Chocolate is a delicious treat enjoyed by people all over the world. When we bite into a chocolate bar, the color we see and taste we experience comes from processing cacao beans along with other ingredients like milk, sugar, etc. But have you ever wondered – what color is chocolate in its raw natural state?
The Origins of Chocolate
To understand the natural color of chocolate, we have to go back to where chocolate comes from. Chocolate originates from the fruit pods that grow on cacao trees, which are native to tropical rainforest regions around the equator in Central and South America. The cacao tree produces large pods filled with pulp and embedded with cacao beans. Inside each cacao bean is where we find the components that ultimately get turned into chocolate.
There are three main types of cacao beans used to make chocolate:
- Criollo – Rare, only about 5% of world’s supply. Produce highest quality chocolate.
- Forastero – Most common, about 80% of world’s supply. Used in bulk commercial production.
- Trinitario – Hybrid of criollo and forastero. Compromise between flavor and heartiness.
The exact color of raw cacao beans differs slightly depending on the variety. But in general, the natural color of cacao beans before any processing is purple or sometimes more reddish purple.
From Cacao Bean to Chocolate
To go from the raw cacao bean to the smooth, rich chocolate we eat involves several steps of processing. Here is an overview of the basic chocolate making process:
- Harvest – Cacao pods are harvested by hand and split open to collect the cacao beans with surrounding sticky pulp.
- Fermentation – The cacao beans and pulp undergo fermentation for 5-7 days. Chemical processes help develop flavor.
- Drying – The fermented beans are dried to reduce moisture content.
- Roasting – The dried beans are roasted at temperatures around 250°F/120°C to enhance flavor.
- Winnowing – The outer shell of each bean is removed.
- Grinding – The roasted, shelled inner cacao nibs are ground into a thick liquid called chocolate liquor.
- Blending – Chocolate liquor is blended with ingredients like sugar, milk, cocoa butter, etc. The amounts and types of ingredients vary depending on the final product.
- Refining & Conching – More grinding and mixing to produce smooth texture and flavor.
- Tempering – Carefully heating and cooling the chocolate to form stable crystals.
- Molding – Pouring the tempered chocolate into molds to produce bars, chips, etc.
As you can see from the steps involved, the raw cacao bean goes through significant transformation before becoming edible chocolate. Two of the first major changes are fermentation and roasting, which alter the color of the bean. So by the time the cacao nib is extracted, it no longer retains its original purple shade.
Color Changes During Processing
Let’s take a closer look at how the color of cacao changes during key stages of chocolate processing:
| Stage | Color | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Raw cacao bean | Purple, reddish purple | Unprocessed bean still in the pod, retains natural color |
| After fermentation | Browning | Yeasts and bacteria break down compounds and cause browning |
| After roasting | Dark brown | Heating causes caramelization and browning reactions |
| After winnowing | Tan, light brown | Removal of outer shell reveals lighter cacao nib |
| Chocolate liquor | Dark brown | Grinding nib produces dark liquid |
| Final chocolate | Dark brown, milk chocolate lighter | Ingredient blending produces color variety |
As shown, the color transforms from purple to shades of brown at each major step. By the end when cacao liquour is produced, the color is a dark brown. Any residual purple tones from the raw bean have been roasted away. The final color of finished chocolate depends on the particular ingredients used, with dark chocolate retaining a more intense brown versus the lighter brown of milk chocolate.
Why Does Processing Change the Color?
There are two primary reasons why processing cacao beans into chocolate transforms the color from purple to brown:
- Browning reactions – Heating causes sugars and proteins within the bean to undergo the Maillard reaction and caramelization. These chemical reactions cause browning.
- Pigment loss – The pigments that give the raw bean its purple hue are broken down during fermentation and roasting.
Additionally, the outer purple-colored shell is removed during winnowing, revealing the inner tan-brown nib. The browning reactions continue during chocolate processing to produce the familiar dark brown color.
What Pigments Give Cacao Beans Their Color?
The purple or reddish-purple natural color of raw cacao beans comes from two major pigment groups:
- Anthocyanins – Water-soluble pigments that appear red, purple, or blue in plants.
- Tannins – Polyphenolic compounds that can appear red or brown.
Anthocyanins are responsible for the bright purple and red tones of cacao beans. Meanwhile, tannins contribute more to the brownish undertones.
Here are the specific anthocyanin and tannin pigments that have been identified in raw cacao beans:
| Pigment Type | Compounds in Cacao |
|---|---|
| Anthocyanins | Cyanidin, delphinidin, petunidin, pelargonidin |
| Tannins | Catechin, epicatechin, proanthocyanidins |
However, the exact pigment profile can vary between cacao varieties. As the beans are fermented and roasted, these anthocyanin and tannin pigments degrade and react, causing the color to change to brown.
How Does Color Relate to Chocolate Quality?
In commercial chocolate production, color is not generally used as an indicator of overall chocolate quality. The color of the final chocolate depends largely on the ingredients and ratios used in a particular recipe or for making a specific product. For example, milk chocolate has a lighter brown color because it contains milk solids.
