CHOCOHOLICS ANONONYMOUSby sandra olson

For many of us, the word chocolate conjures up images of purely delightful, creamy sweetness, in a variety of shapes, textures and fillings that satisfy and calm us when we're frazzled, give us energy when exhausted and comfort us like no other sweet treat can...Ahhh, Chocolate!

So where was it invented? Has it always been a solid? These questions and more are answered in the following pages, so let's delve into the history of this sweet treat and learn more about a Valentine's Day essential!

THE HISTORY OF CHOCOLATE
The ancient Mayans and Aztecs in 250-900 A.D. are the first to have enjoyed chocolate according to the history books, but it was a much different chocolate than what we know today. Mixed with chile peppers, water, cornmeal and other spices, the Cacao seed made a frothy, bitter drink that was initially favored by royalty. Yuck!

Chocolate (Cacao Bean) made its way to Europe after the conquest of Mexico in 1521 when Fernando Cortez, realizing this form of trade to be valuable, (it was once used as money in the form of barter) conquered Mexico and took the seeds back to Europe where the Spaniards began to experiment with the cacao, adding cinnamon, spices and sugar. Because it was an expensive import, it was reserved for the elite in European society for a span of 300 years.

CHOCOLATE FINDS ITS SWEET SPOT
Though sweetened chocolate was kept a
Spanish secret for the first 100 years or so, word spread rapidly after the monks who prepared the cocoa beans literally "spilled the beans" by telling others about its luxury and method of preparing. It quickly became the latest fad to strike Europe and the upper class.

CHOCOLATE IN THE 1800's.
Due to the industrial age and with the invention of the Cocoa Press in 1828, through which the Cocoa Press removed the cocoa butter from the bean, with the end result being similar to the cocoa powder we know today - a much smoother texture to consume, factory production made the chocolate (drink form) more readily available and affordable to the average person. No longer did you need to be a priest, esteemed soldier, or of royal heritage to drink it.
Two years after the Cocoa Press was
invented, in 1830, J.S. Fry & Sons produced the world’s first "solid" chocolate. GOD BLESS THEM!

CHOCOLATE IN RELIGION & LOVE
For hundreds of years, chocolate meant far more than simply a luxurious treat. It was a symbol of royalty, prestige, a gift presented to the gods (What a waste of chocolate!), and was often drank during religious ceremonies.
Legendary as an aphrodisiac and truly
believed as such, Aztec ruler Montezuma II is believed to have drunk an entire cup before visiting “the ladies” and is also rumored to have consumed up to 50 servings daily! He was known for serving his royal guests thick chocolate in golden goblets which were disposed of after only one use.

As for love, the connection could be that women throughout the last century have received gifts of chocolate at special occasions, so our culture is partially responsible in tying love and chocolate together. It is void of significant nutrition- not being a requirement in order to survive, so it is in essence, a luxury… and people love to pamper themselves or loved ones, hence making it a “special” treat.On a more scientific level, Phenylethylamine (PEA) is a stimulant found in chocolate and also in the human brain. Through the generations, people have believed this to be the aphrodisiac effect in chocolate because when a minuscule amount of PEA is released
at moments of emotional euphoria, blood
pressure and heart rate are both raised.
Unfortunately, there is no FIRM scientific
evidence that PEA found in foods, increases PEA in the brain, but who knows for sure.

Also, sugar or fat, when ingested into the body, causes the release of serotonin, causing feelings of Euphoria. This could be a major part of the chocolate addiction, as these chemical releases are the same as those
experienced at the height of orgasm. No
wonder women love chocolate!

And last but not least, there is another chemical in chocolate, Anandamide; that produces effects similar to marijuana when it interacts with the brain, giving a heightened sense of well being.
But, there are also less-romantic foods which contain more PEA than chocolate which are salami, pickled herring and cheddar cheese, to name a few.
Those just don’t have that same
sensual essence to them, do they?!

Chocolate Myths
Chocolate’s been believed to cure or treat seizures, fevers, dysentery, diarrhea, and skin infections; induce sleep, aid digestion, purify the blood, ease childbirth pains, and enhance libidos – while others believed it caused drunkenness or illness.

Chocolate Saves Lives
1938: During times of scarcity and war,
chocolate still reigned supreme. The U.S.
government designated room on ships for
cocoa importation because of the intense amount of energy it helped produce; giving the soldiers both energy and endurance. Even today, you’ll still find 3 - 4oz. bars of chocolate included as part of the U.S. Army’s daily rations.

Chocolate Facts
• The Cocoa seed contains over 300 chemicals and substances that have been fine-tuned and developed into today’s cosmetics and medicines, while the byproducts of the seeds are often used as fodder/mulch for cattle. Does that make chocolate milk I wonder...?

• Though flavors, additions and textures may vary these days, Cacao is grown today much in the same way that the ancient Mayans first produced it, flourishing in equatorial climates around the world.

• For almost 90% of its history, chocolate was simply a drink, not solid like it is today.

• 1657:The first English Chocolate House was opened in Great Britain

• In 1847, Fry & Sons invented the FIRST Chocolate Bar

• 1876: Daniel Peter began adding milk to the chocolate mixture, making the first "Milk Chocolate" that we know today.

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