JOIN USBittersweet secrets
Last month, on a trip to the Lindt Chocolate Factory in Zurich, I saw myself tucking into bars of dark chocolate, some that read 90% cocoa while others with as much as 99%. “Anything but milk chocolate,” my mother had reminded me, asking me to get her a couple of dark chocolate bars. Well, it’s not just her, a large number of Indians are finding favour with dark chocolate. As per a study published by the Asia Pacific Chocolate Market report 2022, the demand for chocolates is expected to be driven by Indian craft chocolate makers, that are champions of dark chocolate. Indian consumers are aware of the benefits of dark chocolates and thus, have developed a taste for them. The report also highlights how chocolates with a higher cocoa content are considered premium and luxurious than generic.
The food of the gods
No introduction is needed for this highly sinful yet treasured treat that dates back to 2000 BC. Its 4,000-year-old history began in Mexico where the first cacao plants were found. The Olmec, one of the earliest civilisations in Latin America, were the first to turn the cacao plant into chocolate. They drank it as a bitter fermented beverage and used it during their rituals. They believed that it was a gift from Quetzalcoatl, the Aztec god of wind and wisdom. Perhaps that is why Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus named the plant Theobroma cacao, from the ancient Greek words “theos” meaning god and “broma” meaning food — “food of the gods”. This revered brew was made of roasted cacao seeds mixed with chillies, water and cornmeal. They churned it into a thick creamy liquid called “xocolatl”, meaning bitter water. Chocolate was also used as a medicine to cure various ailments like fever, diarrhoea, fatigue, angina and tooth decay.
From Mexico, chocolate travelled to Spain when the explorer, Hernán Cortés, brought this treat to his homeland in 1528. He is believed to have discovered chocolate during an expedition to the Americas, where instead of gold and riches, he found a cup of cocoa given to him by the Aztec emperor. When Cortés returned home, he introduced cocoa seeds to the Spanish. Though still served as a drink, the Spaniards mixed it with honey and sugar to sweeten its naturally bitter taste. Chocolate quickly became popular among the rich and wealthy. Even Catholic monks loved chocolate and drank it to aid religious practices. In 1615, when French King Louis XIII married Anne of Austria, daughter of Spanish King Phillip III, she brought samples of chocolate to the royal courts of France.
This sweet treat was kept under wraps for almost a century before it reached France, and then the rest of Europe. Following France’s lead, chocolate soon appeared in Britain at special “chocolate houses”. As the trend spread through Europe, many nations set up their own cacao plantations in countries along the equator. In 1828, the invention of the chocolate press revolutionised chocolate making. This innovative device could squeeze cocoa butter from roasted cacao beans, leaving a fine cocoa powder behind. The powder was then mixed with liquids and poured into a mould, where it solidified into an edible bar of chocolate. And just like that chocolate was born.
The process
These neatly moulded rows of chocolate squares are the end result of many steps that begin as a cacao pod. Seeds (or cacao beans) are extracted from the pod and fermented, dried, and roasted. The shells of the bean are then separated from the cocoa nibs. The nibs are ground into a liquid called chocolate liquor, and separated from the fatty portion, or cocoa butter. The liquor is further refined to produce the cocoa solids and chocolate that we eat. After removing the nibs, the cocoa bean is ground into cocoa powder that is used in baking or beverages. Dark chocolate contains 50-90% cocoa solids, cocoa butter, and sugar, whereas milk chocolate contains anywhere from 10-50% cocoa solids, cocoa butter, milk, and sugar.
Health benefits
Over the years, a number of studies have pointed to the health benefits of eating dark chocolate. For starters, dark chocolate usually has less sugar and more cocoa solids, which is where beneficial flavonol compounds reside. Flavonols are thought to lower blood pressure and better heart health. Reina Shukla, a functional medicine practitioner and MD in Medicine says, “Dark chocolate is rich in antioxidants that help reduce inflammation and promotes anti-ageing properties. Good dark chocolate is also loaded with minerals like iron, magnesium, copper and zinc. So the darker the chocolate is, it is healthier. Adding nuts enhances the fibre and protein content and aids in regulating blood sugar by decreasing the glycemic index. The magnesium and theobromine in dark chocolate act as a muscle relaxant and helps relieve stress”. She also warns against its excess consumption: “Excess dark chocolate can cause headaches due to its bitterness and high caffeine content which can cause reflux or heartburn. It can also lead to palpitations and insomnia.”