History of chocolate

The history of chocolate dates back more than 5,375 years, when the cacao tree was first domesticated in present-day Mexico. Soon after domestication, the tree was introduced to Mesoamerica, where cacao drinks gained significance as an elite beverage among cultures including the Maya and the Aztecs. Cacao was considered a gift from the gods and was used as currency, medicine, and in ceremonies. A variety of cacao-based drinks existed, including an alcoholic beverage made by fermenting the pulp around the seeds, however, it is unclear when a drink that can strictly be defined as chocolate first originated. Early evidence of chocolate consumption dates to 600 BC, when it was often associated with the heart and believed to have psychedelic properties.

Spanish conquistadors encountered cacao in 1519 and brought it to Spain, where it was used as a form of medicine. From there, it spread through Europe over the following three centuries, gaining popularity among elites. It was debated for its medicinal and religious merits, and sometimes regarded as an aphrodisiac. Following the transformation of chocolate from an elite drink into a solid, widely consumed product due to technological innovations, the 19th century saw the rise of Swiss and British chocolate makers, as well as the industrialization of production.

Since World War I, chocolate has continued to evolve, leading to the development of couverture and white chocolate. Manufacturers have also introduced alternative ingredients such as cheaper fats and lecithin. Production increased dramatically in the 20th century, with new markets emerging in Asia and Africa. Awareness of labor exploitation, especially child labor, has shifted attitudes toward chocolate production. As of 2018, the global chocolate trade was valued at over US$100 billion, concentrated among a relatively small group of cocoa processors and chocolate manufacturers.

Chocolate is a Spanish loanword, first recorded in English in 1604 and in Spanish in 1579. Its precise origins are debated. It is popularly thought to derive from the Nahuatl word chocolatl, as early texts use the term cacahuatl ("cacao water") for cacao drinks. Another hypothesis links it to the proposed Nahuatl word xocoatl, meaning "bitter drink", though scholars Michael and Sophie Coe argue against this, noting inconsistencies in the phonetic shift from "x" (sh) to "ch". A further theory suggests derivation from chocolatl in a Mayan language, meaning "hot water", though there is no evidence that chocol was used to mean hot.

Some scholars argue it may come from the Nawat word chikola:tl, possibly meaning "cacao-beater", in reference to whisking cacao to produce foam. However, the meaning of chico remains uncertain. Anthropologist Kathryn Sampeck suggests that chocolate originally referred to a specific cacao beverage made with annatto in what is now Guatemala. By about 1580, when the Izalcos were major cacao producers, the word expanded to mean cacao beverages in general.

The cacao tree is native to the Amazon rainforest. Evidence of cacao domestication exists as early as circa 3300 BC in present-day southeast Ecuador by the Mayo-Chinchipe culture, before it was introduced to Mesoamerica. This emerged from research into residue in ceramics, which revealed starch grains specific to the cacao tree, residue of theobromine (a compound found in high levels in cacao), and fragments of ancient DNA with sequences unique to the cacao tree. The domesticated cacao tree was then spread along the Pacific coast of South America. It is unclear when a drink that could be considered chocolate was first consumed, as opposed to other cacao beverages, given that there is evidence the Olmecs fermented the sweet pulp surrounding the seeds into an alcoholic beverage.

Cultivation, consumption, and cultural use of cacao were extensive in Mesoamerica. Inhabitants of ancient Mesoamerica created varietals of cacao that grew abundant, high-quality fruit. The earliest evidence of cacao drink consumption in the region dates to the Early Formative Period (1900–900 BC). On the Pacific coast of Chiapas, Mexico, the Mokayan people consumed bitter frothy watery cacao drinks by 1900 BC. Archaeological evidence from the Gulf Coast of Veracruz, Mexico, demonstrates cacao preparation by pre-Olmec peoples by 1750 BC. Traces of cacao have been found in bowls and jars dated between 1800 and 1000 BC in the city of Puerto Escondido, Mexico. The decorations on these ceramics suggest that cocoa was a centerpiece to social gatherings among people of high social status.

Although there is evidence that the Olmec consumed cacao as a beverage, little evidence remains on how it was processed. Some evidence suggests cacao consumption in the Olmec regions of San Lorenzo Tenochtitlán. Large vases found suggest that the Olmec used cacao for mass gathering events such as sacrificial rituals.