Short Wave Climate Change Is Here For Your Chocolate
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Aug 1, 2025 
Join Yasmin Tayag, a food, health, and science writer at The Atlantic, as she unpacks the dire effects of climate change on the chocolate industry. Tune in to discover how extreme weather is contributing to a cocoa shortage and soaring candy prices. Yasmin discusses the socio-economic challenges faced by cocoa farmers while highlighting innovative alternatives like oat-based chocolate. Plus, don’t miss the fun chocolate alternative taste test and fascinating insights into the cacao-to-confection journey!
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Chocolate Alternative Taste Test
- Yasmin Tayag shared a chocolate alternative taste test she led, featuring a product made mostly from oats with no cocoa.
- They both enjoyed the taste, highlighting how alt chocolate can mimic childhood flavors effectively.
FDA Cocoa Content Standard
- The FDA requires chocolate to contain at least 10% cocoa to be officially labeled chocolate.
- Products with less cocoa must be called chocolate-flavored or chocolate-like, not chocolate itself.
Cocoa Tree Growth Limits
- Cocoa trees are finicky plants that only grow within 20 degrees north and south of the equator.
- They have very specific heat and moisture needs, limiting the regions suitable for cocoa cultivation.