Do you know what is the history of chocolate? If not, this blog is for you. Learn about how chocolate was discovered and reached our nearby stores.
What’s the history of chocolate? I kept wondering as I was enjoying my chocolate bar. While biting into it, I got really interested in who’s the great personality behind this amazing creation. So, as I finished my treat, I decided to research about it. And you won’t believe what I found (because I couldn’t either!). I knew chocolate had been in this world for quite a long time. But didn’t know chocolate is an AGES OLD TREAT!!! Let me take you through what else I found – in detail. Trust me the history of chocolate is as amazing as the treat itself. So, keep reading and savor the facts below:
What is the History of Chocolate? Let’s Find Out!
The history of chocolate is no less than a fairytale. Once upon a time, around 5300 years ago, the Olmecs discovered chocolate. It was created from cocoa beans that come from the Theobroma tree. It was simply magical how a mere bean transformed into the most delicious treat in the world. What’s even more magical is how chocolate impacts the taste buds, senses, and moods.
“The velvety texture and remarkable flavor can cheer up anyone and everyone.”
As you bite into it, it teleports your tastebuds to a whimsical ride of delight. And not just the taste, it takes all your senses to a blissful party. Besides, If you are feeling low, you can have a chocolate and you’ll magically feel uplifted. Want to know more about history of chocolate? Then, buckle up and let the expedition begin:
- Olmecs Discovered the Chocolate Drink
As aforementioned, the history of chocolates hails back to civilizations ago. I always thought that some boomer may have created chocolates. But sadly, I was wrong! The origin of this treat takes us back to several origins. But the most acceptable study claims that it was the Olmecs who created this treat. So, it isn’t some old grandpa whom we should be thanking for this amazing treat, it’s the ancient guys from the Mesoamerican civilization.
| Insider Info! | Researchers found the earliest evidence of cacao in regions across Latin America, Asia, and Africa. |
Anyhow, there are several researches on where they first found the chocolate tree (oh no don’t mistake it for a tree with chocolate fruits). The most accepted ones say that it was found in South America in the Amazon forests. Later, the discoverers took it to Central America and domesticated it. This is when the Olmecs started using it as medicine. Yes, a CHOCOLATE MEDICINE!!! Lucky them! Imagine having chocolate as medicine. Well…. We can only imagine because the medicines we have are bitter and loathsome. Moreover, they also used to drink it in rituals.
- Chocolate – the Blissful Drink of Mayans
Do you know that there are different takes on the history of chocolate? According to some studies, Mayans discovered the chocolate drink. Furthermore, they used to present it to their gods. Olden times were great. I mean gods were drinking chocolate and humans were having it as medicine. Were they living in a Charlie-in-the-chocolate-factory world? I also found out how this drink was made. The Mayans used to roast and ground cocoa beans. Also, the rest of the ingredients are quite unique, including chilies, cornmeal, and water. The recipe required them to mix these with cocoa. And the result was the drink of gods: the chocolate drink.
| Fun Fact! | The Mayans named this drink “xocolatl” which means bitter water. This is where today’s chocolate got its name from. |
- Aztecs Received the Chocolate Gift from God
Let’s dive deeper into the history of chocolate. Now, we’re in the 15th century and here we see the Aztecs receiving the gift of chocolate from the god Quetzalcoatl. At least this was what the Aztecs believed. Moreover, as a blissful gift from God, people were delighted to have it. However, the real reason people were happy to have it was because it was delicious. And here comes the most interesting part: they used it the cocoa beans as currency. Amazing, right? You couldn’t just enjoy chocolate but buy stuff from it too!!!
| Did You Know? | According to the Aztecs, other gods were very unhappy with Quetzalcoatl for sharing chocolate with other gods. |
- The Arrival of Chocolate Drink in Europe
According to the history of chocolate, this treat started traveling around the world in the 1500s. It had the help of the Spanish explorer Hernán Cortés who took chocolate to his country. The guy was in search of gold but find the real gold or what we call it: chocolate! And it was all thanks to the hospitality of the Aztecs. They offered him a cup of cocoa drink and he was spellbound by its taste. He couldn’t believe anything this DELICIOUS could ever exist. Therefore, he brought it to his homeland so his people could taste it too.
| FunFact | The Spanish people sweetened the cocoa drink with some honey or sugar. |
Very soon, chocolate became the favorite drink among the riches of Spain. Those who had it loved it. Moreover, it reached France a century later, and slowly all of Europe was enjoying it. What’s more, several countries also set up their own cocoa plantation.
- Chocolate Gained World-Wide Popularity
Chocolate became quite popular among the royals. But what about the common people? Didn’t they deserve to have a taste of this treat too? Finally, they became worthy of having its taste in the 1800s with the commercialization of chocolate production. It all started with the invention of chocolate press. It was a revolutionary machine that produced chocolate powder. The powder was later mixed with liquid chocolate to make the amazing solid chocolate. And this is the form that reached the masses and was loved by them. So, this tale of deliciousness tells us that it took a lot of centuries for chocolate to reach the position it has today!