Hot chocolate
540333
226066205
2008-07-16T17:58:06Z
Peter Isotalo
505774
/* European adaptation */ replaced modern pic with a more appropriate 18th century painting
[[Image:Hahndorf Hot Chocolate.jpg|thumb|250px|A cup of hot Chocolate.]]
{{for|the musical band|Hot Chocolate (band)}}
'''Hot chocolate''', '''hot cocoa''', '''drinking chocolate''' or just '''cocoa''' is a [[warm|heated]] [[beverage]] that typically consists of [[chocolate]] or [[cocoa|cocoa powder]], heated [[milk]] or [[water]], and [[sugar]]. The first chocolate beverage is generally believed to have been created by the [[Maya civilization|Mayan]] 2000 years ago, and a cocoa beverage was part of [[Aztec]] culture by 1400. The beverage became popular in [[Europe]] after being introduced from what is now Mexico in the [[New World]], and has undergone multiple changes since then. Today, hot chocolate is consumed throughout the world and comes in multiple variations including the very thick ''cioccolata densa'' served in [[Italy]], and the thinner hot cocoa that is typically consumed in the [[United States]]. Recent studies have suggested that hot chocolate possesses health benefits, due to [[antioxidant]]s contained by cocoa, and until the 19th century, hot chocolate was used medicinally.
==History==
{{Further|[[History of chocolate]]}}
Chocolate is made from [[cocoa]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/113885/chocolate#tab=active~checked%2Citems~checked&title=chocolate%20--%20Britannica%20Online%20Encyclopedia|title=Chocolate--Britannica|accessdate=2008-06-27|publisher=Brittanica online encyclopedia}}</ref> the dried and partially fermented seeds of the [[cacao]] tree (''Theobroma cacao''), a small (4–8 m (15-26 ft) tall) [[evergreen]] [[tree]] native to the deep tropical region of the Americas. Recent genetic studies suggest that the most common [[genotype]] of the plant originated in the [[Amazon basin]] and was gradually transported by humans throughout South and Central America. Early forms of another genotype have also been found in what is now [[Venezuela]]. The scientific name, ''[[Theobroma]]'', means "[[food]] of the [[deity|gods]]".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/c/cacao-02.html|title=Cacao|accessdate=2008-06-27|publisher=Botanica}}</ref> The [[fruit]], called a cacao pod, is ovoid, 15–30 cm (6-12 in) long and 8–10 cm (3-4 in) wide, ripening yellow to orange, and weighs about 500 g (1 lb) when ripe.
The chocolate residue found in jars from the site of Puerto Escondido in Honduras from around 1100 B.C. is the earliest evidence to date of the use of cacao.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pubs.acs.org/cen/news/85/i47/8547news3.html|title=Cacao Drinks Date To 1150 B.C.|publisher=Chemical & Engineering News|accessdate=2008-07-12|last=Kemsley|first=Jyllian}}</ref> An early Classic (460-480 A.D.) period [[Maya civilization|Mayan]] tomb from the site of Rio Azul, Guatemala, had vessels with the [[Maya script|Maya glyph]] for cacao on them with residue of a chocolate drink.<ref name="Riches"> {{cite book|last=Burleigh|first=Robert|title=Chocolate: Riches from the Rainforest|publisher=Harry N. Abrams, Ins., Publishers|date=2002|isbn=0-8109-5734-5}}</ref> The Maya are generally given credit for creating the first modern chocolate beverage over 2,000 years ago, despite the fact that the beverage would undergo many more changes in Europe.<ref name="M&M's">{{cite book|last=Earley|first=Diane|title=The Official M&M's History of Chocolate|publisher=Charlesbridge Publishing|date=2001|isbn=1-57091-448-6}}</ref>
[[Image:Chocolatepot.jpg|thumb|250px|Silver Chocolate pot, France, 1779.<ref>{{cite web |publisher= [[Victoria and Albert Museum]]|url= http://www.vam.ac.uk/images/image/4497-popup.html |title= Silver Chocolate Pot|work=Metalwork|accessdate= 2007-08-18}}</ref> Victoria and Albert Museum, London]]
To make the chocolate drink, which was served cold, the Maya ground cocoa seeds into a paste, and mixed it with water, cornmeal, chile peppers, and other ingredients.<ref name="Riches" /> They then poured the drink back and forth from a cup to a pot until a thick foam developed. Chocolate was available to Maya of all social classes, although the wealthy drank chocolate from elaborately decorated vessels.<ref name="Field">{{cite web|url=http://www.fieldmuseum.org/Chocolate/about.html|title=All About Chocolate|date=2007|last=Kerr|first=Justin|publisher=The Field Museum|accessdate=2008-06-27}}</ref>
