Did You Know Chocolate Has Wild Cousins?
Most of us think of cacao as a single plant.
Chocolate comes from cacao. Cacao grows in pods. End of story.
But nature is rarely that simple.
The tree that gives us chocolate, Theobroma cacao, belongs to a much larger family of tropical trees known as Theobroma— a name that translates, perhaps somewhat ambitiously, as "food of the gods."
And chocolate is only one branch of that family.
More Than One Kind of Cacao
Today, more than twenty species of Theobroma are known throughout Central and South America.
Some produce fruits that are fragrant and creamy. Others are intensely aromatic. Some have been used in traditional foods and drinks for centuries, while others remain largely unknown outside the forests where they grow.
Among these relatives are:
Theobroma bicolor (Pataxte)
Theobroma grandiflorum (Cupuaçu)
Theobroma speciosum
Theobroma mammosum
Theobroma subincanum
Theobroma angustifolium
Each species represents a different evolutionary experiment — another answer to the question of how a tropical tree might package and protect its seeds.
Chocolate Is Not the Whole Story
Curiously, the familiar distinctions between Criollo, Forastero and Trinitario do not represent separate species.
All three belong to the same species: Theobroma cacao.
They are better understood as genetic groups or populations within chocolate's species.
The truly different species are the ones most people have never heard of.
Which raises an interesting question.
If Theobroma cacao became chocolate, what became of its cousins?
Pataxte: Chocolate's Ancient Companion
Long before modern chocolate bars, Indigenous peoples of Mesoamerica consumed both cacao and pataxte (Theobroma bicolor).
Historical accounts suggest that pataxte was often used in ceremonial beverages and mixed preparations. Compared to cacao, it contains less bitterness and produces a softer, creamier flavor.
Although much less common today, pataxte remains part of the living culinary traditions of parts of Mexico and Central America. In the Oaxacan state in Mexico it is easy to find tejate sold on the streets, a delicious blend of corn, spices, cacao and pataxte. Incidentally, pataxte is also my favourite fruit: not sweet, slightly fermented flavor, creamy - delicious!
Cupuaçu: The Amazonian Relative
Another fascinating cousin is cupuaçu (Theobroma grandiflorum), native to the Amazon basin.
Its fragrant white pulp is widely used in juices, desserts and ice creams, while the seeds can be transformed into a product sometimes called "cupulate" — an intriguing relative of chocolate with its own personality.
The aroma of cupuaçu is difficult to describe. Some people find notes of pineapple, banana, pear or even yogurt.
Like many tropical fruits, it resists easy comparison.
Growing Theobromas at Home
At my farm in Costa Rica, we grow both pataxte and cupuaçu alongside cacao.
One of the joys of living with these trees is being reminded that chocolate itself is only one expression of a much larger botanical family.
To walk through a food forest containing different Theobromas is to realize that the world of cacao is far stranger, richer and more diverse than most of us imagine.
A Living Library
Perhaps biodiversity is a form of memory.
Each species carries relationships that evolved over millions of years — relationships with animals, insects, microorganisms and forests.
Some have become famous.
Others remain quiet.
Yet all of them are chapters in the same story.
And perhaps one of the greatest gifts of cacao is that she constantly reminds us how much we still have left to learn.
Want to go deeper?
Explore our articles on chocolate flavor, fermentation and cacao fruit, or join us in Puerto Viejo to discover the living world of cacao through hands-on experiences and longer educational journeys.
