Chocolate is one of the most popular flavors in the world, it is a very versatile ingredient, it has multiple presentations as it can be prepared in beverages, sweets, chocolate bars, cakes, loaves, cereal, yogurt and Many other foods. This is because of its pleasant taste, chocolate can be mixed with thousands of ingredients that offer the consumer a wide variety of flavors such as milk chocolate, bitter chocolate, sweet chocolate, coffee with chocolate, mint chocolate, there are even flavors More peculiar like chocolate with spicy and salty chocolate.
What curiosities do you know about chocolate?
It all starts with cocoa, a plant that produces the fruit from which chocolate is obtained through a series of chemical procedures.
Cacao is a native fruit of the American continent, the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) has made several scientific investigations about the origin of the cacao due to the importance of the chocolate in the Mayan culture.
Ecuador is another country that has carried out archeological research trying to find out exactly the origin of the cacao, who say that it is a fruit which originated in the Amazon region, although it is believed that Mexico was the first country where the cacao Ecuadorian scientists try to verify that this fruit was born in their lands and that the nomads moved it to Mexico.
Chocolate the drink of the gods
Chocolate was so important in Mayan culture that in 2008 a group of archaeologists found a vessel considered sacred belonging to the Mayan culture located near Manatí Hill (Veracruz, Mexico) and the evidence determined that the vessel dates from 1750 BC.
Cocoa for the Mayan emperors was considered a sacred elixir, the drink was used in sacred rituals and celebrations and it was tradition to drink it in marriages.
It was also used in births as the Mayan children were purified in a ceremony similar to Catholic baptism, with cacao plants and stones ritual was performed to bless newborns. It was considered as a sign of spiritual power and resurrection, in the tombs of the ancient Mayan kings funerary vessels with cacao were deposited as a sign of purity, spiritual power and resurrection faithfully believing that this sacred fruit accompanied and purified the soul of the deceased.
In addition to its delicious taste, cocoa has an interesting history in our culture and brings benefits to our health, is rich in antioxidants which help prevent aging cells and contains dopamine, dopamine is a hormone that causes an antidepressant effect In our brain and gives us a feeling of encouragement and rejoicing. So nothing better than a good cup of hot chocolate to increase the mood and feel full of joy and vigor.