By the 1400s, the [[Aztecs]] gained control of a large part of [[Mesoamerica]], and adopted cacao into their culture. They associated chocolate with [[Xochiquetzal]], the goddess of fertility,<ref name="Etymology">{{cite web|url=http://www.chocolate.be/eng/history/history.htm|title=Etymology of the word chocolate|accessdate=2008-06-27|publisher=Chocolate.be}}</ref> and often used chocolate beverages as sacred offerings.<ref name="Riches" /> The Aztec adaptation of the drink was a bitter, frothy, spicy drink called ''xocolatl'', made much the same way as the Mayan chocolate drinks. It was often seasoned with [[vanilla]], [[chile pepper]], and [[achiote]],<ref name="Field" /><ref name="Riches" /> and was believed to fight fatigue, which is probably attributable to the [[theobromine]] content, a mood enhancer. Because cacao would not grow in the dry central Mexican highlands and had to be imported, chocolate was an important luxury good throughout the Aztec empire, and cocoa beans were often used as currency.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1310/is_1990_Jan/ai_8560999|title=When cocoa was used as currency - pre-Columbian America - The Fortunes of Money|last=Peniche Rivero|first=Piedad|accessdate=2008-06-26|publisher=[[UNESCO Courier]]}}</ref>
The first European contact with chocolate came when [[Montezuma II|Montezuma]] introduced [[Hernán Cortés]] to ''xocolatl'' in the 16th century.<ref name="Riches" /> What the Spaniards then called "chocolatl" was said to be a beverage consisting of a chocolate base flavored with vanilla and other spices that was served cold.<ref>Hickling, William (1838). ''History of the Conquest of Mexico''. ISBN 0-375-75803-8.</ref><ref name="Rediscover">{{cite web|url=http://whatscookingamerica.net/Beverage/HotChocolate.htm|last=Stradley|first=Linda |title=Rediscover True Hot Chocolate - History of Hot Chocolate|accessdate=2008-06-27|publisher=What's Cooking America}}</ref> [[Montezuma II|Montezuma]]'s court reportedly drank about 2000 cups of ''xocolatl'' per day, 50 of which were consumed by Montezuma himself.<ref name="Field" />
Because sugar was yet to come to the Americas,<ref name="Riches" /> ''xocolatl'' was said to be an [[acquired taste]]. The drink tasted spicy and bitter, unlike today's hot chocolate.<ref name="Riches" /> As to when ''xocolatl'' was first served hot, sources conflict on when and by whom.<ref name="Riches" /><ref name="Rediscover" /> However, [[Jose de Acosta]], a Spanish [[Society of Jesus|Jesuit]] missionary who lived in Peru and then Mexico in the later 16th century, described ''xocolatl'' as:
<blockquote>Loathsome to such as are not acquainted with it, having a scum or froth that is very unpleasant taste. Yet it is a drink very much esteemed among the Indians, where with they feast noble men who pass through their country. The Spaniards, both men and women, that are accustomed to the country, are very greedy of this Chocolate. They say they make diverse sorts of it, some hot, some cold, and some temperate, and put therein much of that "chili"; yea, they make paste thereof, the which they say is good for the stomach and against the [[catarrh]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://library.thinkquest.org/J0113211/the_history_of_chocolate.htm|title=History of Chocolate|publisher=[[ThinkQuest]]|accessdate=2008-06-27|publisher=History of Chocolate}}</ref> </blockquote>
===European adaptation===
[[Image:Pietro Longhi 025.jpg|thumb|200px|Hot chocolate soon became a fashionable drink of the nobility after the discovery of the Americas. ''The morning chocolate'' by [[Pietro Longhi]]; Venice, 1775-1780.]]
After defeating Montezuma’s warriors, and demanding that the Aztec nobles hand over their valuables, Cortés returned to [[Spain]] in 1528, bringing cocoa beans and chocolate drink making equipment.<ref name="Cortes">{{cite web|url=http://www.cadbury.co.uk/EN/CTB2003/about_chocolate/history_chocolate/cortes.htm|title=Don Cortes|date=2008|publisher=Cadbury Trebor Bassett|accessdate=2008-06-27}}</ref> At this time, chocolate still only existed in the bitter drink invented by the Maya.<ref name="Riches" /> Sweet hot chocolate and [[chocolate bar|bar chocolate]] were yet to be invented.
