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rss-bridge 2025-12-04T08:05:08+00:00

The Bitter History of Chocolate

What's better than holiday hot chocolate? If just thinking about it makes you feel all warm and fuzzy, well – that’s by design. Chocolate's big history sweeps across the globe, and today we’re going on that journey: from the pre–Columbus Americas, to an early 20th century reporter’s hunch about what cocoa production really takes, to a 21st century medical student’s story about his childhood on a farm that produces those holiday treats.

Guests:

Carla Martin, lecturer in African and African American Studies at Harvard University and President of the Board of the Institute for Cacao and Chocolate Research

Catherine Higgs, professor of history at the University of British Columbia in Canada

Shadrack Frimpong, founder of Cocoa360

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The Bitter History of Chocolate

December 4, 20253:05 AM ET

[Ramtin Arablouei, co-host and co-producer of Throughline.]

Ramtin Arablouei

[Rund Abdelfatah headshot]

Rund Abdelfatah

[Headshot of Julie Caine]

Julie Caine

Casey Miner

Lawrence Wu

Anya Steinberg

Devin Katayama

Cristina Kim

The Bitter History of Chocolate

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52:15

52:15

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Transcript](https://www.npr.org/transcripts/nx-s1-5631795)

<iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/nx-s1-5631795/nx-s1-mx-5833526" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

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Transcript](https://www.npr.org/transcripts/nx-s1-5631795)


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