 CHAPTER VIII. The composition and food value of cocoa and chocolate. The early writers on chocolate generally became lyrical when they wrote of its value as a food. Thus, in the natural history of chocolate by R. Brooks, 1730, we read that an ounce of chocolate contains as much nourishment as a pound of beef, that a woman and a child, or even a counselor, lived on chocolate alone for a long period, and further, before chocolate was known in Europe, good old wine was called the milk of old men. But this title is now applied with greater reason to chocolate, since its use has become so common that it has been perceived that chocolate is, with respect to them, what milk is to infants. A more temperate zone is shown in the following from a curious treatise of the nature and quality of chocolate by Antonio Colmenero de Ledezma, a Spaniard, physician and chirurgian of the city of Equija in Andalusia, printed at the Green Dragon, 1685. Quote, So great is the number of those persons who at present do drink of chocolate that not only in the West Indies, once this drink has its original beginning, but also in Spain, Italy, Flanders, etc. It is very much used, and especially in the court of the king of Spain, where the great ladies drink it in a morning before they rise out of their beds, and lately much used in England as diet and physics with the gentry. Yet there are several persons that stand in doubt, both of the hurt and of the benefit which proceeds from the use thereof. Some saying that it obstructs and causes opalations. Others, and those the most part, that it fattens. Several assures us that it fortifies the stomach. Some, again, that it heats and inflames the body. But very many steadfastly affirm that though they should drink it at all hours, that even in the dog days, they find themselves very well after it. End quote. So much for the old valuations. Let us now attempt, by modern methods, to estimate the food value of cacao and its preparations. Food value of cacao beans. In estimating the worth of a food, it is usual to compare the fuel values. This peculiar method is adopted because the most important requirement in nutrition is that of giving energy for the work of the body, and a food may be thought of as being burnt up, oxidized, in the human machine in the production of heat and energy. The various food constituents serve in varying degrees as fuel to produce energy, and hence to judge of the food value, it is necessary to know the chemical composition. Below we give the average composition of cacao beans and the fuel value calculated from these figures. Average composition and fuel value of freshly roasted cacao beans, nibs. Cacao butter. Composition 54.0 equals energy giving power 2,282 calories per pound. Protein, total nitrogen 2.3%. Composition 11.9 equals energy giving power 221 calories per pound. Cacao starch. Composition 6.7, energy giving power 472 calories per pound. Other digestible carbohydrates, et cetera. Composition 18.7 equals energy giving power 472 calories per pound. Stimulants. Theobromine. Composition 1.0. Caffeine. Composition 0.4. Mineral matter. Composition 3.2. Crude fiber. Composition 2.6. Moisture. Composition 2.6. Moisture composition 1.5. Total composition 100. Total energy giving power 2,975 calories per pound. It will be seen from the above analysis that the cacao bean is rich in fats, carbohydrates and protein, and that it contains small quantities of the two stimulants, theobromine and caffeine. In the whole range of animal and vegetable foodstuffs, there are only one or two which exceed it in energy giving power. If expressed in quite another way, namely as food units, the value of the cacao bean stands equally high, as is shown by the following figures taking from Smitham's result published in the Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society 1914. Food units. Turnips. 8. Carrots. 12. Potatoes. 26. Rice. 102. Cornflour. 104. Wheat. 106. Peas. 113. Oatmeal. 117. Coconut. 159. Cacao bean. 183. These figures indicate the high food value of the raw material. We will now proceed to consider the various products which are obtained from it. Food value of cocoa. Average composition and fuel value of untreated cocoa. Cacao butter. Composition 28.0 equals energy giving power 1183 calories per pound. Protein. Composition 18.3 equals energy giving power 340 calories per pound. Cacao starch. Composition 10.2. Energy giving power 718 calories per pound. Other digestible carbohydrates, etc. Composition 28.4 equals energy giving power 718 calories per pound. Stimulants. Theobromine. Composition 1.5 equals energy caffeine. Composition 0.6. Mineral matter. Composition 5.0. Crude fiber. Composition 4.0. Moisture. Composition 4.0. Total. Composition 100.0. Total energy giving power 2241 calories per pound. Soyable cocoa, i.e. cocoa which has been treated with alkaline salts, is almost