After its introduction to Europe, the drink slowly gained popularity. The court of King [[Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor|Charles V]] soon adopted the drink, and what was then only known as "chocolate" became a [[fashion]]able drink popular with the Spanish [[upper class]]. Additionally, cocoa was given as a [[dowry]] when members of the Spanish Royal Family married other European aristocrats.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://btcocoa.com/index.php?page=articles-detail|title="History of Hot Chocolate"|accessdate=2008-06-26|publisher=BT Cocoa}}</ref> At the time, chocolate was very expensive in Europe because the cacao beans only grew in South America.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://chocolate.org.uk/timeline/index.html|last=
Pearce|first=David|title=Cacao and Chocolate Timeline|accessdate=2008-06-27|publisher=Chocolate.org}}</ref>
The first recorded shipment of chocolate to Europe for commercial purposes was in a shipment from [[Veracruz (city)|Veracruz]] to [[Sevilla]] in 1585.<ref name="Etymology" /> It was still served as a beverage, but the Europeans added sugar to counteract the natural bitterness and removed the chili pepper, replacing it with vanilla, cinnamon, and other spices.<ref name="Riches" /> Sweet-tasting hot chocolate was then invented, leading hot chocolate to become a luxury item among the European nobility by the 17th century.<ref name="Field" /> Even when the first Chocolate House (an establishment similar to a modern coffee shop)<ref name="Riches" /> opened in 1657, chocolate was still very expensive, costing 50 to 75 [[pence]] (approximately 50.11-75.17 USD) a pound.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.cadbury.co.uk/EN/CTB2003/about_chocolate/history_chocolate/chocolate_houses.htm |title=Chocolate Houses|accessdate=2008-06-27|publisher=Cadbury Trebor Bassett}}</ref>
In the late 1600s, [[Hans Sloane]], president of the [[Royal College of Physicians]], visited [[Jamaica]]. There, he tried chocolate and considered it "nauseous," but found it became more palatable when mixed with milk.<ref name= "Sloane">{{cite web|url=http://www.nhm.ac.uk/research-curation/projects/sloane-herbarium/hanssloane.htm|title=The Sloane Herbarium|date=2008|publisher=The Natural History Museum|accessdate=2008-06-27}}</ref> When he returned to England, he brought the recipe with him, introducing milk chocolate to Europe.<ref name= "Sloane"/>
In 1828, [[Coenraad Johannes van Houten]] developed the first cocoa powder producing machine in the [[Netherlands]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.middleboro.k12.ma.us/Middleboro/CHOC/Chocolate.htm|title=Chocolate History|accessdate=2008-06-26|publisher=Middleborough Public Schools}}</ref><ref name="Riches" /> The press separated the greasy [[cocoa butter]] from cacao seeds, leaving a purer and less fattening chocolate powder behind.<ref name="Riches" /> This powder—much like the instant cocoa powder used today—was easier to stir into milk and water, and led to another very important discovery: solid chocolate. By using cocoa powder and low amounts of cocoa butter, [[chocolate bar|bar chocolate]] was then possible to manufacture. The term "chocolate" then came to mean solid chocolate, rather than hot chocolate.<ref name="Riches" /><ref name="M&M's" />
==Terminology==
[[Image:White hot chocolate.JPG|thumb|200px|White hot chocolate.]]
Generally, the terms "hot chocolate" and "hot cocoa" are used interchangeably, but in reality there is a distinction between the two. "Hot cocoa" is made from a powdered mix of cocoa, sugar and thickeners without cocoa butter.<ref name="Term">{{cite web|url=http://www.statssheet.com/articles/article61849.html|title=Why Hot Cocoa Is Healthier Than Hot Chocolate|last=Craddock|first=Darren|accessdate=2008-06-26}}</ref> "Hot chocolate," on the other hand, is made directly from bar chocolate, which already contains cocoa, sugar and [[cocoa butter]].<ref name="Term" /> Thus the major difference between the two is the cocoa butter, which makes hot cocoa significantly lower in fat than hot chocolate, while still preserving all the intrinsic health-giving properties of chocolate.<ref name="daily">{{cite web|url=http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/11/031106051159.htm|title=Hot Cocoa Tops Red Wine And Tea In Antioxidants; May Be Healthier Choice| publisher= Science Daily| date =
2003-11-06|accessdate=2008-06-26}}</ref>
Hot chocolate can be made with [[Types of chocolate#Classification|dark]], [[Types of chocolate#Classification|semisweet]], or [[Types of chocolate#Classification|bittersweet]] chocolate, chopped into small pieces and stirred into milk with the addition of sugar. American hot cocoa powder often includes [[powdered milk]] or other dairy ingredients so it can be made without using milk.<ref>{{cite web
| last = Baker
| first = Ted
| title = Hot Chocolate
| publisher =TedBaker Chocolate
| date = 2008
| url = http://www.tedbakerchocolate.com/hot-chocolate.html
| accessdate =2007-07-16 }}</ref>
In the United Kingdom, "hot chocolate" is a sweet chocolate drink made with hot milk or water, and powder containing chocolate, sugar, and powdered milk. "Cocoa" usually refers to a similar drink made with just hot milk and cocoa powder, then sweetened to taste with sugar.<ref>{{cite web
| last = The Nibble
| title = Some Like It Hot: Hot Chocolate & Hot Cocoa Mixes: An Overview
| publisher = Lifestyle Direct, Inc.
