While chocolate contains an alkaloid, theobromin, which is almost identical with caffein, it differs very much from coffee in its other constituents. The aroma of tea and coffee are driven off by boiling, while the aroma and food value of chocolate is enhanced by boiling. Chocolate is made from the beans or seeds of the cacao tree. These seeds grow in a large fleshy pod, from a "cushion" on the trunk of the tree. The fruit is imbedded in a white pulp, rather sour and pleasant to the taste. After the seeds or beans are taken from the shells they are thrown in a bin, covered and allowed to ferment, then they are dried in the sun, and polished by "dancing." In some places a sort of red clay is put over the bean after the first drying and before the dancing, which gives it a red polished surface. These seeds or beans must be roasted to develop the aroma and essential oils. After they are roasted, the shells are removed, the "beans" are ground and the fat extracted. The residue is made into the various preparations known as chocolate, cocoa, and theobroma.

Cocoa is the dry residue after the cacao butter has been pressed out. The cacao butter amounts to forty or fifty per cent. of the weight of the beans; there is also about fifteen per cent. of starch, considerable mineral matter and albuminous substances. One can see that cocoa is a nutritious food, rather than a beverage, and cannot be substituted for tea or coffee.

Chocolate is manufactured from the ground and fat-free cacao bean, with sugar, flavoring, and sometimes other substances added.

The following table, which was adapted from Konig, will show the reader the difference between the cacao beans and chocolate, and while in this table there seems to be no starch in the chocolate, it certainly is wise to boil it.