However, in cacao bean processing and trade, some general observations can be made relating cacao color to quality:
- Brighter, more purple beans may indicate higher anthocyanin content and better cacao genetics.
- Paler beans suggest over-fermentation or poor storage conditions.
- Grey, black, or spotted beans are lower quality.
- Even, consistent color is ideal.
Additionally, gourmet, artisanal chocolate makers who start with high quality cacao beans are more likely to retain some of the natural purple tones through gentler processing steps.
So while color alone doesn’t determine chocolate quality, it can provide hints about the cacao origin, genetics, and bean processing methods used.
Can You Make Chocolate That’s Naturally Purple?
Because standard chocolate processing inevitability causes cacao’s purple pigments to break down into brown, achieving a naturally purple chocolate color is difficult but not impossible. Here are some potential ways to make purple chocolate:
- Use only minimally processed cacao – Avoid over-fermenting and high-heat roasting.
- Blend in unprocessed ground cacao beans – Adds back some raw purple color.
- Add other purple foods – Blend in blueberries, purple sweet potatoes, purple corn, etc.
- Use coloring – Can use natural purple food coloring.
However, even with these tricks, the inherent reactivity of cacao’s anthocyanins means the vibrant purple tones will likely fade over time. The exceptions are when artificial coloring is added or when other purple plant foods provide tinted chocolate a boost.
There are some specialty chocolate makers producing products marketed as blue, purple, or pink chocolate. But inspecting the ingredients often shows they rely on added colors rather than just minimally processed cacao.
Unique Chocolate Colors
While brown is by far the most common chocolate color, chocolate makers have produced unique color varieties by incorporating additional ingredients:
| Color | How It’s Made |
|---|---|
| White | Made with cocoa butter, no chocolate liquor |
| Pink | Natural berry flavors or artificial coloring |
| Blue | Artificial coloring |
| Yellow | Flavonoids from cocoa butter |
Most of these uniquely colored chocolates still start with traditional brown chocolate and achieve their distinctive hues by removing the chocolate liquor for a white color or adding other pigments. As discussed, true purple chocolate is difficult to accomplish even with additives.
Does Chocolate Oxidize and Change Color Over Time?
Yes, chocolate can oxidize and change color during storage, especially when not handled properly. Some tips to minimize chocolate discoloration over time:
- Store in cool, dark place around 65°F/18°C.
- Use airtight container to block moisture and odors.
- Wrap tightly or use foil to limit air exposure.
- Keep away from sunlight to prevent UV damage.
- Avoid temperature fluctuations which promote bloom formation.
With optimum storage methods, high quality chocolate can retain its original color for over a year. Poor storage leading to oxidation and bloom can cause chocolate to become mottled or take on a light brown, whitish discoloration over time.
Does Chocolate Lose Health Benefits When Processed?
Processing methods do cause chocolate to lose some of the beneficial phytonutrients originally present in raw cacao beans, such as:
- Flavonoids like epicatechin
- Minerals like magnesium and iron
- Fiber
Fermenting and roasting reduces phytonutrient content in these ways:
- Heat degrades flavonoids and other heat-sensitive compounds.
- Exposure to oxygen and alkaline conditions during processing causes loss of phytonutrients.
- Removal of cacao shell gets rid of some fiber and minerals.
However, chocolate still delivers some nutritional benefits, especially from compounds like theobromine that are heat-stable. Choose dark chocolate with higher cacao content for the most antioxidants and minerals.
Should You Eat Raw Cacao for More Benefits?
Raw cacao beans and lesser processed cacao products like cacao nibs and cacao powder retain higher levels of phytonutrients compared to roasted cacao and chocolate. Benefits of raw cacao include:
- Very high antioxidant content – Up to 3 times more than processed cacao powder.
- More fiber since cacao shell is intact.
- Higher levels of minerals like magnesium, iron, and zinc.
- More beneficial fats like oleic acid and essential fatty acids.
Downsides of raw cacao are that it may be:
- More bitter and harsher flavor.
- Gritty texture.
- Less palatable than chocolate.
- Need to consume higher amounts to get benefits.
Raw cacao also requires more careful handling and storage than roasted products. Overall, raw cacao has nutritional advantages but processed chocolate is more enjoyable for most people.
Conclusion
While the chocolate we eat is brown, in its raw natural state inside cacao pods, chocolate is actually purple! The pigments that give cacao beans their vibrant purple hue are anthocyanins and tannins. These pigments break down during typical chocolate processing which involves fermenting, roasting, and grinding the beans into liquor. Enzymatic reactions and heat cause the purple anthocyanins to transform into the familiar brown color that is characteristic of chocolate.
Though most chocolate is brown, some specialty makers produce naturally-colored pink, blue, yellow, or white chocolate through careful ingredient selection and processing. Achieving a true purple chocolate color is challenging but possible using minimal processing paired with purple plant powders or natural coloring. While chocolate loses some of its phytonutrient content during processing, it still delivers beneficial antioxidants and minerals – so go ahead and enjoy a square for its color and flavor!