| date = 2007
| url = http://www.thenibble.com/reviews/main/beverages/cocoas/hot-chocolate-overview.asp
| accessdate =2008-07-15 }}
</ref>
==Usage==
Today, hot chocolate is consumed throughout the world. Despite this widespread popularity, there are two main types—along with multiple variations—of the drink. The main difference between the two is that one has a much thicker consistency than the other.
===North America===
[[Image:Chocolate with churros.jpg|thumb|250px|Traditional Mexican hot chocolate served with [[churros]].]]
In the United States, the drink is most popular in instant form, made with hot water or milk from a packet containing mostly cocoa powder, sugar, and dry milk. This is the thinner of the two main variations. It is very sweet and often topped with [[marshmallow]]s, whipped cream, or a piece of solid chocolate. Hot chocolate was first brought to the U.S. as early as the 1600s by the Dutch, but the first time colonists began selling hot chocolate was around 1755.<ref name="Illustrated">{{cite book|last=Morton|first=Marcia|coauthors=Frederic Morton|title=Chocolate, An Illustrated History|publisher=Crown Publishers, Inc.|location=New York|date=1986}} </ref> Traditionally, hot chocolate has been associated with cold weather and winter in the United States, and is now rarely taken with meals.
In Mexico, hot chocolate remains a popular national drink. Traditionally, Mexican hot chocolate includes semi-sweet chocolate, cinnamon, sugar and vanilla. Hot chocolate of this type is commonly sold in circular tablets which can be dissolved into hot milk or cream, then blended until the mixture develops a creamy [[froth]]. Mexican cinnamon hot chocolate is traditionally served alongside a variety of Mexican pastries known as ''pan dulce'' and, as with the Spanish, [[churros]].
===Europe===
In Europe, most forms of hot chocolate are very thick due to being made directly from chocolate. In the [[United Kingdom]], however, hot chocolate is often of the thinner variety. As Europe was where hot chocolate was first popularized, many different forms exist.
Among the multiple thick forms of hot chocolate served in Europe is the [[Italian cuisine|Italian]] ''cioccolata densa''. German variations are also known for being very thick and heavy. Hot chocolate and [[churros]] is the traditional working-man's [[breakfast]] in [[Spain]]. This style of hot chocolate can be extremely thick, often having the consistency of warm chocolate [[pudding]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://shafiqshafi.tripod.com/index.html|title=What is SPANISH CHOCOLATE?|accessdate=2008-06-26|publisher=The Spanish Chocolate Company}}</ref>
Even more variations exist. In some cafes in Belgium, one who orders a "''warme chocolade''" or "''chocolat chaud''" would receive a cup of steamed white milk and a small bowl of bittersweet chocolate chips to dissolve in the milk. In England, some types of powdered drinks are actually as thick as pure chocolate varieties.
==Health==
While hot chocolate is generally consumed for pleasure, there are several potential health benefits associated with drinking hot chocolate. Studies have shown that hot chocolate contains large amounts of [[antioxidant]]s that may be beneficial to one's health. From the 16th to 19th centuries, hot chocolate was valued as a medicine as well as a drink.<ref name="Rediscover"/> The explorer [[Francisco Hernández]] wrote that chocolate beverages helped treat fever and liver disease.<ref name="Rediscover"/> Another explorer, Santiago de Valverde Turices, believed that large amounts of hot chocolate was helpful in treating chest ailments, but in smaller amounts could help stomach disorders.<ref name="Rediscover"/> When chocolate was introduced to the [[France|French]] in the 17th century, it was reportedly used "to fight against fits of anger and bad moods," which may be attributed to chocolate's phenylethylamine content.<ref name="Illustrated">{{cite book|last=Morton|first=Marcia|coauthors=Frederic Morton|title=Chocolate, An Illustrated History|publisher=Crown Publishers, Inc.|location=New York|date=1986}}</ref> Today, hot chocolate is consumed for pleasure rather than medicinally, but new research suggests that their may be other health benefits attributed to the drink.
