Fifteen hundred years ago in the Central American rain forests, where the tropical mix of high rain fall combined with high year round temperatures and humidity provide the ideal climate for cultivation of the plant from which chocolate is derived, the Cacao Tree. The Cacao Tree was worshipped by the Mayan civilisation who believed it to be of divine origin, Cacao is actually a Mayan word meaning “God Food”. Like the Mayan, the Aztecs were so fascinated with the bean that they attributed its creation to their god Quetzalcoatl who, as the legend goes descended from heaven on a beam of a morning star carrying a cacao tree stolen from paradise and since the cocoa bean is very precious to that they made it as their currency.
The Aztecs enjoyed Cacao as a beverage fermented from the raw beans and they called this drink as Xocolatl, the Spanish conquistadors found this almost impossible to pronounce and so they changed it to the easier ‘Chocolat’, the English further changed this to Chocolate. Hernando Cortez a Spanish conqueror who conquered Mexico for Spain was the first conqueror to be fascinated with the Aztec’s bitter, spicy beverage Xocolatl and was impressed to see cocoa beans as Aztec’s currency. When Cortez returned to Spain, he brought back some of the cocoa beans with him and gave it to his king, Charles V. The Spaniards then tried mixing the cocoa beans with sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla and then it became the drink of the nobilities in Spain. The Europeans then sweetened and fattened it by adding refined sugar and milk and labeled its use to sweets and desserts. The creation of the modern chocolate bar was then developed in the 19th century by Briton John Cadbury.
Toady, chocolate has become one of the most popular desserts worldwide, and it has also become a tradition for some to make molded chocolates on certain holidays like Valentine’s Day, New Year, Easter, Christmas, etc. Chocolate is a very delicious food that contains hundreds of naturally occuring chemicals like vitamins A1, B1, B2, C, and D, as well as iron, calcium, potassium, sodium, and magnesium which helps the body produce serotonin – a chemical in the brain that is released after eating carbohydrates and is a neurotransmitter that communicates a feeling of calm to the brain and helps to stabilize moods.
Chocolate also contains theobromine, caffeine, phenylethylamine (PEA), and anandamide that have a deep effect on the brain and shows a specific phsycological effect on the body. The healthiest chocolate is the pure dark chocolate that contains antioxidants which destroys free radicals in the body. Free radicals are side effects of oxygen metabolism that can damage cells and are among the causes of many degenerative diseases, especially diseases associated with aging.
Chocolate is a delicious “feel good” food. However, chocolates that are low in cocoa offer no real benefits and should only be eaten as an occasional treat. Thus, if you really are very addicted on chocolates try eating dark chocolates instead, not only does it taste good, it is also good for you.
No comments:
Post a Comment