The history of chocolate begins with Theobroma cacao. The seeds from the tree can be made into chocolate. Chocolate means “food of the gods”. For centuries, people have been enjoying the rich flavor of chocolate, a product made from this kind of plant.
It is said that Mayan people of Central America first learned to farm cacao plants around 2,000 years ago. The Maya took the cacao trees from the rainforests and grew them around their homes. They cooked the cacao seeds, then crushed them into a soft paste. They mixed the paste with water and spices to make an unsweetened chocolate drink. But only rich people could afford to drink because it was so expensive. Farmers grow cacao trees in many countries in Africa, Central and South America. The trees grow in the shady areas of rainforests and they are difficult to grow.
Cacao and chocolate were an important part of Maya culture. Some scientists believed the word for chocolate came from the Aztec word “xocolatl”, which means “bitter water” in the Nahuatl language. Others believe the word “chocolate” was created by combining Mayan and Nahuatl words.
Chocolate making is a big business. Each year, the market of the cacao crop around the world can provide more than five billion dollars. Chocolate is especially popular in Europe and the United States. Americans eat an average of more than five kilograms of chocolate per person every year.
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