Botanical Name: Cocos nucifera
Other Names: coconut, coco, coco-da-bahia, or coconut-of-the-beach
Switzerland holds the title for the highest per capita chocolate consumption globally, with each Swiss citizen consuming an impressive 22 pounds, in contrast to the 11 pounds per person in the United States. The cocoa pods, which yield the coveted cocoa beans, are the fruit of the cacao tree. Remarkably, it takes a cocoa tree five years to produce its initial batch of cocoa beans.
Medicinal Uses:
- Antioxidants flavanols
- Reduce inflammation
- Lower blood pressure
- Improve cholesterol and blood sugars