Chocolate's Sweet History: From Elite Treat to Food for the Masses

Ancient Mesoamericans believed chocolate was an energy booster and aphrodisiac with mystical and medicinal qualities. The Mayans , who considered cacao a gift from the gods, used chocolate for ...

History of chocolate - Wikipedia

The history of chocolate dates back over 5,000 years, when the cacao tree was first domesticated in present-day southeast Ecuador. ... claimed that chocolate was an aphrodisiac, [42] and Hernández reported to Spain a range of conditions he believed chocolate and its additives could treat. [75]

Hot for Chocolate: Aphrodisiacs, Imperialism, and Cacao in the Early ...

The inaccessibility of chocolate to most early modern Europeans meant it has not featured strongly in the longer history of European "aphrodisiacs" specifically, but the story of the ways that Europeans adopted the bittersweet central American drink as a sex remedy says a great deal about the history of sexuality, medicine, gender ...

10 of the Weirdest Things Consumed as Aphrodisiacs

9.Chocolate: A Tempting Aphrodisiac with a Sweet History. How about an aphrodisiac we can all get behind? While not as exotic or unusual as some aphrodisiacs on this list, chocolate has a rich history of being associated with love and desire. Its aphrodisiac reputation can be traced back to ancient Mesoamerican civilizations, where the cacao ...

History of Chocolate: Cocoa Beans & Xocolatl | HISTORY

The history of chocolate, and its creation from the beans of the cacao tree, can be traced to the ancient Maya, and even earlier to the ancient Olmecs of southern Mexico.

Is chocolate an aphrodisiac, antidepressant or something. History of ...

Whether it is enjoyed as creamy milk chocolate truffles, baked in a devilishly dark chocolate cake or even poured as hot cocoa, Americans on average consume almost 20 pounds of chocolate in a year.

Hot Chocolate: Did Mesoamericans think cacao was an aphrodisiac ...

A quick Google or visit to Wikipedia will tell you that cacao was considered an aphrodisiac in Mesoamerica, where it was first cultivated. According to History.com, 'ancient Mesoamericans believed chocolate was an energy booster and aphrodisiac with mystical and medicinal qualities.' But there is, in fact, no evidence from any Olmec, Mayan or Aztec archeology, anthropology or surviving ...

A Brief History of Chocolate | Smithsonian

By the 17th century, chocolate was a fashionable drink throughout Europe, believed to have nutritious, medicinal and even aphrodisiac properties (it's rumored that Casanova was especially fond of ...