While chocolate is popularly enjoyed for its unmatched decadence, several lesser-known facts about it still surprise chocolate lovers. From being used as a currency to its 5000-year-old Mesoamerican origin, here’s a look into the most intriguing chocolate facts.
With a 5000-year-old Mesoamerican history, chocolate has its roots in the Mayo-Chinchipe culture, who are believed to be the first to use cacao.
In Maya and Aztec cultures, they were considered a currency. Known for their utility, they were used for paying taxes and buying goods.
In Mesoamerican civilizations, ground cacao beans were used in a bitter drink called ‘xocolatl’. The name ‘chocolate’ came from the same word.
Making one pound takes 400 beans. One tree produces 2,500 beans a year, making it up for around 6.5 pounds of chocolate.
The high cocoa butter content, with a melting point slightly lower than the human body (86°F-90°F), makes chocolate melt in the mouth instantly.
Science says chocolate has positive impacts on the human brain, as the polyphenols improve circulation and help enhance memory.
Derived from the seeds of cacao pods that grow on the trunks of the tree, Theobroma cacao , chocolate is often considered a fruit.