The earliest use and consumption of cacao beans was in around 1000 B.c. Later, the Mayan and Aztec civilizations consumed cacao as a drink. They often flavored it with ingredients such as chili peppers and other spices. Drinkin cups of was an important part of Mayan rituals such as wedding chocolate ceremonies. People also believed that consuming cacao had positive effects on health. In Peru, eating or drinking a mixture of chocolate and chili was said to be good for the stomach. The Aztecs thought it cured sicknesses such as diarrhea One story says that their ruler, Montezuma, drank fifty cups a day