Cacao Is More Than Just Chocolate
2021-03-29
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1Oded Brenner has a great job. He makes chocolate.
2In the 1990s, he co-created an international chocolate company called Max Brenner Chocolate.
3His businesses included a 650-square-meter store on Broadway in New York City.
4Then in 2012, Brenner left that business.
5A few years later, he began exploring a different side of chocolate.
6In 2015, during a trip to Jamaica, he developed a love and excitement for the fruit that produces chocolate: cacao.
7The Jamaican people taught him a lot about cacao -- namely, it is more than just chocolate.
8Brenner saw Jamaican people making juice, liquor, and flour from the cacao fruit.
9And they used the whole fruit - not just the beans.
10Brenner told the Associated Press that although he had worked with chocolate for 20 years, he knew little about cacao.
11"It is the most unknown fruit behind the most known fruit," Brenner said.
12While the fruit might have been unknown to him, it is not unknown to the people of Jamaica and other countries like Ecuador.
13The Ecuadorian people also taught Brenner how to use cacao.
14In Ecuador, he saw people drink cacao water and eat the dried fruit of the pods.
15You can eat the whole fruit, he learned.
16But in making traditional chocolate, he added, "all of the other parts of the fruit are wasted."
17The fruit is a little sweet and a little sour.
18The cacao water is described as refreshing.
19The seed inside is the cacao bean.
20This is the part that is processed to make chocolate.
21With his new business and his new knowledge, Brenner said he wants to tell both sides of the chocolate story.
22So, he has created new products that celebrate the traditional side of chocolate-making and the natural taste of the cacao fruit.
23Health experts have long noted the possible good effects that chocolate can have on health.
24The T.H. Chan Harvard School of Public Health says on its website that the dark chocolate produced from cacao has many necessary nutrients.
25These include iron, copper, magnesium, zinc, phosphorus, and substances called flavanols.
26Brenner said the unsweetened fruit has other nutrients as well.
27Cacao is high in antioxidants.
28And the water is full of natural chemicals called electrolytes.
29These are substances needed in the body's fluids to control important processes including how your body uses vitamins and minerals and removes waste.
30In addition to health, Brenner said that the cacao he uses for his products is farmed in a way that is not harmful to the environment.
31And it is also fair to the farmers.
32I'm Anna Matteo.
1Oded Brenner has a great job. He makes chocolate. 2In the 1990s, he co-created an international chocolate company called Max Brenner Chocolate. His businesses included a 650-square-meter store on Broadway in New York City. 3Then in 2012, Brenner left that business. A few years later, he began exploring a different side of chocolate. In 2015, during a trip to Jamaica, he developed a love and excitement for the fruit that produces chocolate: cacao. 4The Jamaican people taught him a lot about cacao -- namely, it is more than just chocolate. Brenner saw Jamaican people making juice, liquor, and flour from the cacao fruit. And they used the whole fruit - not just the beans. 5Brenner told the Associated Press that although he had worked with chocolate for 20 years, he knew little about cacao. 6"It is the most unknown fruit behind the most known fruit," Brenner said. 7While the fruit might have been unknown to him, it is not unknown to the people of Jamaica and other countries like Ecuador. 8The Ecuadorian people also taught Brenner how to use cacao. In Ecuador, he saw people drink cacao water and eat the dried fruit of the pods. You can eat the whole fruit, he learned. But in making traditional chocolate, he added, "all of the other parts of the fruit are wasted." 9The fruit is a little sweet and a little sour. The cacao water is described as refreshing. The seed inside is the cacao bean. This is the part that is processed to make chocolate. 10With his new business and his new knowledge, Brenner said he wants to tell both sides of the chocolate story. So, he has created new products that celebrate the traditional side of chocolate-making and the natural taste of the cacao fruit. 11Health experts have long noted the possible good effects that chocolate can have on health. The T.H. Chan Harvard School of Public Health says on its website that the dark chocolate produced from cacao has many necessary nutrients. These include iron, copper, magnesium, zinc, phosphorus, and substances called flavanols. 12Brenner said the unsweetened fruit has other nutrients as well. Cacao is high in antioxidants. And the water is full of natural chemicals called electrolytes. These are substances needed in the body's fluids to control important processes including how your body uses vitamins and minerals and removes waste. 13In addition to health, Brenner said that the cacao he uses for his products is farmed in a way that is not harmful to the environment. And it is also fair to the farmers. 14I'm Anna Matteo. 15Elizabeth Karmel reported this story for the Associated Press from New York City. Anna Matteo adapted it for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter, JR. was the editor. 16_______________________________________________________________ 17Words in This Story 18juice -n. the liquid that can be squeezed out of fruits and vegetables 19liquor -n. an alcoholic drink; a product of chocolate processing made from cacao/cocoa beans 20flour -n. a fine powder made from grains or similar seeds that is used in cooking 21pod -n. a part of some plants that holds seeds 22sour -adj. having an acid taste like a lemon 23antioxidant -n. a substance that prevents chemical reactions that cause some chemicals in the body or in food to break down