Some experts believe 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.
The explorer Christopher Columbus brought cacao seeds to Spain after his trip to Central America in
1502. But it was the Spanish explorer Hernando Cortes who understood that chocolate could be a
valuable investment. In 1519, Cortes arrived in Mexico. He believed the chocolate drink would
become popular with Spaniards. After the Spanish soldiers defeated the Aztec empire, they were
able to seize the supplies of cacao and send them home. Spain later began planting cacao in its
colonies in the Americas in order to supply the large demand for chocolate.
The wealthy people of Spain first enjoyed a sweetened version of the chocolate drink. Later, the
popularity of the drink spread throughout Europe. The English, Dutch and French began to plant
cacao trees in their own colonies. Until the 18
th century, only wealthy people could afford to drink
chocolate. During the period known as the Industrial Revolution, new technologies helped make
chocolate less costly to produce.
Farmers grow cacao trees in many countries in Africa, Central and South America. The trees grow in
the shady areas of rainforests near the Earth’s Equator. But these trees can be difficult to grow.
They require an exact amount of water, warmth, soil and protection. After about five years, cacao
trees start producing large fruits called "pods," which grow near the trunk of the tree. The seeds
inside this pod are harvested to make chocolate.
Growing cacao is very hard work for farmers. They sell
their harvest on a futures market. This means that
economic conditions beyond their control can affect the
amount of money they will earn.
Today, chocolate industry officials, activists, and
scientists are working with farmers. They are trying to
make sure that cacao can be grown in a way that is fair to
the farmers and safe for the environment.
To become chocolate, cacao seeds go through a long production process in a factory. Workers
must sort, clean and cook the seeds. Then they break off the covering of the seeds so that only the
inside fruit -- or nibs -- remain. Workers crush the nibs into a soft substance called chocolate liquor.
This gets separated into cacao solids and a fat called cocoa butter.
Chocolate makers have their own special recipes in which they combine chocolate liquor with exact
amounts of sugar, milk and cocoa fat. They finely crush this “crumb” mixture so it is smooth. The
mixture then goes through two more processes before it is shaped into a mold form.
Chocolate making is a big business. Each year, the market value of the cacao crop around the world
is 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. Specialty
shops that sell costly chocolates are also very popular. Many offer chocolate lovers the chance to
taste chocolates grown in different areas of the world.
Dark Chocolate and Heart Health
Researchers have known that chocolate -- especially dark chocolate -- is good for the heart. Now,
they know why. Besides tasting good, researchers have found that dark chocolate protects against
heart disease in two ways: it returns movement to hardening arteries. It also keeps white blood cells
from gathering on blood vessel walls. Both of these conditions can lead to plaque formation. Plaque
can block the flow of blood, causing heart disease.