Cacao is native to central and southern America, and the seeds contain a variety of medicinal chemicals. It is the main raw material for the manufacture of cocoa powder and chocolate. It is one of the top three beverages in the world.

Chocolate originally came from the fruit of the wild cacao tree in the rainforests of Central America, and more than 1,300 years ago, the Mayan Indians of Yorktan made a drink called chocolate from roasted cacao beans.

People began to add flour and other starchy substances to the drink to reduce its greasiness.

In the early 16th century, Spanish explorer Hernán Cortés discovered in Mexico that the local Aztec kings drank a drink made from cocoa beans with water and spices.

Cortés tasted it and brought it back to Spain in 1528, where he planted cacao trees on a small island in West Africa.

The Spaniards ground the cocoa beans into a powder, added water and sugar, and heated it to make a drink called "chocolate," which was very popular with the public. The method was soon learned by the Italians and soon spread throughout Europe.

In 1642, chocolate was introduced into France as a medicine.

In 1765, chocolate was introduced to the United States and was praised by Benjamin Franklin as a "wholesome and nutritious dessert".

In 1828, the Dutch Van Houten built a cocoa press to extract the remaining powder from the cocoa liquor. The cocoa butter pressed by Van Houten was mixed with crushed cocoa beans and sugar, and the world's first chocolate was born.

After fermentation, drying, and roasting, the cocoa beans are processed into cocoa liquor, cocoa butter, and cocoa powder to produce the rich and distinctive aroma that is the mainstay of chocolate.

In 1847, cocoa butter was added to chocolate beverages to create the chewable chocolate blocks that are known today.

In 1875, a method for making milk chocolate was invented in Switzerland.

Chocolate is made from a blend of ingredients, but its flavor depends largely on the taste of the cocoa itself. Cocoa contains theobromine and caffeine, which provide a pleasant bitterness.

The tannins in cocoa have a mildly astringent taste, and the cocoa butter produces a fatty, smooth taste.

The bitterness, astringency, and acidity of cocoa and the smoothness of cocoa butter, with the help of sugar or dairy powder, milk fat, malt, lecithin, vanillin, and other auxiliary ingredients, and through the exquisite processing technology, chocolate not only maintains the unique taste of cocoa but also makes it more delicious.

So what are the benefits of eating chocolate?

1. Eating chocolate helps to control the cholesterol content, which can ensure the elasticity of capillaries and also prevent cardiovascular diseases. Chocolate contains theophylline acid, which can strengthen the immune system and prevent cancer.

2. It can slow down the aging process. Some substances in chocolate can be antioxidants, so for women to eat chocolate regularly can help the body to delay aging.

3. Chocolate is rich in carbohydrates, and there are proteins and fats, and various minerals. The body can easily absorb it after eating it, so it is good to eat chocolate before the exam.

Especially when pregnant women are in labor, eating chocolate can make the mouth of the uterus open wider, helping pregnant women to give birth smoothly.

4. Some substances in chocolate can enhance the memory of the brain, but also focus is a kind of brain that can make people mentally invigorated by food.

5. Chocolate can relieve mental stress and eliminate some tension, for people who are often under pressure, very easy to have mental problems or mood swings, and eating chocolate can effectively relieve this emotion.

Some substances in chocolate can make the human brain produce a good mood, so chocolate can play a role in relieving emotions.

Although chocolate has these advantages, it is important to note that it should not be consumed in excess.

The fat content in chocolate is high, which can lead to obesity and cause diarrhea, stomach pain, bloating, and another discomfort. Eating too much chocolate can erode your teeth and cause tooth decay.