In the ancient world, cocoa only existed in its purest form and was only known for its medicinal value. For many centuries, this pure form of cocoa was revered by all and trusted for its beneficial use in cases such as fever, heart pain, emaciation, fatigue, kidney and intestinal problems. There is historical evidence that points us to the ancient Mayan and Aztec civilizations that recorded their use of cocoa for medicinal purposes for over 2,000 years.

More recently, man has tarnished the healthy reputation of cocoa by adding emulsifying fats, sugars, milk, flavorings and preservatives, and introduced processed cocoa to the world. But this was not true of cocoa in the ancient world.

Cocoa’s Ancient Travelogue

The cultivation of cocoa plants dates back to 1500 BC. C., when it is believed that the Olmec Indians cultivated cocoa beans as a domestic crop. Around 250 B.C. C. to 900 d. C., the consumption of an unsweetened cocoa drink was prevalent, but only among the elite of Mayan society. It was a fancy drink even in those days! When the Maya migrated north from South America, they took their cocoa beans with them. This drink was a huge hit with the upper class Aztec Indians and they decided to make it their own, imposing a tax on the beans. The Aztecs were the first to call it “xocalatl”, which means warm or bitter liquid.

The famous explorers Columbus and Hernandez found cocoa beans during their voyages. Mayan nobles presented Prince Felipe of Spain with jars of whipped, pre-mixed, ready-to-drink cacao. But neither Spain nor Portugal shared this gift with the rest of Europe until a century later. In the 16th century, the Spanish began adding sugarcane juice and vanilla flavoring to produce a sweetened cocoa drink, which was more palatable to the taste buds.

Cocoa began to gain great popularity as a medicinal drink and for its aphrodisiac value. The first cocoa shop in London was opened in 1657. Also at that time, cocoa was considered a drink only for the elite of society. It was only in 1730 when the price of cocoa fell that it became affordable for the common man.

In 1765, chocolate was imported into the new “Colonies” by an Irishman named John Hanan. The beans were imported from the West Indies to Dorchester, Massachusetts, where the first chocolate mill was built in 1780. The chocolates were named after Dr. James Baker, who helped refine the chocolate to a flavor similar to what we know today. . These were known as Baker’s® chocolates.

In 1819, François Louis Callier opened the first Swiss chocolate factory. In 1828, Conrad Van Houten developed a process in Amsterdam that gave chocolate a smoother consistency by squeezing out some of the cocoa butter and adding alkaline salts. Some twenty years later, Joseph Fry & Son developed a process that put back some of the cocoa butter, added sugar, and created a smooth paste that could be molded into the first chocolate bar. In 1861, Richard Cadbury created the first Valentine-shaped box of chocolates for Valentine’s Day, forming an irrevocable link between chocolate and romance. Since then, chocolate makers have improved the texture, flavor, and variations of chocolate for chocolate lovers around the world. Back to the Historical Use of Cocoa

It was as recently as 1998 that research studies on cocoa suggested that the historical use of cocoa may be a very healthy path. selective consumption of chocolate for its antioxidant strength and its benefits for heart health! But not all chocolate is equal in its health properties. Of the variety of chocolates available today, cocoa in its purest form is the best option. The best option would be pure cocoa powder which can be used to make cocoa drinks. The second best option would be bitter dark chocolate. Milk chocolate does not contain the high antioxidant strength of bitter dark chocolate.

cocopure

CocoPure is one of the best blends of pure cocoa powder combined with two other antioxidant-rich nutrients: resveratrol and green tea extracts. The combination of these three ingredients forms a relaxing hot or cold drink. Studies on these three nutrients have been published in leading journals such as the Journal of the American Medical Association, American Journal of Physiology, Physiology of the Heart and Circulatory. They point to the ability of all three nutrients to support cardiovascular health, increased blood flow, arterial health, elevated energy levels, digestion, and the immune system.

Now, centuries later, science has finally caught up with the historical use of pure cocoa. The combination of Pure Cocoa, Resveratrol and Green tea is now available in one delicious drink that puts health and sophistication back into cocoa consumption! At only 30 calories per serving, CocoPure is also a great drink for those on a diet.