They spend their days cutting cocoa pods and carrying heavy buckets filled with cocoa beans.
(cocoa pods vs. cacao pods/ cocoa beans vs. cacao beans/ Which expressions do we have to use? What is the difference between 'cocoa' and 'cacao'?
http://www.botgard.ucla.edu/html/botanytextbooks/economicbotany/theobroma/index.html
I'd use "cacao" for the plant and the pods, and "cocoa" for the product (the drink or chocolate itself).
The terms "cocoa" and "cacao" are often used interchangeably, but there is a slight difference in their usage and meanings. Here's an explanation to help clarify:
1. Cocoa Pods vs Cacao Pods:
- "Cocoa Pods" refers specifically to the pods harvested from Theobroma cacao trees, which contain the cocoa beans used to produce cocoa and chocolate products.
- "Cacao Pods" is an alternative term for the same fruit pods. Some regions, particularly those focused on high-quality, fine-flavored cacao, prefer to use "cacao" to differentiate their beans from those primarily used for mass-produced processed cocoa.
2. Cocoa Beans vs Cacao Beans:
- "Cocoa Beans" generally refers to the beans derived from the cocoa pods, which are processed to create chocolate and cocoa powder.
- "Cacao Beans" is an alternative term used less frequently, representing the same beans. It may be used to emphasize the close connection to the botanical name of the tree, Theobroma cacao.
In summary, both "cocoa" and "cacao" can refer to the same fruit pods and beans, but the use of "cacao" may be more common in regions emphasizing high-quality or specialty chocolate production. "Cocoa" is often used as a broader term across the industry.