Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1912-08-21

ducers Fernando Pc, by the way, is another
small island, of only $50 square miles, not far
from Africa 1t was once Portuguese, but is now
Spanish.
The British possessions have become remark.
able producers OF cacao in recent years. In the
West Indies they include Trinidad, Jamaica, Gren-
ada, st. Lucia and Dominica; in Africa the Gold
Coast and Lagos, while in the far east is Ceylon,
which seems to specialize in crops that appeal to
the unalcoholic tastes of the modern
The principal constituents of the cacao bean
are (1) alkaloids; (2) starch and sugars (3)
albuminous Matters "a cacao butter together
With various mineral substances. The alkalods
are complex organic substances which re-
sponsible for the stimuant effects Of cacao; caf-
feline is one of them, but appears in lesser amount
than in coffee tea and there is variable guam
tity Of theobromine which Is not very unlike CAT
2e2e; starch is present In the proportion Of about
Z to 10 per cent, while real sugar (glucose), at
least in the bean ITSELF shows only about onehalf
of 1 per cent, although the starch may be con-
verted preparation Of cacao advances albu-
mnous matters about 8 to IL per cent fats of
which cacao butter is the essential, from As to
something over 80 per cent; the mineral sub
stances are phosphorlc acid potash and magnesia
Other analyses may be found or made yet for
practical purposes this statement is accurate
enough, There is delicate substance called
"cacao red" which is cooring matter, and this
characteristic taste
Such proportions of nutrient ingredients are by
no means a perfect food. 1t may be shown that
100 parts of cacao nbs contain heat givers equiva
lent to 1872 parts of starch while the flesh form
ers present amount to about II parts in other
terms one pound Of cacao nibs Is more than
equal in feshforming constituents to / pound Of
lean mutton chop, but pound of cacao nibs can
not be eaten or drunk at one time-it would be
quite indigestible-so that argument be
based upon its theoretic food value The amount
of cacao butter, however important in itself, is
also of little service in this connection although
It has other and much higher values in COM
merce; It would therefore be wasted II reserved
for food alone
8 The great advantage cacao has over similar
substances where also experience fails to sup
port theory is the fact that in the form of choco-
late where the fats retained the palatability
and assimilablity Of sugar mixed with 1t are very
much enhanced. Not so many years ago the drink
called chocolate was thought to be a reckless
dissipation for one who had regard for his
or her stomach, To indulge in chocolate candy
was quite as perncious to eat tomatoes. and
with quite as much reason Tomatoes were once
declared poison, but today they are considered
a very wholesome vegetable Chocolate was once
an exotic and bizarre drink, told about by trav
elers who had ventured into Mexico or Spain. but
today It is even ordered In the sick room, and
at least in the form Of cacao from which the fats
have largely been removed it Is considered both
digestible and nourshing. Candies and pastry
with chocolate practically taboo to we'll
brought-up children, and the adult who INDUCED