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Do you like cocoa? You are in good company: in South and Central America people have been enjoying the fruit of the cacao tree - the source of cocoa, chocolate and much else besides - for thousands of years. Ancient empires fought battles for the control of the best trees and cacao beans were used as currency. Some scholars have argued that the earliest evidence of cacao cultivation in South America can be traced to 3,500 BC and now plant genetics is giving us new insights into the complex history of this remarkable plant in Latin America. Bridget Kendall is joined by archaeologist Cameron McNeil, chef and food historian Maricel Presilla and geneticist and cacao researcher Juan Carlos Motamayor. Photo: A cropped cocoa pod lies over dried cacao beans (Getty Images).
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