Cocoa vs chocolate is an article in which we help you differentiate between cacao and one of its derivatives, chocolate. And it is that despite being related, they are different. For this reason, they work with different machinery and undergo completely different processes.
At Vulcanotec, as specialists in machinery for working with these types of substances, we have wanted to do our bit. For this reason, we have written this post with which we want to help you differentiate them.
Cocoa vs Chocolate
Many people confuse cocoa with chocolate. So they use the two words synonymously. When this is not really the case.
Cocoa is a natural product. It is the name given to a tree. But also the seed that it produces and with which we have been feeding for thousands of years around the world.
It is therefore a raw material that is used to make many other products. Hence, when we want to refer to products made with cocoa, such as chocolate, we use the word cocoa as a generic. This misleads us and we think that all cocoa is chocolate. However, the reality is very different.
Cocoa
The scientific name for cacao is Theobroma cacao. With it, it is called a plant that grows in tropical climates, and that offers a fruit that is also called cocoa and has the shape of a large elongated seed.
We also use the word “cocoa” when we refer to the powder that results from the fermentation and drying of these seeds. A raw material with which chocolate is made. Hence the confusion many people have when identifying cocoa with chocolate.
Natural, defatted, powdered cocoa that has not been chemically treated is a superfood. And it is that it provides more than 50 different nutrients. In addition, it is a powerful antioxidant and an anti-inflammatory food. The latter thanks to its high content of polyphenols. What protects us from diseases and infections.
Cocoa also contains theobromine, a substance similar to caffeine but without a stimulating effect. Theobromine favors the dilation of blood vessels, is a diuretic and a muscle relaxant.
In addition, cocoa contains insoluble fiber. This causes a satiating effect, while regulating intestinal transit.
Chocolate
Chocolate is a product that is made from cocoa beans. For its realization, it is necessary to extract the cocoa powder and cocoa butter from the seeds of the cocoa tree.
Then, these ingredients are added: refined sugar, milk, nuts, or other similar products.
Depending on the type of chocolate, its flavor ranges from bitter to very sweet.
Chocolate is a food that should be consumed in moderation. And it is that the cocoa butter that is used in its preparation, as well as the milk and nuts that can be added in its composition, make it a food with more calories and fat.
So, from now on you already know the difference between cocoa and chocolate. A knowledge that will help us to value each one of them. And it is that both cocoa and chocolate are fundamental in the economies of many countries. For this reason, rather than explaining them as Cocoa vs chocolate, from now on we will speak as Cocoa and chocolate.
And remember that at Vulcanotec we have all the machinery you need to work on your cocoa beans. We even advise you on its use and attend to any problem that may arise with its use. Come and meet us.