The History of Chocolate
Chocolate Myths and Facts
The Nutritional Value of Chocolate

In Brief....

The first people known to have made chocolate were the ancient cultures of Mexico and Central America. These people, including the Maya and Aztec, mixed ground cacao seeds with various seasonings to make a spicy, frothy drink.

Later, the Spanish conquistadors brought the seeds back home to Spain, where new recipes were created. Eventually, the drink’s popularity spread throughout Europe. Since then, new technologies and innovations have changed the texture and taste of chocolate, but it still remains one of the world’s favorite flavours.

Chronological Development of Chocolate....

When mixed with water, chile peppers, cornmeal, and other ingredients, this paste made a frothy, spicy chocolate drink.

The Aztecs adopted cacao.
By 1400, the Aztec empire dominated a sizeable segment of Mesoamerica. The Aztecs traded with Maya and other peoples for cacao and often required that citizens and conquered peoples pay their tribute in cacao seeds—a form of Aztec money.

Like the earlier Maya, the Aztecs also consumed their bitter chocolate drink ('chocolatl') seasoned with spices—sugar was an agricultural product unavailable to the ancient Mesoamericans.

(Aztec Emperor Montezuma, who reportedly drank 50 or more portions daily, served guests this royal drink in ceremonial golden goblets, treating it like a nectar for the gods. In fact, the cacao tree's botanical name, Theobroma cacao, pays homage to its mythical origins. Translated from Greek, "theobroma" means "food of the gods". The Aztecs held that prophets had brought cocoa beans to their lands. Thus, the beans were a valued commodity, not only for use as a kingly drink but also as a medium of exchange.)

Many people in Classic Period Maya society could drink chocolate at least on occasion, although it was a particularly favored beverage for royalty. But in Aztec society, primarily rulers, priests, decorated soldiers, and honored merchants could partake of this sacred brew.

Chocolate also played a special role in both Maya and Aztec royal and religious events. Priests presented cacao seeds as offerings to the gods and served chocolate drinks during sacred ceremonies.

Cacao Becomes an Expensive European Import
Europe’s first contact with chocolate came during the conquest of Mexico in 1521. The Spaniards recognized the value attached to cacao and observed the Aztec custom of drinking chocolate. Soon after, the Spanish began to ship cacao seeds back home. An expensive import, chocolate remained an elite beverage and a status symbol for Europe’s upper classes for the next 300 years.

When the Spanish brought cacao home, they doctored up the bitter brew with cinnamon and other spices and began sweetening it with sugar. They managed to keep their delicious drink a Spanish secret for almost 100 years before the rest of Europe discovered what they were missing. Sweetened chocolate soon became the latest and greatest fad to hit the continent.

Because cacao and sugar were expensive imports, only those with money could afford to drink chocolate. In fact, in France, chocolate was a state monopoly that could be consumed only by members of the royal court.

Like the Maya and the Aztecs, Europeans developed their own special protocol for the drinking of chocolate. They even designed elaborate porcelain and silver serving pieces and cups for chocolate that acted as symbols of wealth and power.

Cacao and sugar were labor-intensive agricultural products. To keep up with the demand for chocolate, Spain and many other European nations established colonial plantations for growing these plants.

A combination of wage laborers and enslaved peoples were used to create a plantation workforce.

Chocolate In America
Chocolate drinking arrived in the American colonies in 1765, when the first chocolate factory opened in New England. Even Thomas Jefferson extolled chocolate's virtues, describing "....the superiority of chocolate for both health and nourishment".

Chocolate Meets Mass Production and Machinery
For centuries, chocolate remained a handmade luxury sipped only by society’s upper crust. But by the 1800s, mass production made solid chocolate candy affordable to a much broader public.

To meet the demands of today’s global market, chocolate manufacturing relies on both ancient techniques in the field and new technologies in the factory.

New inventions and ingredients improved chocolate’s taste and texture.
The Industrial Revolution witnessed the development of an enormous number of new mechanical inventions and ushered in the era of the factory. The steam engine (invented by James Watt in 1770, mechanized the cocoa bean grinding process), made it possible to grind cacao and produce large amounts of chocolate cheaply and quickly.

Later inventions like the cocoa press (invented by C. J. Van Houten in 1828, did much to improve the quality of the beverage by squeezing out part of the cocoa butter, the fat that occurs naturally in cocoa beans).and the conching machine made it possible to create smooth, creamy, solid chocolate for eating—not just liquid chocolate for drinking.

Cacao growing hasn’t changed much since ancient times. New processes and machinery have improved the quality of chocolate and the speed at which it can be produced. However, cacao farming itself remains basically unaltered.

People grow cacao in equatorial climates all around the world today using traditional techniques first developed in Mesoamerica. Cacao is still harvested, fermented, dried, cleaned, and roasted mostly by hand.

