Brief History of Chocolate courtesy of Smithsonian

sarita — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 13:43:21 +0000

This interesting article from Smithsonian magazine discusses the early uses of chocolate and when it may have originated. Some suggest it was chocolate was used and consumed up to three or four thousand years ago in what is now Central America.

“It’s hard to pin down exactly when chocolate was born, but it’s clear that it was cherished from the start. For several centuries in pre-modern Latin America, cacao beans were considered valuable enough to use as currency. One bean could be traded for a tamale, while 100 beans could purchase a good turkey hen, according to a 16th-century Aztec document.”

The article also includes some little-known facts about chocolate. For example, did you know that chocolate was part of U.S. soldiers’ rations during the Revolutionary War and was also given in lieu of wages? (I love chocolate, but would still prefer the paycheck).

A Brief History of Chocolate | Smithsonian Magazine

Chocolate Is Healthy » History of Chocolate

Brief History of Chocolate courtesy of Smithsonian