Cacao may refer to:

Plants

*''

Theobroma cacao ''Theobroma cacao'' (cacao tree or cocoa tree) is a small ( tall) evergreen tree in the Malvaceae family. Its seedscocoa beansare used to make chocolate liquor, cocoa solids, cocoa butter and chocolate. Although the tree is native to the tropi ...

'', a tropical evergreen tree **

Cocoa bean The cocoa bean, also known as cocoa () or cacao (), is the dried and fully fermented seed of ''Theobroma cacao'', the cacao tree, from which cocoa solids (a mixture of nonfat substances) and cocoa butter (the fat) can be extracted. Cacao tree ...

, the seed from the tree used to make chocolate ** Cacao paste, ground cacao beans. The mass is melted and separated into: ***

Cocoa butter Cocoa butter, also called theobroma oil, is a pale-yellow, edible Vegetable oil, fat extracted from the cocoa bean (''Theobroma cacao''). It is used to make chocolate, as well as some ointments, toiletries, and pharmaceuticals. Cocoa butter h ...

, a pale, yellow, edible fat; and ***

Cocoa solids Dry cocoa solids are the components of cocoa beans remaining after cocoa butter, the fatty component of the bean, is extracted from chocolate liquor, roasted cocoa beans that have been ground into a liquid state. Cocoa butter is 46% to 57% of th ...

, the dark, bitter mass that contains most of cacao's notable phytochemicals, including

caffeine Caffeine is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant of the methylxanthine chemical classification, class and is the most commonly consumed Psychoactive drug, psychoactive substance globally. It is mainly used for its eugeroic (wakefulness pr ...

and

theobromine Theobromine, also known as xantheose, is the principal alkaloid of ''Theobroma cacao'' (cacao plant). Theobromine is slightly water-soluble (330 mg/L) with a bitter taste. In industry, theobromine is used as an additive and precursor to ...

Places

Cacao, French Guiana Cacao is a village in French Guiana, lying on the to the south of Cayenne. Most of the population are Hmong farmers, refugees from Laos who were resettled in French Guiana in 1977. The reasoning was that the living and working conditions of th ...

Cacao, Carolina, Puerto Rico Cacao is a barrio in the municipality of Carolina, Puerto Rico. Its population in 2010 was 4,214. History Cacao was in Spain's gazetteers until Puerto Rico was ceded by Spain in the aftermath of the Spanish–American War under the terms of the T ...

Cacao, Quebradillas, Puerto Rico Cacao is a barrio in the municipality of Quebradillas, Puerto Rico. Its population in 2010 was 4,663. One of the communities within this barrio is named Cacao Community and in 2010 had a population of 1,001. History Cacao was in Spain's gazette ...

Cacao Alto Cacao Alto is a barrio in the municipality of Patillas, Puerto Rico. Its population in 2010 was 2,449. History Cacao Alto was in Spain's gazetteers until Puerto Rico was ceded by Spain in the aftermath of the Spanish–American War under the term ...

, Patillas, Puerto Rico *

Cacao Bajo Cacao Bajo is a barrio in the municipality of Patillas, Puerto Rico. Its population in 2010 was 1,437. History Cacao Bajo was in Spain's gazetteers until Puerto Rico was ceded by Spain in the aftermath of the Spanish–American War under the term ...

, Patillas, Puerto Rico *

Hacienda Cacao Hacienda Cacao is located off the Carretera Uman-Hopelceh (Uman-Hopelceh highway) within Abalá Municipality, Mexico, and is in the South West Region 8 area of the State of Yucatán. It is one of the properties that arose during the nineteenth c ...

, Yucatán, Mexico

Other uses

Maria Cacao Maria Cacao is the ''diwata'' or mountain goddess associated with Mount Lantoy in Argao, Cebu, Philippines. The Maria Cacao legend is a prominent example of the mountain goddess motif in Philippine mythology; other prominent examples being Maria ...

, a mountain goddess in the Philippines

Plants

Places

Other uses

See also