The Dark History of Chocolate: Slavery and Exploitation

In this episode of 'We Need to Talk About Chocolate,' host Ed Easton and chocolatier Andrew Nason discuss the grim history of slavery linked to sugar and chocolate production. From the Portuguese and Spanish slave trades to the brutal conditions on sugar and cacao plantations, the hosts delve into the atrocities committed in the name of profit. They emphasize the importance of consumer awareness and responsible choices in combating modern exploitation in the chocolate industry. Listeners are taken on a journey through historical and present-day issues, aiming to shed light on the dark side of this beloved treat.

00:00 Welcome to the Chocolate Podcast

00:17 Living in the Yurt: A Year in the Tent

00:59 The Chocolate and Nature Connection

01:48 The Snickers Debate: Chocolate or Not?

04:20 Unwrapping the Story of Sugar

04:55 The Dark History of Chocolate and Slavery

05:30 The Triangle Trade: A Triple Horror

12:47 The Industrialization of Slavery

20:12 The Horrors of Sugar Plantations

23:12 The First Consumer Boycott in History

24:38 The Role of Portugal in the Slave Trade

25:54 The Dark History of Sugar and Chocolate

35:13 The British Role in Abolishing Slavery

43:20 Modern Slavery and Consumer Responsibility

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Join us at the Melt chocolate yurt for another episode of the We Need to Talk About Chocolate podcast! Hosted by Ed and co-host Andrew Nason, this week’s discussion dives into the compelling topic of sugar and its various effects on the body, using the Snickers bar as a prime example. From historical monkey brain instincts to modern food industry tactics, we explore how sugar tricks the brain and impacts health.

Discover why consuming high levels of sugar can lead to lethargy, aging, and bodily inflammation while the benefits of dark chocolate could be the healthier alternative you're looking for. Learn how the food industry disguises sugar and the impact of excess glucose on your body. Tune in to understand the chemistry behind sugar and its substitutes, and why reducing sugar could benefit your overall well-being.

Next week, we will uncover the industrial chocolate world in Africa and the true story behind your supermarket Snickers bar.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The story the big corporations don’t want you to know.

Welcome to We Need to Talk About Chocolate, the podcast where we unwrap the rich, sticky, and sometimes bittersweet history of the world’s most beloved treat.

From sacred rituals performed by the Mayans and Aztecs to the industrial empires that flood supermarket shelves today, chocolate has never been just a confection. It’s been a symbol of power, a sacred offering, a global obsession, and a billion-dollar industry with a dark side.

Hosted by writer and lifelong chocoholic Ed Easton, and world-renowned chocolatier Andrew Nason of Melt Chocolates, this series digs deep beneath the foil to uncover the untold truths behind the cacao bean.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The story the big corporations don’t want you to know.

Welcome to We Need to Talk About Chocolate, the podcast where we unwrap the rich, sticky, and sometimes bittersweet history of the world’s most beloved treat.

From sacred rituals performed by the Mayans and Aztecs to the industrial empires that flood supermarket shelves today, chocolate has never been just a confection. It’s been a symbol of power, a sacred offering, a global obsession, and a billion-dollar industry with a dark side.

Hosted by writer and lifelong chocoholic Ed Easton, and world-renowned chocolatier Andrew Nason of Melt Chocolates, this series digs deep beneath the foil to uncover the untold truths behind the cacao bean.

Today's episode we talk about Belgian chocolate, uncovering the not so sweet side to the country's chocolate empires.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The story the big corporations don’t want you to know.

Welcome to We Need to Talk About Chocolate, the podcast where we unwrap the rich, sticky, and sometimes bittersweet history of the world’s most beloved treat.

From sacred rituals performed by the Mayans and Aztecs to the industrial empires that flood supermarket shelves today, chocolate has never been just a confection. It’s been a symbol of power, a sacred offering, a global obsession, and a billion-dollar industry with a dark side.

Hosted by writer and lifelong chocoholic Ed Easton, and world-renowned chocolatier Andrew Nason of Melt Chocolates, this series digs deep beneath the foil to uncover the untold truths behind the cacao bean.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The story the big corporations don’t want you to know.

Welcome to We Need to Talk About Chocolate, the podcast where we unwrap the rich, sticky, and sometimes bittersweet history of the world’s most beloved treat.

From sacred rituals performed by the Mayans and Aztecs to the industrial empires that flood supermarket shelves today, chocolate has never been just a confection. It’s been a symbol of power, a sacred offering, a global obsession, and a billion-dollar industry with a dark side.

Hosted by writer and lifelong chocoholic Ed Easton, and world-renowned chocolatier Andrew Nason of Melt Chocolates, this series digs deep beneath the foil to uncover the untold truths behind the cacao bean.

Today's episode we talk about Swiss chocolate. and find out how a small alpine country became coco world leaders.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The story the big corporations don’t want you to know.

Welcome to We Need to Talk About Chocolate, the podcast where we unwrap the rich, sticky, and sometimes bittersweet history of the world’s most beloved treat.

From sacred rituals performed by the Mayans and Aztecs to the industrial empires that flood supermarket shelves today, chocolate has never been just a confection. It’s been a symbol of power, a sacred offering, a global obsession, and a billion-dollar industry with a dark side.

Hosted by writer and lifelong chocoholic Ed Easton, and world-renowned chocolatier Andrew Nason of Melt Chocolates, this series digs deep beneath the foil to uncover the untold truths behind the cacao bean.

On this episode Andrew and Ed look at France's relationship with chocolate, and the part it had to play in many of the nation's most important moments

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The story the big corporations don’t want you to know.

Welcome to We Need to Talk About Chocolate, the podcast where we unwrap the rich, sticky, and sometimes bittersweet history of the world’s most beloved treat.

From sacred rituals performed by the Mayans and Aztecs to the industrial empires that flood supermarket shelves today, chocolate has never been just a confection. It’s been a symbol of power, a sacred offering, a global obsession, and a billion-dollar industry with a dark side.

Hosted by writer and lifelong chocoholic Ed Easton, and world-renowned chocolatier Andrew Nason of Melt Chocolates, this series digs deep beneath the foil to uncover the untold truths behind the cacao bean.

On this episode Andrew and Ed look at Italy's rich history of chocolate, from the coco-revolutionaries in Turin to the marketing mistake that nearly saw Nutella shelved for good, our trepidatious chocolate duo continue their chocolate tour of the world.

Note from Ed : During the episode, we incorrectly said that is made with Ice Cream instead of cream (the brilliant chocolatiers at melt made no such mistake so what we were drinking was entirely authentic!)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.