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What Is Rich History of Chocolate?

Originally, chocolate was used in bitter beverages by the ancient Mesoamerican people. The drink had both social and more formal religious aspects to it, and dated back as far as the Classic Period, known as the time period between 250-900 AD. Though the Mayans built beautiful cities, they were typically built around the edge of the rainforest, giving them easy access to harvesting the bean. The terms for the cocoa tree and chocolate were “Cacahuaquchtl” and “xocoatl”, the latter of which means “bitter water” in English. The beans were fermented and then roasted to form a paste. Through adding water, chili peppers, cornmeal and other substances, a spicy chocolate drink was created.

The adoption of cocoa into the Aztec culture, once they began to play a dominant role in Mesoamerica, is an important one because it quickly became a type of currency. Soon chocolate became an integrated part of the Aztecs lives as well. The Mayans reserved their drink for royalty, while the Aztecs allowed the drink to be consumed by priests, rulers, honored merchants, the most decorated soldiers.

One of the beliefs of the Aztecs was that power and wisdom came from eating fruit or beans. They also originally believed that cocoa beans would serve as an aphrodisiac. Amazingly, when Christopher Columbus returned to Europe and brought cocoa beans with him, it did not demand immediate attention. With recurring trips to America, Europeans soon realized that the beans could be used as currency.

It was by this period that the Aztecs had changed the bitter liquid name of “xocoatl” to their name of “chocolatl,” which means “warm liquid”. Hernando Cortex Begin started the first cocoa tree plantation in 1519. In 1528 the Spanish king Charles V had his first taste of the spicy chocolate, which is fitting since that first plantation was claimed in the name of Spain. With the deliciousness of the treat no longer in question, Hernando added to the bean’s legacy when he began combining it with chocolate. Soon nutmeg, vanilla, cloves and cinnamon, become part of the variations.

It was only the Spanish nobility that were allowed to drink the beverage, however, and they did not share that knowledge with other countries. It eventually gained access to the rest of the world through Spanish monks who were cultivating the beans. Some parts of Europe continued to use chocolate as a currency as it spread throughout Europe as a delicacy.

Today, decades and centuries of growth later, chocolate continues to enjoy immense popularity. Over time, it has dropped the religious and royalty purposes, and has experienced growth in the taste department. Continual research suggests that perhaps chocolate is an aphrodisiac, but it definitely concludes that dark cocoa is part of a healthy diet that can do wonders for the body.