The History of Chocolate

As with most things, people consume chocolate without knowing much about its rich history. You can trace it back to the Mayan cultures. Here are 10 historical facts about chocolates.

Chocolate’s rich history can be traced back to the Mayans and the Olmecs of southern Mexico. Although chocolate might conjure images of chocolate bars and delicious truffles, today’s chocolate is very different from the chocolate of the past.

These are some fascinating facts about chocolate’s history you should know:

It was also considered an aphrodisiac by the Mayans, Aztec, and Olmec

The Aztec, Mayan, and Olmec civilizations discovered that chocolate was a stimulant, mood booster, and aphrodisiac. This led them to believe it had mystical and spiritual properties.

You Can Worship a Chocolate God

The Mayans worshipped a god of cacao and reserved chocolate for rulers.

The currency for trade was chocolate.

Cacao beans were the Aztec’s main currency. They kept bags of 24000 beans. This was the weight of a car. A rabbit was worth 10 beans, and a slave 100. The saying money doesn’t grow in trees didn’t always hold.

The Aztec Emperor drank three gallons of chocolate per day to increase his libido

To increase his libido, Montezuma (16th century Aztec Emperor) drank three gallons per day of chocolate.

In the distant past, civilizations consumed chocolate as a bitter beverage

Although chocolate is the “food of Gods,” it was, in fact, a bitter beverage for the majority of its 4,000-year history.

Columbus Brought chocolate to Europe

One legend states that Christopher Columbus found cacao beans while going to America. He brought the beans back with him to Spain in 1502.

Europeans Responsible for the Sweet Version of The Chocolate

Europeans were not satisfied with Aztec chocolate drinks. They created their hot chocolate using cinnamon, cane sugar, and other common flavours.

First American Chocolate House opened in Boston (1682)

In 1641, a Spanish ship brought chocolate to Florida. According to some reports, the first American chocolate house was opened in Boston in 1682.

In Revolutionary War, Soldiers received chocolates as payment.

During the Revolutionary War, chocolate was given to the military as rations and sometimes to soldiers as payment.

A Chemist Van Houten discovered Dutch Cocoa in 1828

Dutch chemist Coenraad Jan Johannes Van Houten discovered how to treat cacao beans using alkaline salts. This allowed him to create a powdered version of chocolate that was easier than mixing with water.