"Chocolate was consumed by the Gods in Paradise, and the seed of cocoa was conveyed to man as a special blessing

by the God of the Air" Mexican Mythology FROM WHERE DID THE WORD COME FROM? The word "chocolate" is said to derive from the Mayan "xocoatl"; cocoa from the Aztec "cacahuatl." The Mexican Indian word "chocolate" comes from a combination of the terms choco ("foam") and atl ("water"); early chocolate was only consumed in beverage form. HISTORY OF CHOCOLATE It was the Maya Indians, an ancient people whose descendants still live in Central America, who first discovered the delights of cocoa as long ago as 600 AD. A drink called 'chocolatl' made was their most important use but cocoa beans were also valued as a currency. The spread of the cacao tree started during the age of Colonialism, as did the spread of cacao beans, and of chocolate itself. Christopher Columbus was the first European to come in contact with cacao. Christopher Columbus brought back cacao beans to King Ferdinand from his fourth visit to the New World, but they were overlooked in favour of the many other treasures he had found. It was his fellow explorer, the Spanish Conquistador Don Hernan Cortes, who first realised the commercial value of the beans. He brought cocoa beans back to Spain in 1528 and gradually the custom of drinking chocolate spread across Europe, reaching England in the 1650s. When chocolate finally reached England in the 1650s, the high import duties on cocoa beans meant it was a drink only for the wealthy. Gradually chocolate became more freely available. In 1657, London's first Chocolate House was opened by a Frenchman, who produced the first advertisement for the chocolate drink to be seen in London. Eating chocolate was introduced in 1674 in the form of rolls and cakes, served in the various chocolate Emporiums. HOW IS CHOCOLATE MADE? Beans are sorted by hands and then roasted. Following the roasting process, the beans are loaded into a machine known as the winnower, which removes the hard outer hulls and separates the "nibs" of the beans by size. Sugar and vanilla are added during this process. The "chocolate liquor" received is transferred to the "conche-refiner". Following conching, the liquid chocolate is tempered for several hours. The final steps in the process are molding the chocolate, allowing it to cool and harden, and then finally packaging it. EFFECTS OF CHOCOLATE Chocolate has been said to cause acne and tooth decay, and has a reputation for being a fattening, nutritionless food. On the other hand, chocolate is also known for being everything from an anti-depressant to an aphrodisiac. Eating chocolate neither causes tooth decay nor aggravates acne. Two studies; one by the Pennsylvania School of Medicine and another by the U.S. Naval Academy showed that eating chocolate (or not eating it) did not produce any significant changes in the acne conditions of the study's participants. Chocolate also has not been proven to cause cavities or tooth decay. The

sugar in chocolate does contribute to cavities, but no more than the sugar in any other food. Obviously, eating too much of any food may cause health problems. The cocoa butter in chocolate does contain saturated fat, which can increase blood cholesterol levels, and high cholesterol can contribute to heart disease. However, recent research at the University of California, Davis, has found that chocolate carries high levels of chemicals known as phenolics, some of which may help lower the risk of heart disease. Plants such as chocolate, coffee, tea, and others contain high levels of phenolics. I love chocolate, I love you I hope you will never prove untrue But Ill have chocolate if you do I can count on chocolate By Zeke Hoskin