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Return To Chocolate Article Archive   Chocolate: Manna From Heaven By Michael Haydon Chocolate, the exquisitely rich, dark sweet treat loved by billions all over the world, was originally discovered in the Amazonian jungles many thousands of years ago the precious Cacao plant from which the secret was eventually prised, was believed by the Mayans to have been created by the god Quetzalcoatl. Because the food was given to them by a god, then it truly was food from the gods! The beans were highly prized, and became even more so after the Spanish conquistadors transported them back to Europe. There it became the treat only available to the rich, in fact in England only royalty were allowed to consume the precious chocolate drink produced from the beans. It was at that time a bitter treat with what was believed to be a healthy beverage. How Chocolate Became a Treat For the Masses! It was not until the early 1900s that Chocolate in its modern form really took off in North America. Prior to this period, chocolate was an extremely expensive commodity limited to those who were well-off, similar to the royal exclusiveness in England. It took the Henry Ford of the chocolate world, Milton Hershey, to bring chocolate to everybody with his innovative modern approach to chocolate production. Once North Americans tasted it, the chocolate industry was born and never looked back, spawning hundreds of manufacturers across the world. As discussed above milk chocolate was and still is the most popular, but the varieties of darker chocolates are becoming more and more popular with more mature palates. In fact this has been enhanced by the release of reports that indicate high anti-oxidant foods should be part of a healthy diet. You see dark chocolate is high in anti-oxidants! So what better excuse to eat more dark chocolate? Naturally some people dont like high cacao content chocolates but although it can be an acquired taste, there is a huge range to choose from, so you are sure to find one you like. Praise the Gods! I know that you like chocolate because you are reading this article all the way through! If you look around you will find dozens of Cacao based products in your pantry. So remember, next time you pop that delicious treat into your mouth, take a short moment to give thanks to the Mayan god who gave us this special and delicious plant all those thousands of years ago! About the Author: Michael is the owner of Chocolate Lovers, the BEST site for all things chocolate. You will also find great chocolate based gift ideas at www.ChocolateMad.com keywords: Chocolate | Chocolates | Candy About Chocolate

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