Hot chocolate was once a 16th-century medicinal remedy before it became a comfort drink

There is nothing more comforting than sipping a cup of hot chocolate on a warm monsoon evening, yet there is something rather intriguing about its history. Before it emerged as a delicious beverage, hot chocolate originated in a medicinal concoction. It was only after several centuries of evolution that cacao was transformed into the sweet beverage that we now enjoy.

Hot chocolate: The journey from ancient medicine to a modern comfort drink

The ancient Mesoamerican cultures of the Mayas and the Aztecs were the first people to consume cacao, using it in their drinks in an unsweetened, spiced form, long before the invention of hot chocolate. The consumption of cacao is traced back to as early as 1900 to 1500 BCE, and there were still signs of its use by the Mayas as late as 250 CE. The drink was made with the ingredients of cacao, chilli, corn, spices and sometimes even tree barks and animals' body parts.

Cacao beans made their way to Europe in the 16th century, initially considered medicine. Chocolate consumption was suggested as a remedy against such conditions as rage, melancholy, dyspepsia, loss of flesh, fever, infectious disease, urinary stones, and enfeebled constitutions. Diseases were categorised into hot, cold, wet, and dry using Hippocratic and Galenic theory, and chocolate was viewed as a means of achieving bodily equilibrium.

Cacao beans made their way to Europe in the 16th century, initially considered medicine. Chocolate consumption was suggested as a remedy against such conditions as rage, melancholy, dyspepsia, loss of flesh, fever, infectious disease, urinary stones, and enfeebled constitutions.

Diseases were categorised into hot, cold, wet, and dry using Hippocratic and Galenic theory, and chocolate was viewed as a means of achieving bodily equilibrium. Hot chocolate that Europeans drank was usually thick and flavoured to hide its bitter taste. Its common components were spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg, chilli, sugar/honey, flour/maize, plants/herbs, as well as wine and egg.

This drink was prescribed for strengthening the body and enhancing digestive process along with stimulating effects. It was served as a nutritive drink containing carbohydrates and fats to the old, sickly persons, and soldiers.

Since the 19th century, however, the manufacture of industrial chocolate has changed its nature altogether. Thanks to the cocoa press, which allowed the drink to become smoother, more affordable, and easier to produce, hot chocolate was moved from medicine to entertainment. With an increasing availability of sugar, the drink has also gained a sweeter taste. In the late 19th century, Swiss manufacturers created a new type of hot chocolate, which gave rise to the present-day creamy taste.

For more updates, join/follow our WhatsApp, Telegram and YouTube channels.