Significant developments in the chocolate industry.
In the middle of the 19th century, two significant developments revolutionised the chocolate industry. In 1847, an English company introduced solid "eating" chocolate. Now the public could enjoy chocolate eaten out of the hand as well as in the form of a drink.

Three decades later, at Vevey, Switzerland, Daniel Peter found that milk could be added to chocolate to make a new product, appropriately named milk chocolate.

We use cacao for more than just making chocolate.
Today, additional steps in the processing of cacao help create a variety of new flavors and forms for chocolate candy.

But cacao is more than a source for calories and confections. The chemicals and substances in cacao can be extracted and incorporated into cosmetics and medicines. And the by-products of cacao can be used as mulch or fodder for cattle.

References: (1) The Field Museum, USA; www.fieldmuseum.org (2) Creative Chocolates

Nothing wrong with Chocolate

In fact, results of new research are revealing that chocolate has many interesting characteristics. It's time, therefore, to set the record straight (and debunk some myths).

......Rekha Naidu (Consultant Dietician)

MYTH : Chocolate containing cocoa is a non-nutritious food
FACT : A 1.5oz bar of milk chocolate supplies the following percentages of the U.S. Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA): Calcium - 9%; Riboflavin - 9%; Protein - 6%; Iron - 3%; Vitamin A - 2.4%; Thiamine - 2%.

The addition of, for eg, nuts or peanut butter increases the nutrient values.

MYTH : Chocolate is high in sodium.
FACT : A 1.5oz bar of unsweetened or semi-sweet chocolate contains only 1.5mg of sodium; a bar of milk chocolate - 40mg. Compare this with: 1 cup of whole milk - 122mg; 1 slice of whole wheat bread - 132mg and 1oz of swiss cheese has 440mg of sodium.

MYTH : Chocolate promotes tooth decay/dental caries
FACT : Research has found that one of the ingredients in cocoa powder, inhibits the activity of the enzyme that forms dental plaque.

Any carbohydrate food is potentially cariogenic as bacteria in the mouth metabolise fermentable carbohydrates which leads to acid formation and a decrease in plaque pH which can result in demineralisation of the tooth enamel, ultimately leading to caries. While sugars have been implicated in the development of dental caries, the role of fermentable carbohydrates is quite complex. Sugars tend to be less cariogenic than starch because they dissolve in water and saliva and are removed from the mouth rapidly. Thus the cariogenicity of food is not necessarily related to its sugar content. Foods that are 50% sugar do not necessarily cause more tooth decay than foods that are 10% sugar. Other food contents can also modify the cariogenicity of the food.

The cocoa bean is not intrinsically cariogenic because it does not contain significant fermentable carbohydrate. For this reason unsweetened chocolate is not considered a contributing factor in the development of caries and recent studies counter the common perception that sweetened chocolate is highly cariogenic. Other research has indicated that naturally occurring substances in cocoa, such as tannins, may play a role in inhibiting plaque formation. Whilst not entirely free of a cariogenic potential, chocolate when used in moderation should not be considered as playing a major role in causing dental caries.

Just remember to brush your teeth regularly and floss!

MYTH : Chocolate causes acne.
FACT : One of the greatest myths of all time is that chocolate causes acne, particularly amongst teenagers. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Poor diet is the real culprit, but in the past, it has always been easy and convenient to blame chocolate. Hormonal changes at puberty, coupled with a diet lacking in zinc and high in iodine, are also high on the list of suspects.

We know that chocolate is basically harmless unless, like everything else, it is over-consumed. Chocolate has been found not to cause nor aggravate outbreaks of acne. These results are backed up by further research that shows acne in no way is affected by chocolate.

Recent scientific studies have suggested chocolate boosts the serotonin in the brain that produces a calming effect and stability. Stress has been identified as a cause of acne. If chocolate stimulates the serotonin and calms the nerves, then chocolate could ironically be found to assist in acne restraint.

Chocolate lovers will be pleased to know that nutritionists believe chocolate plays a nutritional role in a balanced diet. The facts are that chocolate carries about one-third of an adult’s daily requirement of antioxidants.

MYTH : Eating chocolate makes you fat.
FACT : Overindulgence is the real issue here. Eating in moderation, even chocolate, together with regular cardiovascular workouts is the answer to maintaining a healthy body weight. The emphasis here should be on fitness and not just weight loss. Truth is, there is no single food that is fattening; it is the amount consumed that often determines a person's weight.

As a footnote, it might be worth noting that the American Dietetic Association, in their "Tip of the Day" section, advises "the inclusion of chocolate in your routine in moderation."

