The origin and history of chocolate – Valentines Day Special

The origin of chocolate :

The inception of chocolate begins with the cacao tree . The cacao trees flourish in usually hot and humid atmosphere. The trees bear oval shaped pods which contains cacao beans .  Furthermore , the cacao pods are ready to harvest when they turn into yellowish sort of color . After plucking the pods from the tree , they are opened up and beans are removed from them . The beans inside are surrounded with white pulp .

It is believed that the white layer around the beans was used  to make fermented cacao wine in Latin America . Furthermore , the beans are exposed to sunlight with the white pulp on them to enhance flavor . When left to dry , the cream colored beans turn into purple color. Finally , the beans are taken for fermentation either via the “heap method” of America or a system of cascading boxes of America .

For fermentation , the beans are placed either on bamboo mats or wooden boards. During the period of fermentation , the beans start to inherit some of the flavors and colors of chocolate .

The history of chocolate :

It is believed that even in earlier ages , chocolate was quite popular and was used as a drink in it’s entire history. The vessels found by archaeologists dating back to  1750 BC have traces of cacao bean’s beverages in them .  The white pulp around the cacao beans was used to make alcoholic drinks out of it . The cacao seeds were also used for other purposes of everyday life as well. Other than making alcohol , the beans were also used for production of bitter drinks.

Most noteworthy , the tale took turn when European people started importing chocolate to their country . Spanish people consumed it as a drink and added sugar and raw honey .

Health benefits :

Though chocolate is considered a bad snack option for our health , it still hold some benefits too  :

1 . The consumption of chocolate helps to lower bad cholesterol in our body .

2 . Higher the consumption of chocolate , lesser the chance of heart disease .

3 . It is a source of antioxidants , fiber and magnesium.

4 .  Improve blood circulation in the body.

5 . Improve memorizing capacity of an individual.

Next time you take a bite from chocolate bar , feel free to enjoy it’s overwhelming taste without being health conscious.