identical in composition, save that the mineral matter is about 7.5%. As cocoa consists of the cacao bean with some of the butter extracted, a process which increases the percentage of the nitrogenous and carbohydrate constituents, it will be evident that the food value of cocoa powder is high and that it is a concentrated foodstuff. In this respect, it differs from tea and coffee which have practically no food value. Each of them, however, have special qualities of their own. Some of the claims made for these beverages are a little remarkable. The Embassy of the United Provinces and their address to the Emperor of China, Leiden 1655, in mentioning the good properties of tea, wrote, More especially, it disintoxicates those that are fuddled, giving them new forces and enabling them to go to it again. The Embassy do not state whether they speak from personal experience, but their admiration for tea is undoubted. Tea, coffee and cocoa are amongst our blessings. Each has its devotees, each has its peculiar delight. Tea makes for cheerfulness, coffee makes for wit and wakefulness, and cocoa relieves the fatigue and giving a comfortable feeling of satisfaction and stability. Of these three drinks, cocoa alone can be considered as a food and, just as there are people whose digestion is deranged by tea and some who sleep not a wink after drinking coffee, so there are some who find cocoa too feeding, especially in the summertime. These sufferers from baleousness will think it curious that cocoa is habitually drunk in many hot climates. Thus, in Spanish-speaking countries, it is the custom for the priest, after saying mass, to take a cup of chocolate. The pure cocoa powder is, as we saw above, a very rich foodstuff, but it must always be remembered that in a pint of cocoa, only a small quantity, about half an ounce, is usually taken. In this connection, the following comparison between tea, coffee and cocoa is not without interest. It is taken from the Farmer's Bulletin 249, an official publication of the United States Department of Agriculture. Comparison of energy-giving power of a pint of tea, coffee and cocoa, tea, 0.5 ounce to 1 pint water, 99.5% water, 0.2% protein, 0% fat, 0.6% carbohydrates, fuel value per pound, 15 calories, coffee, 1 ounce to 1 pint water, 98.9% water, 0.2% protein, 0% fat, 0.7 carbohydrates, fuel value per pound, 16 calories, cocoa, 0.5 ounces to 1 pint water, 97.1% water, 0.6% protein, 0.9% fat, 1.1% carbohydrates, fuel value per pound, 65 calories. These figures place cocoa as a food head and shoulders above tea and coffee. The figures are for the beverages made without the addition of milk and sugar, both of which are almost invariably present. A pint of cocoa made with 1 third milk, half an ounce of cocoa and 1 ounce of sugar would have a fuel value of 320 calories and is therefore equivalent in energy-giving power to a quarter of a pound of beef or four eggs. Cocoa is stimulating, but its action is not so marked as that of tea or coffee, and hence it is more suitable for young children. Dr. Hutchison, an authority on dietetics, writes, Tea and coffee are also harmful to the susceptible nervous system of the child, but cocoa, made with plenty of milk, may be allowed, though it should be regarded, like milk, as a food rather than a beverage properly so-called. How to make a cup of cocoa Tea, coffee, and cocoa are all so easy to make that it is remarkable anyone should fail to prepare them perfectly. Whilst in France, everyone can prepare coffee to perfection and many fail in making a cup of tea. In England, all are adepts in the art of tea making and many do not distinguish themselves in the preparation of coffee. Cocoa in either country is not always the delightful beverage it should be. The directions below, if carefully followed, will be found to give the character of cocoa its full expression. The principal conditions to observe are to avoid iron sauce pans, to use boiling water or milk, to froth the cocoa before serving, and to serve steaming hot and thick cups. The amount of cocoa required for two large breakfast cups, that is one pint, is as much as will go when piled up in a dessert spoon. Take then a heaped dessert spoon full of pure cocoa and mixed dry with one and a half times its bulk of fine sugar. Set this on one side whilst the boiling liquid is prepared. Mix one breakfast cup of water with one breakfast cup of milk and raise to the boil in an enameled saucepan. Whilst this is proceeding, warm the jug which is to hold the cocoa and transfer the dry sugar cocoa mixture to it. Now pour in the boiling milk and water. Transfer back to saucepan and boil for one minute. Whisk vigorously for a quarter of a minute. Serve without delay. By just ability of cocoa. We have noted above the high percentage of nutrients which cocoa contains, and the research conducted by Jay Forrester shows that these