Chocolate and Vanilla

They are two most popular flavours in the world, and the mere mention of them may trigger a myriad of images in your mind – scrumptious, sugary, calorie-laden desserts! Derived from cocoa beans and vanilla beans, these flavours are famous for their ability to please the human palette and drive their fans wild with cravings. What is less known about cocoa and vanilla is their extraordinary nutritional content and production journey.

THE ORIGINS – COCOA

Cocoa comes from the seed of the cacao tree. The cacao pod is oval, grows directly on the trunk and is yellow when ripe. Each pod contains 50 to 60 seeds. The cocoa pods are split open to reveal white, sweet pulp surrounding the cacao seed. Both the pulp and seed are then fermented, leaving the seed behind. This is an important part of the process in making cocoa. After fermenting, the seed is dried in the sun or in heaters, turning them dark brown and they soon resemble the beautiful dark-brown hue we all know.

The ancient Aztecs and Incas cultivated the cacao tree in large numbers. Many famous kings, like Montezuma, consumed as many as 50 drinks a day and no other beverage! Cacao was taken to the rest of the world by the Spaniards and other Europeans They made their way to the Americas and then to West Africa. Today, West Africa accounts for as much as sixty percent of the world’s cocoa production.

The economies of the West African states like Ghana, Madagascar and Cameroun are heavily dependent on the income that they derive from cacao cultivation. Villages guard their cacao seeds and even employ armed guards to prevent theft before

shipping them to the West. Due to the high profitability of producing cocoa, there have been many cases of inhumane child slavery and human trafficking to harvest the cacao pods, especially in the impoverished states of West Africa. As the harvesting of these pods is labour intensive and time consuming, farmers who cannot afford to employ workers legally have resorted to this cruel practice. Children, as young as twelve years old, are sold into slavery by their own family members and the child’s meagre salary is paid to the very family members that sold them to the farm. A BBC documentary made in 2010, titled “Chocolate, the Bitter Truth”, and highlighted how this practice is still very common and considered normal by farmers. Many chocolate lovers were horrified to discover this dark side and confectionary companies now have to ensure that the cocoa that they buy comes from “Fairtrade” farms and estates, which use paid adult labour to harvest and process their cacao beans.

Savoury Chocolate?

We often think of cocoa in terms of desserts and puddings, but do you know that cacao is a key ingredient in Mexican cooking as a savoury sauce for grilled meats? Known as mole, it has its origins in a very interesting story. In the convent at Puebla in the South, the nuns were in a panic when they heard that the Archbishop was visiting them and they had very little food to serve him. Using cacao, chillies, spices and salt, they managed to serve a delicious turkey meal and the Archbishop loved it. Another version of the story has an old monk cooking for the Archbishop and both cocoa and spices were accidentally dropped into the sauce when a strong gust of wind blew. Regardless of the legends, cocoa has become a key ingredient in Latin American cuisine. In fact, each family as their own secret recipe and bring their ingredients to the mill for them to be ground. Factories which process cacao beans into cocoa powder add vanilla and cinnamon for sweets, as well as different types of dried chillies for mole.

The Origins – Vanilla

Vanilla can be considered as the sister bean of cacao. Vanilla is derived from the Vanilla Orchid that grows wild in the jungles of Central and South America but is now cultivated all over the world. Like cacao, vanilla was cultivated by the Aztecs and the Incas, and the Spanish adventurer and conqueror Cortes, who introduced vanilla and cacao to the West in the 1520s. At first, attempts in Europe failed as the orchid had to be pollinated by a specific variety of bee. It was later discovered the orchid could be pollinated by hand and the commercial cultivation of vanilla was born. Today, vanilla is grown from Mexico, to Africa, Indonesia, the Indian Ocean and India.

Its wide use in many industries, extensive uses in baking, pastry and desserts, as well as perfumes and aromatherapy makes it a much sought-after commodity. Vanilla is also the second most expensive spice after saffron, costing about US$2 a pod. But there is another factor which explains its price: the vanilla orchid flower blooms for just a day, and farmers rush against time to pollinate them to produce the vanilla pod, which then grows to 8 inches and they are harvested. They are then blanched in water and dried under the sun, giving the pod into its characteristic dark brown hue.

Flavours of Health

Cocoa and vanilla are just the right ingredients to combat ageing as they are bursting with antioxidants. Antioxidants are powerful chemicals that prevent cells in the body from being damaged and can sometimes reverse the process of damage in the cells of our bodies. When our cells are damaged beyond repair, they cause disease and ageing to our bodies.

Besides being rich in antioxidants, vanilla has other health properties as well. It has traditionally used a means to reduce anxiety and nausea. Vanilla also contains small traces of minerals such as calcium, magnesium, manganese, iron, zinc and potassium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps control heart rate and blood pressure. Herbalists acknowledge the use of vanilla as a supplement for women’s health.

However, not all desserts contain actual extracts of the cocoa or vanilla bean but merely carry food colouring, artificial flavouring and added preservatives. The next time you sink your teeth into a chocolate or vanillaflavoured dessert, remember to check its nutritional content so you truly indulge in the sweet treats without feeling too guilty!