Today I visited the chocolate museum in Paris, Choco-Story. It was such a wonderful experience to learn about the history of chocolate and how it transformed from the cocoa bean into the chocolate we know today. Chocolate is always seen as a guilty pleasure and an indulgence but should we really feel guilty? Chocolate has transformed throughout history but its many health benefits have been around since the Aztecs and Mayans discovered the cocoa bean. Here’s 21 things that you need to know about chocolate plus some if it’s health benefits: 1. There are 3 different major varieties of cocoa bean: Criollo, Forastero & Trinitario In case you didn’t know, chocolate is made from cocoa beans, which are grown on trees. (Meaning it’s derived from a plant so it’s healthy right?)
2. Three countries produce 68% of the world’s cocoa.
3. The Aztecs and Mayans used cocoa beans as an early form of currency. In early society Aztecs and Mayans used cocoa beans as currency to purchase other goods. One rabbit cost 10 cocoa beans. 4. Aztecs and Mayans were the first ones to make cocoa into a drink. They believed that cocoa beans were a gift from the gods and made offerings that were a mix of blood and crushed cocoa beans. In doing so, they also ground the beans, added spices and diluted it with water. It was considered a drink of the gods because of its health benefits including making the body stronger and fending off fatigue. 5. Aztecs and Mayans designed special pottery to “foam” the cocoa drinks. As you can see in the picture above, the pot has a spout and a tube like handle. To foam the cocoa they would blow air into the tube and voila! 6. “Foaming cocoa” was used as a celebratory drink at marriage ceremonies. Now, we use champagne (or sparkling wine). 7. The Aztecs and Mayans are the reason why we raise a champagne glass for a toast. Since were on the topic of toasting at ceremonies I thought this was one of the coolest facts. In fact, they had a special goblet with 3 hollow legs filled with a single cocoa bean. Before drinking, they would shake the goblet, which would make noise (from the cocoa bean) to ward off evil spirits. So in fact, when we raise our glasses for a toast, we are doing so to get rid of those pesky evil spirits! Cool huh?! 8. Cocoa is the base for Mole, a popular traditional Mexican dish prepared for special occasions. Again, here the Aztecs and the Mayans are responsible for passing on this tradition. As I mentioned before, they believed cocoa was a gift from the gods so it only makes sense that they would use it to celebrate special occasions. 9. In the 1650s, London had dedicated “Chocopubs” for hot chocolate. After chocolate was brought back from Mexico by conquistadors, obviously Europeans loved it. It became so popular they made a pub just for hot chocolate, which they called Chocopubs. And why did they go out of fashion? The world may never know. Maybe I’ll bring it back! 10-14. The Spanish originally sold cocoa products in pharmacies because of its health benefits! The Aztecs and the Mayans introduced hot chocolate to the Spanish as a medicinal drink because it made them stronger and gave them more energy. So of course, the Spanish did the same. Cocoa was mixed with pepper for people suffering from liver problems. Cocoa and grey amber was believed to be beneficial for your heart. (What’s grey amber? Essentially sperm whale vomit that washed up on shore – if you don’t trust me google it. It’s an interesting read. Yeah…) Cocoa mixed with achiote improved breathing. Cocoa butter was sold as an ointment for burns and wounds. 15. The three main ingredients to make chocolate are cocoa paste, cocoa butter and cocoa powder all given to use by the cocoa tree! The jewels of the cocoa tree are the cocoa beans because they give us all we need to make chocolate! 16. Pinat and Cadot, two French metal mold manufacturers, started producing molds for chocolate in 1820. Molds changed the game for chocolate. For much of history, chocolate was consumed as a liquid drink for nobles (in Europe). When chocolate was made into a solid state you could imagine it was even more popular and created a new wave of chocolate business. Medicinal Benefits of Chocolate It’s time for all the chocolate shamers to sit down. Here’s some facts based on scientific research that disprove the common medical evils chocolate causes. (Note: Chocolate refers to dark chocolate. Please let me know if you want me to explain anything further. I’m nowhere near an expert but I understand everything I wrote here!) 17. Chocolate reduces cholesterol levels. Thanks to the stearic acid naturally found in the cocoa butter. Stearic acid is converted to oleic acid when processed by our livers. Oleic acid reduces bad cholesterol levels and increases good cholesterol levels. Oleic acid is also found in olive oil, which is commonly known for its heart health benefits. 18. Chocolate prevents cavities. Cocoa naturally contains powerful cavity fighters including tannins, fluoride and phosphates. Tannins prevent the development of bacteria. Flouride makes your enamel stronger and phosphates keep the acids formed by sugars that are being metabolized at bay. 19. Chocolate reduces stress and helps combat fatigue. As the Mayans and Aztecs figured out long ago, chocolate is a godsend. Chocolate naturally contains caffeine, theobromine, serotonin and phelylethylamine which all work together to benefit us by reducing stress and fighting fatigue. 20. Chocolate doesn’t cause acne. I know that’s technically not a benefit depending on how you look at it but there is no medical study that shows a link between chocolate consumption and acne. 21. Chocolate has a low glycaemic peak. Diabetics have no fear! You can still eat dark chocolate just watch the amount of glucids you’re consuming and you’re all good! *All information presented is directly from the museum. I hope you enjoyed all that good history and facts about chocolate. Join the Pati Cake & Friends Facebook group to get access to photos from the museum! What’s the most interesting fact you learned? P.S. I got myself a little model cocoa bean as a decoration for my table! How COOL is that?! Advice for visiting the chocolate museum – Choco-Story Paris
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AuthorHey there! I'm Patricia a recent college grad and business owner who had the crazy idea of picking up my life and moving to Paris to chase my dreams! Follow me on my journey to becoming a Pastry Chef. 😁👩🏻🍳 Archives
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