nutrients are easily assimilated. Forrester found that the fatty and mineral constituents of cocoa are both completely digested, and the nitrogenous constituents are digested in the same proportion as in finest bread, and more completely than in bread of average quality. One very striking fact was revealed by his researches, namely that the consumption of cocoa increases the digestive power for other foods which are taken at the same time, and that this increase is particularly evident with milk. Dr. R. O. Newman, who fed himself with cocoa preparations for over 12 weeks, whilst not agreeing with this conclusion, states that, the consumption of cocoa from the point of view of health leaves nothing to be desired. The taking of large or small quantities of cocoa, either rich or poor in fat, with or without other food, gave rise to no digestive troubles during the 86 days which formed the duration of the experiments. He considers that cocoa containing a high percentage of cocoa butter are preferable to those which contain low percentages, and that a 30% butter content meets all requirements. It is worthy of note that 28 to 30% is the quantity of butter found in ordinary high class cocoa's. As experts are liable to disagree, and it is almost possible to prove anything by a judicious selection from their writings, it may be well to give an extract from some modern textbook as more nearly expressing the standard opinion of the times. In Second Stage Hygiene by Mr. Eichen and Dr. Leicester, a textbook written for the Board of Education syllabus, we read page 96, in the better cocoa's, the greater part of the fat is removed by heat and pressure. In this form, cocoa may be looked upon as almost an ideal food, as it contains proteins, fats and carbohydrates in roughly the right proportions. Prepared with milk and sugar, it forms a highly nutritious and valuable stimulating beverage. Stimulating Property of Cocoa The mild stimulating property which cocoa possesses is due to the presence of the two substances, the obromine and caffeine. The presence of the obromine is peculiar to cocoa, but caffeine is a stimulating principle which also occurs in tea and coffee. Whilst in the quantities in which they are present in cocoa, about 1.5% of the obromine and 0.6% of caffeine, they act only as agreeable stimulants. In the pure condition, as white crystalline powders, they are powerful curative agents. Caffeine is well known as a specific for nervous headaches and as a heart stimulant and diuretic. The obromine is similar in action, but has the advantage for certain cases that it has much less effect on the central nervous system. And for this reason, it is a very valuable medicine for sufferers from heart dropsy and as a tonic for senile heart. That its medicinal properties are appreciated is shown by its price. During 1918, the retail price was about eight shillings an ounce, from which we can calculate that every pound of cocoa contained nearly two shillings worth of the obromine. Soluble cocoa. Whilst Forrester states that treated cocoa is the most digestible, experts are not in agreement as to which is the more valuable food stuff, the pure untouched cocoa, or that which is treated during its manufacture with alkaline salts. The cocoa so treated is generally described as soluble, although its only claim to this name is that the mineral salts in the cocoa are rendered more soluble by the treatment. It is also sometimes incorrectly described as containing alkali, but actually no alkali is present in the cocoa, either in a free state or as carbonate. The potassium exists, quote, in the form of phosphates or combinations of organic acids, that is to say, in the ideal form in which these bodies occur in foods of animal and vegetable origin, end quote, fritched fabrication, do chocolate, page 216. Food Value of Chocolate. I ate a little chocolate from my supply, well-knowing the miraculous sustaining powers of the simple little block, from Mr. Isaacs by F. Marion Crawford. Whilst the food value of cocoa powder is very high, the drink prepared from it can only be regarded as an accessory food, because it is usual to take the powder in small quantities, just as with beef tea, it is usual to take only a small portion of an ox and a teacup. But chocolate is often eaten in considerable quantities at a time and must therefore be regarded as an important foodstuff and not considered, as it frequently is considered, simply a luxury. The eating of cacao, mixed with sugar, dates from very early days, but it is only in recent times that it has become the principal sweet meat. What would a sweet shop be today without chocolate? That summit of the confectioner's art, when the rich brown chocolate is the predominant note in every confectioner's window, what would the lovers in England do without chocolates, which enable them to indulge their delight in giving