant and regulated their business dealings with it. Since money was not yet invented, the cocoa bean was then considered as payment.
Soon the Spanish sailors also discovered this as a brown treasure after their arrival in South America. The information about this wonderful bean spread relatively quickly in Europe. Its popularity increased along with slavery and exploitation in the colonies, where the cocoa beans were planted. In the 17th Century, colonies of Ecuador and Venezuela were among the top producers and by the end of the 18th Century, new colonies came up in Brazil and the Caribbean. At the beginning of the 20th Century, the Portuguese islands before Cameroon (Central Africa) were the largest producers of cocoa. Even today, cocoa beans are one of the most important export products in the developing countries. Now, the cocoa plant is cultivated all over the warm tropical regions areas, between 20 northern and 20 southern latitudes.

The cocoa bean grows on a tree that can grow up to 15 meters high. The color of the fruit varies from greenish yellow to red depending on the variety. The cocoa beans can grow up to 30 cm long and reach a weight of 500 g. From within, the flesh of the fruit is white in which up to 50 seeds are embedded. When fruits ripen, they are carefully chipped from the tree with a Machete (a knife). The cocoa fruits thus gathered are now cut opened with a Machete and the white flesh is removed along with the cocoa beans. In this state, the cocoa beans are very bitter and are modified only by the following procedure of fermentation. For fermentation, fill a bowl with the flesh and yet white-yellowish beans, cover and leave it for few days. During this period, the temperature in bowl rises up to 50 °C, due to which the chemical (fermentation) process is set in motion. In order to provide it with necessary oxygen, the beans should be regularly shifted. First of all, alcohol is produced by the oxidation of acetic acid (vinegar) is formed, which breaks down the firm flesh and thereby the essential flavors are released. Then beans germinate by the increasing temperatures and content of acid, but this is stopped. The beans then literally die and what now remain are the re-dyed brown beans. The fermentation is now complete and is followed by gentle drying in the sun. The dried cocoa beans are then cleaned and subject to heat treatment because the humid warm climate unfortunately gives rise to lots of bacteria. Finally, the cocoa beans are roasted  at temperatures between 100° and 140° and for a duration (depending on temperature, size and variety) varying from 20 minutes to an hour. Only the skinning of cocoa beans remains, which is done manually for our organic cocoa beans.

Our organic cocoa beans are obtained from certified organic farms in Nicaragua, specifically from the region of Jinotega, 1000 meters above the sea level as well as from Wasala, the remote region situated in the east of Jinotega. There the cocoa beans are cultivated by small organic peasants. Our organic cocoa beans belong to the ‘Forastero’ species. This species is resilient and productive. The fruit of cocoa is slightly round to melon like. Amelonado is a typical variety is among the Forastero species.
The entire processing in Nacargua is done by careful manual labor and highly hygienic conditions. This ensures that the dried organic cocoa beans are obtained in extremely good quality and all the essential substances and vitamins are retained along with complete flavor.

It goes without saying that our high quality organic cocoa beans are produced without addition of sugar as well as without any preservatives or dyestuffs.
Our organic cocoa beans subject to laser cleaning several times by the company AFS (All food services) in Austria by means of most modern equipments. The Laser cleaning system ensures that only the best and purest products are brought in the market. All unsatisfactorily dried cocoa beans and probably damaged products are removed.
Even the existing residuals like small stones, leaves, stems, soil, wood and other debris from the selected goods is removed by laser cleaning. Note : We can clean and remove undesirable parts for your products such as Walnuts, nuts, cherries or other fruits with seeds by our laser cleaning system as per your specifications and requirements.

We disinfest (disinfestation) our organic cocoa beans so as to avoid any loss of quality due to infestation.
In order to ensure, that they are free from pesticides, we get all our cocoa beans inspected by an independent accredited Austrian laboratory in batches.

Our dried organic cocoa beans are very aromatic and have an intense flavor. Cocoa powder and chocolate can be perfectly obtained from them. Moreover, the cocoa beans have rich contents of B vitamins, magnesium and zinc.
Why does chocolate actually makes you happy? One one hand, it contains "happiness and mood elevating" substsances, such as Phenylethylamine which is similar to amphetamine, the serotonin precursor tryptophan, a natural antidepressant and cannabinoid anandamide. On the other hand, it gives our body a warm feeling of security, which makes you happy. And finally, do not forget the taste, it tastes simply good!

We also offer organic aprioct kernels, unpeeled brown and black Sesame Seeds and organic Pumpkin kernels in our wide assorment of organic (organic) dried fruits, nuts and kernels. You can also try delightful chocolate coated Macadamia nuts and cashew nuts, coffee beans, sour cherries and Physalis under our own brand "Bio-leben" (Bio Leben, Bioleben).

Nutritional value:
100 g approximately contains:                            

Calorific value: 342 kcal / 1433 kj 
Protein: 19.8 g                 
Carbohydrate: 10.8 g     
From it, sugar: 8.7 g
Fat: 24.5 g
From it, saturated fatty acids: 14.4 g            
Mono unsaturated fatty acids: 8.2 g     
Poly unsaturated fatty acids: 0.8 g
Fiber: 11.2 g                
Sodium: 0.017 g
Vitamin B2: 400 µg (25 %*)
Vitamin B3: 2700 µg (15 %*)
Magnesium: 414 mg (110 %)
Zinc: 5.7 mg (38 %*)
* % recommended daily dose