The history of Chocolate dates back to around 3000 years ago. The Mexican communities of Aztecs and the Mayans are known in the history of chocolate as the first people to grow and to use chocolate as human food. The Mayans and the Aztecs started growing and using chocolate as human food in around 1900 BC (Watson, 2013). In their first use of chocolate as human food, the Mayans and the Aztecs mixed chocolate liquor with water to make a drink; this drink, however, was an exclusive preserve for the priests and the rich people in the communities.
Chocolate comes from the cocoa tree, and the cocoa trees were first grown in Central America, Mexico. The cocoa trees grow cocoa pods. Inside the cocoa pods are the cocoa beans. You get cocoa nib when you remove the shell from the cocoa bean. In making chocolate, the cocoa nibs are roasted and ground into cocoa liquor. The cocoa liquor is then used to make all kinds of chocolate products.
When they first discovered the great value of chocolate as human food, the Aztec people attached so much value and importance to the chocolate and they saw chocolate of a gift from the god of wisdom ( Bensen, 2008). The Aztec people also used the chocolate beans as a currency because they regarded chocolate beans as something of great value. Hence, chocolate beans were used as a medium of exchange and you could buy even a slave with the chocolate beans; a slave was exchanged for 100 chocolate beans in the Aztec community (Watson, 2013).
But, although the history of chocolate dates back to around three millenniums, chocolate became known in Europe and in the rest part of the world in around 500 years ago. Chocolate was first brought to Europe, to Spain to be specific, in the year 1523 by the Spaniard fighters who returned home from Mexico (Coe and Coe, 2007). In the year 1523, a Spaniard fighter Hernando Cortez arrived in Mexico and he discovered the chocolate drink and the currency of cocoa beans. Hernando took the cocoa beans to Spain in the same year. On arriving in Spain with the cocoa beans, Hernando mixed the chocolate drink with sugar and milk. This drink became very popular with the Spaniards and the king of France loved the drink so much.
After arriving in Spain, chocolate arrived in France late in 1615, Chocolate was first used in France in 1615 at a loyal wedding (Bensen, 2008). Later, chocolate was taken to England and it was first used in England in the year 1662. By the 18th century, chocolate was a very popular drink for the loyalty and the wealthy people all over Europe. In the year 1823, the first chocolate powder called cocoa was made; the powder was made for making chocolate drink easily. The chocolate powder was made for ordinary people.
Later, in the year 1875, the first milk chocolate was made in Switzerland, and in the year 1894, the first chocolate bar was produced in the UK. In 1913, the first filled chocolates were produced; in the year 1930, the first chocolate candies were made with the dark chocolate. In the contemporary world, there are many types of chocolates, and chocolate has become the most form of food in the world. Chocolate business has also become a very lucrative business in the world; in the modern world chocolate business is a $40 a year business.
The value of chocolate as human food has been proved by science. Scientists have discovered that raw chocolates have many health benefits. Raw chocolate refers to a chocolate that has been grown organically, has no added ingredients and has not been heated above 42C.
Science has proved that raw chocolate is the most powerful natural source of antioxidants. Raw chocolate is also the world’s most powerful natural source of magnesium. Raw chocolate is also very high in healthy fats. Raw chocolate is also rich high in minerals and vitamins.
Chocolate is, therefore, an extremely anti-aging product because of the anti-oxidants. Chocolate is also very good for the hair and nails because of sulfur. Chocolate is also very good for cholesterol. Chocolate use also increases one’s mood and energy.
In conclusion, since it was discovered as human food, chocolate has gone through many changes. In the future, chocolate may experience many more changes, for instance, in the future chocolate may be used as a luxury healthy superfood because of the many health benefits of raw chocolate.
- Bensen, A. (2008).”A Brief History of Chocolate”. Smithsonian Magazine. 1st March.
- Coe, S.D., and Coe, M.D. (2007).The True History of Chocolate. USA: Thames and Hudson Publishers
- Watson, T. (2013).”Earliest Evidence of Chocolate in North America”. Science. 22nd Jan.