what is sure to be well received? As a luxury, it is universally appreciated and because of this appreciation, its value as a food is sometimes overlooked. During the war, chocolate was valued as a compact foodstuff, which is easily preserved. Dr. Gastinu Earle, lecturing for the Institute of Hygiene in 1915 on food factor in war, said, chocolate is a most valuable concentrated food, especially when other foods are not available. It is the chief constituent of the emergency ration. Its importance as a concentrated foodstuff was appreciated in the United States, for every comfort kit made up for the American soldiers fighting in the war contained a cake of sweet chocolate. There are a number of records of people whose lives have been preserved by means of chocolate. One of the most recent was the case of Commander Stewart, who was torpedoed in HMS Cornwallis in the Mediterranean in 1917. He happened to have in his cabin one of the boxes of chocolate presented to the Army and Navy in 1915 by the colonies of Trinidad, Grenada, and St. Lucia, who gave the cacao and paid English manufacturers to make it into chocolate. He had been treasuring the box as a souvenir, but being the only article of food available, he filled his pockets with the chocolate, which sustained him through many trying hours. We have already seen the high food value of the cacao bean. What of the sugar which chocolate contains? Sugar is consumed in large quantities in England, the consumption per head, amounting to 80 to 90 pounds per year. It is well known as a giver of heat and energy, and Sir Ernest Shackleton reports that it proved a great life preserver and sustainer in Arctic regions. Our practical acquaintance with sugar commences at birth, milk containing about 5% of milk and sugar, and when one considers the amazing activity of young children, one understands their continuous demand for sugar. Dr. Hutchinson in his well known Food and the Principles of Dietetics says, the craving for sweets which children show is, no doubt, the natural expression of a physiological need, but they should be taken with and not between mills. Chocolate is one of the most wholesome and nutritious forms of such sweets. Both the constituents of chocolate being nourishing, it follows that chocolate itself has a high food value. This is proved by the figures given below. As with cocoa, we have first to know the composition before we can calculate the food value. The relative proportions of nib, butter and sugar vary considerably in ordinary chocolate, so that it is difficult to give an average composition. There are sticks of eating chocolate, which contain as little as 24% of cacao butter, whilst chocolate used for covering contains about 36% of butter. As modern high-class eating chocolate contains about 31% of butter, we will take this for purposes of calculation. Average composition and fuel value of English eating chocolate. Cacao butter, composition, 31.4 equals energy giving power, 1,327 calories per pound. Protein, total nitrogen, 78%. Composition, 4.1 equals energy giving power, 76 calories per pound. Cacao starch, composition, 2.3. Other digestible carbohydrates, etc. Composition, 6.4. Together equal energy giving power, 162 calories per pound. Stimulants, theobromine, composition, 0.3. Caffeine, composition, 0.1. Mineral matter, composition, 1.2. Crude fiber, composition, 0.9. Moisture, composition, 1.0. Sugar, composition, 52.3 equals energy giving power, 973 calories per pound. Total, composition, 100.0. Total energy giving power, 2,538 calories per pound. In Snyder's Human Foods, 1916, the official analysis of 163 common foods are given. They include practically everything that human beings eat, and only three are greater than chocolate in energy giving power. The result, 2,538 calories per pound, which we obtain by calculation, is lower than the figure, 2,768 calories per pound, for chocolate given by Sherman in his book on food and nutrition, 1918. Probably, his figure is for unsweetened chocolate. The table below shows the energy giving value of cocoa and chocolate compared with well-known foodstuffs. The figures, save for eating chocolate, are taken from Sherman's book, and are calculated from the analysis given in Bulletin 28 of the United States Department of Agriculture. Food value of foodstuffs. Cabbage, 121 calories per pound. Codfish, 209 calories per pound. Apples, 214 calories per pound. Potatoes, 302 calories per pound. Milk, 314 calories per pound. Eggs, 594 calories per pound. Beef steak, 960 calories per pound. Bread, average white, 1,180 calories per pound. Oatmeal, 1,811 calories per pound. Sugar, 1,815 calories per pound. Cocoa, 2,258 calories per pound. Eating chocolate, 2,538 calories per pound. Food value of milk chocolate. The value of milk as a food is so generally recognized as to need no commendation here. When milk is evaporated to a