Scientific Overview: Cocoa beans are the seeds of the cocoa tree, which are used to produce cocoa powder and chocolate. Cocoa extract is also utilized in skincare products for its antioxidant and moisturizing properties.
Cultivation and Harvest: Cocoa trees are cultivated in humid tropical regions worldwide for their beans. The pods containing the beans are harvested when ripe and then fermented and dried.
Plant Morphology: Cocoa trees have broad, glossy leaves and produce small, pink or white flowers that develop into large, football-shaped pods. Each pod contains numerous cocoa beans surrounded by a sweet, mucilaginous pulp.