Passion for Chocolate - Ancient History and Health Benefits

The Beatles sang, “All you need is love,” but Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz was the wise man who said, “All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt.” This month, with a nod to love and Valentine’s Day tradition, we turn our focus to this heavenly treat. We say “heavenly” because the botanical name for the plant from which we make chocolate, Theobroma cacao, literally translates as "food of the gods." Luckily, we need not actually be divine to indulge. Mere mortals have been consuming chocolate in all its forms since ancient times.

Ancient History

The earliest known use of chocolate is by Mayans  before A.D. 400 and possibly as early as 1400 B.C. They grew the cacao beans in their gardens and crushed them and blended them with

other spices to make a strong cocoa drink, hot and bitter. Later, the Aztecs improved upon that recipe. They made a delicious cold drink called “xocoatl”that was a mixture of the roasted and crushed cacao beans, cornmeal, chiles, vanilla and honey. They associated the cacao bean chocolate with Xochiquetzal, the goddess of fertility, and used it as a sacrificial offering. The Aztec believed cacao was a source of spiritual wisdom, energy and higher sexual prowess, so it was popular for use during the nuptial night and the wedding ceremonies. For them, chocolate was considered an aphrodisiac, able to arouse the sexual passion. Aztec emperor Montezuma was known to drink fifty cups a day to be able to satisfy all of his many wives.

 As cacao was expensive, it was a highly-prized luxury item among Mayan and Aztec elites and was generally reserved for the upper classes. Cacao beans were as valuable a commodity as gold, often traded for goods and services, and even used to pay taxes levied by Aztec rulers.

Christopher Columbus discovered the surprising and amazing taste of chocolate during his travel in America. He liked it immensely and decided to bring it back to Spain. Once introduced there, the new luxury beverage quickly made its way across Europe, where it became very popular. All chocolate is derived from the cacao bean/seeds. Nicknamed “black gold' by the Spanish, chocolate captivated taste buds with its rich bittersweet flavor and, by the early 1600s, chocolate was in vogue all across Europe.

In London, chocolate houses began to pop up and rivaled coffee houses as social gathering spots. One shop opened on Gracechurch Street in 1657 advertising chocolate as “a West Indian drink [which] cures and preserves the body of many diseases." In France, Madame de Sevigne wrote about enormous chocolate consumption at court in Versailles in 1671. Louis IV consumed the drink daily. A Madame du Barry was said to use chocolate mixed with amber to stimulate her lovers.

When Marie Antoinette married Louis XVI in 1770, she brought her own personal chocolatier to Versailles. The official “Chocolate Maker to the Queen” created recipes that included chocolate mixed with orchid bulb for strength, chocolate with orange blossom to calm the nerves, and chocolate with sweet almond milk to aid the digestion. He must have also made a divine cake! The chocolate bar didn’t come along until later in the 18th century, when chocolate was mixed with milk, but we’ll get into that a little later.

Now that mere mortals were passionate about this “food for the gods,” they found medicinal uses for cacao and other ways to incorporate it in their lives.

Health Benefits and Use as Medicine

“A little chocolate a day keeps the doctor at bay” - Marcia Carrington

Early colonial records from the 1500s indicate cacao was used as a medicine and acted as a carrier in the administration of other remedies. It was highly valued for its ability to treat weak patients with a variety of ailments. It was particularly known to improve digestion and stimulate appetite as well as kidney and bowel function. Additional conditions that responded to treatment using cacao included anemia, fatigue, fever, low sex drive, respiratory troubles, and low breast milk production. In addition to the roasted and ground cacao bean, cacao oil/butter was used in the treatment of skin problems including eczema, psoriasis and burns. Today, that oil we know as cocoa butter is used as a skin and hair moisturizer, lubricating agent, and beauty aid. When it’s combined with the cacao bean, it becomes the sweet chocolate confectionery we love. 

