Cocoa is a corruption of the botanical name of the plant cacao. It is applied to the roasted and crushed fruit of the Theobroma from which about one-half of its oil has been expressed. The term cocoa nibs is applied to the roasted whole seeds of the Theobroma.

Chocolate is the name of the roasted and crushed cocoa nibs before any of the oil has been extracted. The term chocolate is also applied to the beverage made from the crushed cocoa nibs.

Unless the above facts are clearly comprehended much confusion of ideas will ensue. It is unfortunate that the term cocoa was not applied to chocolate and vice versa. The matter is further complicated by applying the term chocolate to a highly sweetened confection containing chocolate as a base. The sugar amounts to as much as 60 or 70 percent of the whole mass. The plain chocolate which has not been manipulated at all is often called "bitter chocolate," in distinction from the confection which is called "sweet chocolate."