Maya Indians were the first ones to cultivate cocoa tree using cocoa beans as currency. Thus, a rabbit was worth ten cocoa beans, while a hundred cocoa beans equaled a slave.
Aztecs believed they were given cocoa tree as a gift from god Quetzalcoatl and they also used cocoa beans as currency. Their king Moctezuma bestowed on Spanish conquerors a 2000 square meters cocoa tree plantation. The purpose was to stop the conquerors from plundering and instead make them to pay for their necessities with cocoa beans
Ancient people consumed cocoa in the form of a drink most frequently mixing it with water and adding spices such as chili, cinnamon, vanilla and pepper. This drink was poured into cups in such way to make better foam which they considered the best part of the drink.
Cocoa drink was refreshing and it gave warriors magical strength and stamina. Ancient people of Latin America believed in it and the drink had the effect.
Chocolate today is not only used for eating – it is also used in cosmetics and medicine. It has been…
