Chocolate is consisted of the raw and processed foods obtained from the seed of the tropical ‘Theobromacacao’ tree. Cocoa has been grown in Mexico, Central and South America for the last three thousands of years and its first certified usage was in B.C. 1.100s. Most of the Mesoamerican societies have prepared beverages including chocolate. The Aztecs have also prepared a beverage called xocolatl that is a Nahuatl word which means ‘bitter water’. The seeds of the cocoa trees have a dense piquant taste and they should be fermented in order the taste to be improved.
After the fermentation process, the seeds are dried, cleaned and roasted and their shells are removed in order to obtain the cocoa bean. The cocoa beans are grinded and the cocoa mass that is pure chocolate in rough form is acquired. Because, this cocoa mass is firstly liquefied with our without any materials and then molded, it is called as the chocolate liquor. This liquor can be processed as two components: The cocoa mass and cocoa oil. The unsweetened chocolate (the bitter chocolate) usually includes various rates of cocoa mass and cocoa oil. Today, most of the chocolates that are consumed today are like sweet chocolates that are mostly consisted of the cocoa mass, cocoa oil or other oils and sugar. In addition to this, the milky chocolate is a sweet chocolate that contains milk powder or concentrated milk. The white chocolate contains cocoa oil, sugar and milk, while it does not contain any cocoa mass.
The cocoa pastes contain alkaloids such as theobromine and phenethylamine that have physiological impacts on the body. These alkaloids are linked with the serotonin level of the brain. Some researches have shown that chocolate consumed lightly decreases the blood pressure. The existence of theobromine is poisonous for some animals especially for cats and dogs. Chocolate has become one of the most popular foods kinds and tastes of the world. The chocolates that are suitable for a present that are molded in various forms have become traditional for some days: The chocolates formed as rabbits and eggs are popular in the Easter; the chocolates that are formed as Hanukkah, Santa Clause and other Christmas symbols are popular in Christmas and the heart shaped chocolates and the chocolates in the heart-shaped boxes are popular in the St. Valentines Day. Chocolate is also used in hot and cold beverages for preparing chocolate milk and hot chocolate. |
