Cacao Nibs - 33 lbs

The cacao bean is the seed of a the cacao tree (Theobroma cacao), a small tropical evergreen and a member of the Sterculiaceae family. The cacao tree is native to the Americas, having probably originated in the foothills of the Andes in the Amazon and Orinoco basins of South America. It has yellowish flowers and reddish-brown seed pods. Its botanical name Theobroma means "food of the gods," and the highly appreciated cocoa bean was a common currency throughout Mesoamerica before the times of the Spanish conquest. The people used its bean for its natural health, nutritional and energizing properties, and to make chocolate or "bitter water" beverages.The seeds of the cacao tree have an intense bitter taste, and must be fermented to develop the flavor. After fermentation, the beans are dried, then cleaned, and the shell is removed to produce cacao nibs. Nutritional properties and health benefitsIndigenous communites treasured the cacao bean for its nutritional and natural health propertie