“Chemically speaking, chocolate really is the world's perfect food." ― Michael Levine

With more than 300 identifiable chemical compounds, cacao is one of the most complex and

pleasurably satisfying foods on the planet. In its raw form, cacao has many benefits because it contains natural substances thought to stimulate and balance brain wave activity. It also has antioxidants and other beneficial compounds known for their rejuvenating effects. Cacao is a potent source of magnesium, a mineral essential in aiding the heart to pump blood efficiently, building strong bones, and lowering blood pressure. In fact, it’s thought that a female’s strong cravings for chocolate during the menstrual cycle may be related to a need for magnesium, a mineral that has calming qualities. Cacao is also a good source of the beauty mineral sulphur, responsible for healthy skin, nails and hair. Research has demonstrated that when dark chocolate is incorporated into a healthy lifestyle, it can improve heart health, blood pressure, reduce LDL "bad" cholesterol, and increase blood flow to the brain. It can also improve blood sugar and insulin sensitivity, thus reducing risk of diabetes.

As far as chocolate’s reputed ancient use by the Aztecs as an aphrodisiac and the Mayans’ association of chocolate with their fertility god, there is indeed some scientific support. Chocolate contains the chemicals phenylethylamine and serotonin, known mood boosters and mild sexual stimulants. It’s widely known that eating chocolate makes you feel good, sometimes even euphoric. But the aphrodisiac qualities of chocolate relate more to the sensual pleasure of how it feels rich and smooth and melts in your mouth than to sexual stimulus.

“Chocolate is cheaper than therapy and you don't need an appointment.” ― Catherine Aitken

Chocolate satisfies our appetite for pleasure like no other substance. Many of us are likely to consume a little chocolate every day, perhaps as a morning cup of mocha or an after-lunch snack, for its mood boosting effects in an attempt to help relieve some of the stress of working life. Is it any wonder that when polled, 50% of women say they prefer chocolate to sex? Widespread availability and easy portability of chocolate makes it the perfect private pleasure to enjoy anytime, anywhere. When not accompanied by guilt, the power of chocolate is truly a beneficial thing. However, while chocolate really can be good for you, not all chocolate is created equally. If you're after health benefits, you need to know a little more about how your chocolate is made.

Cocoa beans are roasted, graded, and ground to make a chocolate liquor, which also contains cocoa butter. Unsweetened baking chocolate is chocolate liquor that's been solidified and pressed. Cocoa powder is cocoa butter that’s been removed from the chocolate liquor and dried. Dark chocolate is a blend of sugar, cocoa butter, and chocolate liquor. Sometimes vanilla is also added. Milk chocolate is created when milk or milk powder is added to the dark chocolate formula. White chocolate has no chocolate liquor and is a combination of sugar, cocoa butter, milk or milk powder, and vanilla. Emulsifying agents are often added to chocolate candy to give it a smoother texture and pleasant mouth feel. This process is often enhanced for more expensive chocolates.

Chocolate’s health benefits come from flavonoids, a phytochemical found in cacao beans. Most chocolate we eat today is a combination of cocoa solids, fats, sugar, and, in the case of milk chocolate, milk. Dark chocolate contains a higher percentage of cocoa than white or milk chocolate. The greater the percentage of cocoa in the chocolate product, the higher the concentration of flavonoids and the richer its health-promoting content. Most milk chocolate contains up to 50% cocoa, while some inexpensive chocolates contain as little as 7% cocoa. Look for dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa for the finest dark chocolate rich in healthy flavonoids.

Limit portion sizes when consuming chocolate regularly, because even though dark chocolate contains those good-for-you flavonoids, you can’t overlook the fat, sugar, and calories. A small portion of about an ounce, savored slowly, should satisfy your taste buds and provide chocolate's health benefits without also adding unwanted pounds. Life is meant to be enjoyed, so don’t be afraid to indulge from time to time with chocolate cake or other decadent desserts, but maintain a healthy balance with salads, veggies, water, and regular exercise.