dry solid, about 87.5% of water is driven off, so that the milk left has about eight times the food value of the original milk. Milk chocolate of good quality contains from 15 to 25% of milk solids. Milk chocolate varies greatly in composition, but for the purpose of calculating the food value, we may assume that about a quarter of a high class milk chocolate consists of solid milk, and this is combined with about 40% of cane sugar and 35% of cacao butter and cacao mass. Analysis and fuel value of milk chocolate. Milk fat and cacao butter, 35.0, 1,480 calories per pound. Milk and cocoa proteins, 8.0 equals 149 calories per pound. Cacao starch and digestible carbohydrates, 3.0 equals 56 calories per pound. Stimulants, theobromine and caffeine, 0.2. Mineral matter, 2.0. Crude fiber, 0.3. Moisture, 1.5. Milk sugar and cane sugar, 50.0 equals 930 calories per pound. Total, 100.0 equals 2,615 calories per pound. It will be noted that the food value of milk chocolate is even greater than that of plain chocolate. It is highly probable that milk chocolate is the most nutritious of all sweet meats. It is not generally recognized that when we purchase one pound of high class milk chocolate, we obtain three quarters of a pound of chocolate and two pounds of milk. And of chapter eight. Chapter nine of cocoa and chocolate. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org, this reading by Allison Hester of Athens, Georgia. Cocoa and Chocolate, their history from plantation to consumer by Arthur W. Knapp. Chapter nine, adulteration and the need for definitions. Cocoa. Cocoa might conveniently be defined as consisting exclusively of shelled, roasted, finely ground cacao beans, partially defatted, with or without a minute quantity of flavoring material. The gross adulteration of cocoa is now a thing of the past. And most of the cocoa sold conforms with this definition. Statements, however, get copied from book to book. And hence we continue to read that cocoa usually contains arrow root or other starch. In the old days, this was frequently so, but now owing to many legal actions by public health authorities, this abuse has been stamped out. Nowadays, if a public analyst finds flour or arrow root in a sample bought as cocoa, he describes it as adulterated and the seller is prosecuted and fined. Hence, save for the presence of cacao shell, the cocoa of the present day is a pure article consisting simply of roasted, finely ground cacao beans, partially defatted. The principal factors affecting the quality of the finished cocoa are the difference in the kind of cacao bean used, the amount of cacao butter extracted, the care in preparation, and the amount of cacao shell left in. The presence of more than a small percentage of shell in cocoa is a disadvantage, both on the ground of taste and of food value. This has been recognized from the earliest times, see quotations on page 128. In the cocoa powder order of 1918, the amount of shell which a cocoa powder might contain was defined grade A, not to contain more than 2% of shell and grade B, not more than 5% of shell. The manufacturers of high class cocoa welcome these standards, but unfortunately the known analytical methods are not delicate enough to estimate accurately such small quantities so that any external check is difficult and the purchaser has to trust the honesty of the manufacturer. Hence, it is wise to purchase cocoa only for makers of good repute. Chocolate. We have so far no legal definition of chocolate in England, as Mr. NP Booth pointed out at the Seventh International Congress of Applied Chemistry. At the present time, a mixture of cocoa with sugar and starch cannot be sold as pure cocoa, but only as chocolate powder, and with a definite declaration that the article is a mixture of cocoa and other ingredients. Prosecutions are constantly occurring where mixtures of foreign starch and sugar with cocoa have been sold as cocoa, and it seems therefore a proper step to take to require that a similar declaration shall be made in the case of chocolate, which contains other constituents than the products of cocoa nib and sugar. We cannot do better than to quote in full the definitions suggested in Mr. Booth's paper. The author refers to the absence of any legal standard for chocolate in England, although in some of the European countries standards are in force, and points out, as a result of this, that articles of which the sale would be prohibited in some other countries are permitted to come without restriction onto the English market. He suggests that the following definitions for chocolate goods are reasonable and could be conformed to by makers of the genuine article. These standards are not more stringent than those already in forest in some of the colonies in European countries. One, unsweetened chocolate or cacao mass must be prepared exclusively from roasted, shelled, finely