MYTH : The caffeine in chocolate over stimulates children, causing them to become hyperactive.
FACT : One ounce of chocolate has 5mg. One cup of coffee contains between 93 and 153mg and tea, depending on length of brewing, has between 28 and 44mg of caffeine per cup. And some soft drinks have between 32-65mg per 12oz can.

You would have to eat a lot of chocolate bars (about 50 pieces of 1.5oz bars!) to be able to blame a bad night's sleep on chocolate.

MYTH : Chocolate may cause heart disease.
FACT : Here again, we find chocolate being miscast as the bad guy. The rise in incidence of heart disease in Malaysia is due primarily to people's sedentary and unhealthy lifestyles.

Smoking, lack of exercise and unbalanced diets high in saturated fats are the real culprits. Chocolate, on the other hand, contains antioxidants known as phenols that may lower the level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL cholesterol). It is now thought that the stearic acid in cocoa butter or the fat in chocolate has no effect on blood cholesterol.

A sensible guide for healthy living is to follow a high fibre, high complex carbohydrates, low fat and low sugar diet plus regular exercises. And a little chocolate in the diet may not be such a problem for the heart.

MYTH : Chocolate is an aphrodisiac.
FACT : This is one that could prove to be true. Although no food has yet been proven to be aphrodisiacs, chocolate does have a positive reaction on brain chemistry and is known to improve one's mood.

The pleasurable feelings associated with eating chocolate is due to the release of natural opiates that are known to reduce pain and enhance one's mood and sense of pleasure. Practically speaking, none of the opiates seem to be present in large quantities to produce such an effect. Most likely, it is the combination of chocolate's sensory characteristics, nutrient composition, and psychoactive ingredients that are responsible.

Glen Campbell, an Australian nutritionist, put it best when he said: "Eating chocolate truly is one of life's pleasures."

In other words, you can't go wrong with a gift of chocolate.

References: (1) www.koko.gov.my (Malaysian Cocoa Board) (2) www.icco.org (International Cocoa Organization) (3) The Sunday Star, August 20, 2000

Some studies indicate that dark chocolate may decrease blood pressure and insulin resistance. These are not conclusive studies and have been done only on healthy subjects, but the indications are positive.

Green tea, black tea, red wine, and blueberries all contain flavonoids, but none are as high as chocolate. One ounce a day is enough - chocolate has calories and more is not better.

by Diana Farrell Serbe (referenced from www.inmamaskitchen.com)

The Goodness of Cocoa:

Chocolate Reduces the Risk of Cardiovascular Disease:
Studies reported that the quantity of antioxidants absorbed from cocoa and chocolate is considerably higher than that from wine, tea and vegetables, and dietary intake of cocoa rich in antioxidant flavanoids may reduce the risk of artherosclerosis, morbidity and mortality from coronary heart disease.

Cocoa Increases The Ability to Cope with Stress:
From study on rats, it has been established that administering antioxidants during stress situations and training exercises has a beneficial effect on stamina. The study in Japan has shown that cocoa polyphenol suppresses the change in an emotional behaviour under physical stress and promote the accommodation to the stress.

Cocoa Delays the Aging Process:
Aging is another process that is due to the destructive effect of free radicals. Therefore, antioxidant rich diets can play a role in delaying the aging process. Extensive research has been carried out with respect to the aging process and it is assumed that the life expectancy of a healthy human being can be extended by 5 to 10 years by adhering to a well-balanced antioxidant rich diet. Another study carried out by the Department of Epidemiotology of the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, USA, found that chocolate consumers enjoy and average 0.95 added years of life compared to non-consumers. As a plausible explanation for these observations the presence of polyphenols as antioxidants in chocolate was mentioned.

Nutrition Table of Chocolate

	Dark Chocolate	Milk Chocolate
Energy	511kcal	514kcal
Fat	32.5g	29.0g
Protein	4.1g	8.1g
Carbohydrate	51.9g	56.1g
Iron	2.3mg	0.8mg
Calcium	29.0mg	233.0mg
Thiamine	0.04mg	0.09mg
Riboflavin	0.02mg	0.3mg
Niacin	0.4mg	0.4mg
Vitamin A	22.0mg	84.0mg

Referenced from: www.koko.gov.my (Malaysian Cocoa Board)

The information contained in the above material in this Website is only for information purposes. The material on this page does not constitute advice and you should not rely on any material in this page to make any decision or take any action.

Testimonial The party started off pretty well with the introduction of the Chocolate Fountain. With marshmallows , bananas, strawberries and grapes ready on the table , party-goers dipped the various assortments into the thick, sweet layer of chocolate.Many were fascinated by what they tasted, often going for more than one helping. I even knew of a friend who went for 10 helpings before proceeding to the main course. Personally, I believe that the Chocolate Fountain has certainly enhanced the entire environment of the party and created an unforgettable chocolate experience. Tang Shu Haur, student (United World College, UK)