A Little History of Chocolate and Cacao

If you were wondering, “cacao” generally refers to a cacao plant or its beans before processing. What we call “chocolate” is made from these beans.

We get the word “chocolate” from the Aztecs’ word xocoatl, which was a luxurious drink made of cacao beans and spices. And the Latin name for the cacao tree, Theobroma cacao, means “food of the gods.” Appropriate, huh?

For most of chocolate’s history, it was actually a bitter beverage, not a sweet food. Historians estimate that humans have consumed cacao for 2,000-4,000 years, beginning in modern-day Latin America. Throughout this time, cacao has always been highly-valued. In fact, for some civilizations, cacao was valuable enough to be used as currency. According to food writer Amanda Fiegl, 16th-century Aztecs could trade one bean for a tamale, while 100 beans could purchase a good turkey hen (Source).

Chocolate Goes Global

The idea of sweetening chocolate actually came from Europeans. According to legend, the Aztec king Montezuma mistook conquistador Hernán Cortés for a reincarnated god. As a result, Montezuma welcomed the foreign invaders and served them xocolatl.

To make a long story short, after lots of bloody fighting, Cortés returned to Spain with many Aztec riches, including the recipe for drinking chocolate. The Spanish aristocracy adapted the recipe to their tastes, adding more vanilla and sugar, and fewer spices, setting the foundation for chocolate as we know it today.

Did You Know?

• By the 17th century, fashionable upper-class Europeans were drinking chocolate throughout the continent. They believed it had nutritious, medicinal, and even aphrodisiac properties.
• A British Quaker man, Joseph Fry, made the first chocolate bar in 1847. Later, his company became part of Cadbury.
• During the American Revolutionary War, soldiers were sometimes paid in chocolate instead of wages.
• Today, the average American eats about 1/2 a pound of chocolate each month.

Please scroll down to read more about CommuniTea Center’s loose leaf chocolate tea blends!

(O) = contains 95% or more organic ingredients

Loose Leaf Chocolate Tea: Pu-erh Tea Blend

• Mint Chocolate Kiss (O)– $3 sample/$12 2oz (*SEASONAL*)

This combination of peppermint and dark chocolate with pu-erh tea is so deliciously decadent! The cacao nibs provide a rich bitterness, much like dark chocolate. Add even just a touch of sweetener, and the chocolate taste becomes smooth and creamy. Oh so sweet… like a kiss! (Awww…)

Please note that “Mint Chocolate Kiss” is one of our holiday/winter blends, so it’s only available for a limited time each year. It’s worth the wait!!

Loose Leaf Chocolate Tea: Herbal Blend

• High Vibration (O)– $3 sample/$14 2oz

“High Vibration” is an herbal blend of rose petals and roasted cacao nibs, plus damiana, orange peel, cinnamon and vanilla. As a result, it’s very uplifting! Plus, the roasted cacao nibs lend it a nice, bittersweet, chocolatey richness. Overall, the effect is floral, sweet, and earthy.

And with that ingredient list, it’s the perfect tea for romance! Ooh la la!!

*Please note that the roasted cacao nibs add a trace amount of caffeine. It’s a teeny tiny bit.

Loose Leaf Herbal Teas

• Rooibos Blends
• Fruit Tisanes
• Wellness Tea - Thera-Teas^TM
• Herbs