ground cacao beans with or without the addition of a small quantity of flavoring matter and should not contain less than 45% of cacao butter. Two, sweetened chocolate or chocolate. A preparation consisting exclusively of the products of roasted, shelled, finely ground cacao beans and not more than 65% of sugar with or without a small quantity of harmless flavoring matter. Three, granulated or ground chocolate for drinking purposes. The same definition as for sweetened chocolate should apply here except that the proportion of sugar may be raised to not more than 75%. Four, chocolate covered goods. Various forms of confectionery covered with chocolate, the composition of the latter agreeing with the definition of sweetened chocolate. Five, milk chocolate. A preparation composed exclusively of roasted, shelled cacao beans, sugar and not less than 15% of the dry solids of full cream milk with or without a small quantity of harmless flavoring matter. Mr. Booth further states that starch other than that naturally present in the cacao bean and cacao shell and powder form should be absolutely excluded from any article which is to be sold under the name of chocolate. End of chapter nine. Chapter ten of cocoa and chocolate. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. This reading by Allison Hester of Athens, Georgia. Cocoa and Chocolate, Their History from Plantation to Consumer by Arthur W. Knapp. Chapter ten, The Consumption of Cacao. The war has caused such a disturbance that the statistics for the years of the war are difficult to obtain. For many years the German publication, The Gordian, was the most reliable source of cacao statistics, and so far we have nothing in England sufficiently comprehensive to replace it, although useful figures can be obtained from the Board of Trade returns of imports into Great Britain from Mr. Theo. Fasmer's reports, which appear from time to time in the Confectioner's Union and elsewhere, from Mr. Hemel Smith's collated material in Tropical Life, and from the reports of important brokers like Montsur Woodhouse. In 1919, the Bulletin of the Imperial Institute gave a very complete resume of cacao production as far as the British Empire is concerned. Great Britain. Since 1830, the consumption of cacao in the British Isles has shown a great and continuous increase, and there is every reason to believe that the consumption will easily keep pace with the rapidly growing production. One effect of the war has been to increase the consumption of cacao and chocolate. Many thousands of men who took no interest in sweets learned from the use of their emergency ration that chocolate was a very convenient and concentrated foodstuff. Cacao beans cleared for home consumption. In 1830, 450 English tons. 1840, 900 English tons. In 1850, 1,400 English tons. In 1860, 1,450 English tons. 1870, 3,100 English tons. 1880, 4,700 English tons. 1890, 9,000 English tons. 1900, 16,900 English tons. And in 1910, 24,550 English tons. Cacao beans imported into United Kingdom. In 1912, 33,600 total imported tons. 27,450 tons retained in the country. 24,600 home consumption tons. 1913, 35,000 total imported tons. 28,200 tons retained in the country. 23,200 home consumption tons. 1914, 41,750 total imported tons. 29,600 tons retained in the country. 24,900 home consumption tons. 1915, 81,800 total imported tons. 54,400 tons retained in the country. 40,300 home consumption tons. 1916, 88,800 total imported tons. 64,750 tons retained in the country. 29,300 home consumption tons. 1917, 57,900 total imported tons. 53,100 tons retained in the country. And 41,300 home consumption tons. The above figures are compiled from the bulletin of the Imperial Institute. The total imports for 1819 were 42,390 tons. This sudden and marked drop in the amount imported was due to shortage of shipping. There were, however, large quantities of cacao in stock and the amount consumed showed a marked advance on previous years, being 61,252 tons. The Board of Trade Returns for 1919 are as follows. Cacao beans imported into the United Kingdom. From British West Africa, 72,886 tons. From British West Indies, 13,219 tons. From Ecuador, 9,153 tons. From Brazil, 3,665 tons. From Ceylon, 903 tons. From other countries, 13,820 tons. Total, 113,646 tons. Home consumption, 64,613 tons. It will be noted that the import of British Cacao is over 75% of the total. Before the war, about half the Cacao imported into the United Kingdom was grown in British possessions. During the war, more and more British Cacao was imported, and now that a preferential duty of seven shillings per hundred weight has been given to British colonial growth, we shall probably see a still higher percentage of British Cacao consumed in the United Kingdom. Value of Cacao beans imported into the United Kingdom. To the nearest 1,000 pounds. In 1913, the total value of Cacao beans imported, 2,199,000 pounds. From British possessions, value 1,158,000 pounds. Percent from British possessions, 52.7. 