Scientific name
Theobroma cacao L.Family
SterculiaceaeOrigin
Central and South America.Synonyms
“Faba mexicana” and “food of the Gods”.Parts Used
Drug consisting of seeds.Chemical constituents
- Polyphenols;
- Tannins;
- Biogenic amines;
- Lipids;
- Purine alkaloids (caffeine and theobromine);
- Proteins;
- Carbohydrates;
- Mineral salts;
- Vitamins;
- Anandamide;
- Tetraisoisoquinoline.
Cocoa in Herbalist: Properties of Cocoa
The chocolate produced from the seeds of Theobroma cacao it is actually considered a "functional food", that is a food capable of supplying the organism on the one hand with nutrients and on the other substances capable of producing a positive biological effect. The carbohydrates, proteins and lipids contained in it represent a pool with a high nutritional value and are suitable for athletes and asthenic subjects. Cocoa also contains a small percentage of caffeine, about 20% of that contained in coffee seeds, and it is therefore difficult for this food-drug to cause irritability, nervousness or insomnia.
