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Chocolate has been cultivated in the Americas for thousands of years. The cacao plant, where chocolate comes from, is native to Mexico. It's popularity spread across the world with Spanish colonization. Today, most chocolate is grown in hot, humid climates in a combination of direct sunlight and shade from tropical forests. The neutral soil of each of the world's growing regions is surprisingly different, which contributes to the unique taste of each area's chocolate. The most recognized cacao-producing regions are in Central and South America and Africa.

A range of tastes

Specifically, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Bolivia, Venezuela and Madagascar produce the majority of the world's cacao. However, many countries like Belize, Nicaragua and Grenada are also getting a foothold in organic cacao farming. Flavors range from the fruity notes of Ecuadoran chocolate, to spicy overtones in that from Trinidad and Tobago. Cacao from Madagascar tends to be citrus-scented and acidic. The Dominican Republic produces chocolate that is earthy and nutty-tasting. Chocolate from Venezuela evokes dark, ripe fruit. Finally, Panama's chocolate bears a classic cocoa flavor. Also unique from one growing area to the next is the way chocolate is consumed. Rather than processed chocolate bars, many cacao-producing countries enjoy chocolate in various hot and cold drink forms.

Concerns about consuming chocolate

Some cacao producers have been found guilty of human rights abuses such as child labor. This has been found particularly in West Africa, where the majority of the United States' largest chocolate makers - Hershey's, Nestle, and M&M/Mars, still acquire their chocolate. To avoid indirectly supporting virtual slavery, you can purchase chocolate cultivated with a fair trade philosophy. Fair trade producers tend to be smaller in scale, and more beneficial contributors to local economies, while still growing high quality cacao.

Consumers are recognizing the taste and health benefits of dark chocolate at an amazing rate. Now, you can responsibly travel the world through the enjoyment of remarkably diverse chocolate.

Learn more about the profound health benefits of dark chocolate.

Read about the pleasures of raw organic chocolate.