Too sweet to be true

Who doesn’t know what chocolate is? What does it taste like? Whether you love bitter or milk Chocolate, when I say chocolate you know what it tastes like and how it makes you feel when you drink or eat it.

It all starts with the Cocoa tree and with the Mesoamericans; the Aztecs and the Mayan people. Both of these cultures loved their chocolate unsweetened with the addition of many herbs, flowers, nuts, seeds, leaves and spices, in a myriad of combinations. Today’s new flavors in chocolate, such as "Pepper Chocolate" or "Chili Chocolate", are not actually new; they date back to the Aztec and Mayan days, making our “new” actually quite old. 

Both cultures considered cacao, in the form of chocolate, to be a gift from the gods. The Mayas sometimes called it “The tree of sin and knowledge”.

The Cocoa/Cacao tree reached Europe through the trans-Atlantic migration.

Nowadays, we do consider chocolate as a sweet treat, but what most people don’t know is that it used to be taken as a medicine for hundreds of years, as well as used for ceremonies and religious feasts.

There was an ancient traditional belief that viewed cacao as a helpful substance to promote the production of breast milk, therefore, midwives used to carry cacao beans with them.

The Aztecs held a particular association between chocolate and the heart and, moreover, between chocolate and blood. The terms "Yollotl" and "Eztli" (heart and blood) were synonymous with the Aztec terms for chocolate. The shape of the pods of the Chocolate Tree were often depicted as being heart-shaped.

Chocolate was considered to be the blood of the Earth and there was a sacred association with Human blood.

The “An Aztec Herbal, 1552” manuscript included recipes using chocolate as an active ingredient in drinkable remedies for many digestive disorders, diarrhea, coughs, fatigue and heart problems. In certain combinations, it was found to be useful in fighting general infections and helping different skin conditions, fevers and more.

What the Aztecs and the Mayas knew so many years ago, is now proven. Recent studies in different countries show the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of dark chocolate consumption, as prevention therapy for people with high risk of a cardiovascular disease. 

The findings of this study suggest that the decrease in blood pressure and lipid effects of plain dark chocolate could represent an effective and cost-effective strategy for the prevention of a cardiovascular disease in people with a metabolic syndrome (and no diabetes). Chocolate benefits from being considered by most as pleasant, and therefore is a friendly treatment option. 

Evidence to date suggest that the chocolate would need to be dark and of at least 60-70% cocoa, or formulated to be enriched with polyphenols in order to be beneficial. Moreover, chronic cocoa consumption may lead to beneficial changes in gut macrobiotics, resulting in improved gut barrier functions.

Nutritionists know that dark chocolate also contains bio flavonoids, therefore, it is also an antioxidant and helps the cells in your body live longer. However, as is the case with all plants, the concentration of bioflavonoids in dark chocolate is low. From a nutritional aspect, chocolate consumption rehabilitates the weak.

There was an international conference of chocolate & cocoa that was first held in Florence Italy in 2014. It was organized by the ISCHOM, the International Society of Chocolate and Cocoa in Medicine.

At the University of Science in Paris there used to be a specialization in chocolate as a medicine for certain illnesses, especially intestinal problems and Depression. Since chocolate was considered by many to be an aphrodisiac, a digestive, a soporific, a tonic, and even a cure for certain intestinal afflictions, the university felt it was worth investigating, studying and using.

The first chocolate manufacturer in Europe was from Turin, Italy in 1678. They produced chocolate bars and potions for both pleasure and medicinal purposes.

There’s evidence underlying the long-standing belief that chocolate (and cacao) offer health, medicinal and nutritional benefits. With chocolate and cacao nature combines both medicine and food.

The story of chocolate is associated with millions of people, both common and notable such as economists, explorers, kings, politicians, and scientists. No other food, except for wine, has evoked such curiosity.

So, when you take yourself a piece of dark chocolate (60–70%) there is no need to regret it. You get “all in one”. You enjoy the sin while gaining some benefits as well. You may also consider, to consume it on a regular basis?! That is if you take into consideration that it still has its calories.

* This recommendation about consuming dark chocolate is not for people with Diabetic problems.