This vein valve diseae is a common reason that people develop leg or ankle swelling. Vein valve disease can lead to varicose veins as well. Vein valve dysfunction can be an inherited condition or it can be caused by blood clot damage or trauma to the veins. Lymphedema is another cause of leg or foot swelling.
Cocoa Pods & Beans. The cocoa tree bears two harvests of cocoa pods per year. Around 20cm in length and 500gms in weight, the pods ripen to a rich, golden-orange colour. Within each pod there are 20-40 purple, 2cm long cocoa beans covered in a sweet white pulp. We buy quality cocoa beans from Indonesia, Malaysia and Ghana.
The process begins with harvesting. Ripe cocoa pods are harvested twice a year. The harvest times vary from region to region, but the process of turning it into chocolate begins immediately. The pods are cut open with machetes and the white pulp containing the cocoa beans is scooped out. Not all cocoa harvests are created equal.