1914. The total value of Cacao beans imported, 2,439,000 pounds. From British possessions, value 1,204,000 pounds. 49.4%. 1915. Total value of Cacao beans imported, 5,747,000 pounds. From British possessions, value 3,546,000 pounds. 61.7%. 1916. Total value of Cacao beans imported, 6,498,000 pounds. From British possessions, value 4,417,000 pounds. 68%. 1917. Total value of Cacao beans imported, 3,498,000 pounds. From British possessions, value 3,010,000 pounds. 86%. 1918. Total value of Cacao beans imported, 3,040,000 pounds. From British possessions, value 2,549,000 pounds. 83.8%. 1919. Total value of Cacao beans imported, 9,207,000 pounds. From British possessions, value 6,639,000 pounds. 72.1%. That the consumption of Cacao is expected to grow greater yet in the immediate future is reflected in the prices of raw Cacao, which, as soon as they were no longer fixed by the government, rose rapidly. Thus, Acura Cacao rose from 65 shillings per 100 weight to over 90 shillings per 100 weight in a few weeks, and now, January 1920, stands at 104 shillings. World consumption. The world's consumption of Cacao is steadily rising. Before the war, the United States, Germany, Holland, Great Britain, France, and Switzerland were the principal consumers. Whilst we have increased our consumption so that Great Britain now occupies second place, the United States has outstripped all the other countries, having doubled its consumption in a few years, and is now taking almost as much as all the rest of the world put together. It is thought that since America has gone dry, this remarkably large consumption is likely to be maintained. World's consumption of Cacao beans to the nearest thousands tons, one ton equals 1,000 kilograms. USA, pre-war, 1913, 68,000 tons. War period, average of 1914, 15, 16, and 17, 103,000 tons. 1918, 145,000 tons. Postwar, 1919, 145,000 tons. Germany, pre-war, 1913, 51,000 tons. War period, average of 1914, 15, and 16, and 17, 28,000 tons. Postwar, 1919, 13,000 tons. Holland, pre-war, 1913, 30,000 tons. War period, average of 1914, 15, 16, and 17, 25,000 tons. 1918, 2,000 tons. Postwar, 39,000 tons. Great Britain, pre-war, 1913, 28,000 tons. War period, average of 1914, 15, 16, and 17, 41,000 tons. 1918, 62,000 tons. Postwar, 1919, 66,000 tons. France, pre-war, 1913, 28,000 tons. War period, average of 1914, 15, 16, and 17, 35,000 tons. 1918, 39,000 tons. Postwar, 1919, 46,000 tons. Switzerland, pre-war, 1913, 10,000 tons. War period, average of 1914, 15, 16, and 17, 14,000 tons. 1918, 18,000 tons. Postwar, 1919, 21,000 tons. Austria, pre-war, 1913, 7,000 tons. War period, average of 1914, 15, 16, and 17, 2,000 tons. Postwar, 1919, 2,000 tons. Belgium, pre-war, 1913, 6,000 tons. War period, average of 1914, 15, 16, and 17, 1,000 tons. 1918, 1,000 tons. Postwar, 1919, 8,000 tons. Spain, pre-war, 1913, 6,000 tons. War period, average of 1914, 15, 16, and 17, 7,000 tons. 1918, 6,000 tons. Postwar, 1919, 8,000 tons. Russia, pre-war, 1913, 5,000 tons. War period, average of 1914, 15, 16, and 17, 4,000 tons. Canada, pre-war, 1913, 3,000 tons. War period, average of 1914, 15, 16, and 17, 4,000 tons. 1918, 9,000 tons. Italy, pre-war, 1913, 2,000 tons. War period, average of 1914 through 17, 5,000 tons. 1918, 6,000 tons. Postwar, 1919, 6,000 tons. Denmark, pre-war, 1913, 2,000 tons. War period, average of 1914 through 1917, 2,000 tons. 1918, 2,000 tons. Sweden, pre-war, 1913, 1,000 tons. War period, average of 1914 through 1917, 2,000 tons. 1918, 2,000 tons. Norway, pre-war, 1913, 1,000 tons. War period, average of 1914 through 17, 2,000 tons. 1918, 2,000 tons. Other countries, estimated. Pre-war, 1913, 5,000 tons. War period, average of 1914 through 1917, 8,000 tons. 1918, 11,000 tons. Postwar, 1919, 26,000 tons. Total, pre-war, 1913, 252,000 tons. War period, average of 1914 through 1917, 283,000 tons. 1918, 305,000 tons. Postwar, 1919, 380,000 tons. The above figures are compiled chiefly from Mr. Theo Vazmer's reports. The Gordian estimates that the world's consumption in 1918 was 314,882 tons. In several of our larger colonies, and in at least one European country, there is obviously ample room for increase in the consumption. When one considers the great population of Russia, 4,000 to 5,000 tons per annum is a very small amount to consume. It is pleasant to think of cocoa being drunk in the ice-bound north of Russia. It brings to mind so picturesque a contrast. Cacayo, grown amongst the richly-colored flora of the tropics, consumed in a land that is white with cold. When Russia has reached a more stable condition, we shall doubtless see a rapid expansion in the Cacayo consumption. End of Chapter 10 End of Cocoa and Chocolate, Their History from Plantation to Consumer, this reading by Alison Hester in July 2008.