On the other hand, several negative effects can be attributed to drinking hot chocolate. Hot chocolate contains high amounts of calories, [[saturated fat]], and [[sugar]].<ref name="Health">{{cite web|url=http://www.annamariavolpi.com/chocolate01.html|title=Can Chocolate Benefit Your Health? |last=Bonneville|first=Marguerite|accessdate=2008-06-27|publisher=Open Kitchen}}</ref> [[Caffeine]] found in the [[cocoa]] that makes up hot chocolate may also have negative effects on health.
===Health benefits===
[[Image:Hot cocoa antioxidants.png|thumb|right|A graph showing the amounts of antioxidants contained in cocoa, red wine, and green tea.|500 px]]
Research has shown that the consumption of hot chocolate can be positive to the health. A study conducted by [[Cornell University]] has shown that hot chocolate contains more antioxidants than wine and tea, therefore reducing the risk of heart disease.<ref name="daily"/> In a single serving of cocoa, the researchers found 611 milligrams of [[gallic acid]] equivalents (GAE) and 564 milligrams of [[epicatechin]] equivalents (ECE), compared with 340 milligrams of GAE and and 163 milligrams of ECE in red wine, and 165 milligrams of GAE and 47 milligrams of ECE.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.news.cornell.edu/releases/Nov03/HotCocoa-Lee.bpf.html|date=2003-12-03|last= Friedlander Jr.|first=Blaine P.|title=Ahhhh! Better than red wine or green tea, cocoa froths with cancer-preventing compounds, Cornell food scientists say|accessdate=2008-07-05|publisher=Cornell News}}</ref> Chang Yong Lee, the professor and researcher at Cornell who conducted the study, revealed that a larger amount of antioxidants are released when the beverage is heated.<ref name="daily" />
The [[flavonoid]]s found in the cocoa that makes up hot chocolate also have a positive effect on arterial health. A particular study performed by the National Institutes of Health grants and by Mars showed high amounts of improvement in blood flow after drinking a [[flavanol]]-rich cocoa beverage.<ref name="Times">{{cite web|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E01E0D8173DF934A25751C0A9629C8B63|title=Beyond Delicious, Chocolate May Help Pump Up Your Heart |last=Olson|first=Elizabeth|date=February 17, 2004|publisher=New York Times|accessdate=2008-07-05}}</ref> In the study, the subjects (27 people ages 18 to 72) drank a cocoa drink containing 900 milligrams of flavonols every day, which resulted in an improvement in blood flow and the function of [[endothelial cells]] that line blood vessels.<ref name="Times" /> In further studies conducted by Dr. Norman K. Hollenberg, professor of medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School found that flavonols may also help vessels dilate and help keep platelets from clustering on the blood vessel walls.<ref name="Times" /> Flavonoids found in hot chocolate are beneficial to the health mainly because they shield the walls of blood vessels from [[free radical]] damage.<ref name="Clinic">{{cite web|url=http://my.clevelandclinic.org/heart/prevention/nutrition/chocolate.aspx|title=Your Heart and Vascular Health|date=1995-2008|publisher=The Cleveland Clinic |accessdate=2008-07-05}}</ref> Flavanols are also thought to help reduce blood [[platelet]] buildup and can balance levels of compounds called [[eicosanoids]], which are may be beneficial to cardiovascular health.<ref name="Clinic" />
===Health risks===
Several negative effects may be attributed to the drinking of hot chocolate. The types and severity of health risks vary between different styles of hot chocolate.<ref name="cocoa vs choc">{{cite web|url=http://bestfriendscocoa.com/cocoa_vs_choc.html|title=Hot Cocoa vs. Hot Chocolate|accessdate=2008-06-29|last=Guttman| first=Linda| coauthors = Uri Guttman|publisher=Best Friends Cocoa}}</ref> Hot chocolate's negative effects are mostly because of high fat and sugar content in certain types of beverage.
Because of high levels of calories, saturated fat, and sugars, [[obesity]] and dental problems are health risks. The main source of saturated fats in hot chocolate is the cocoa butter found in variations made directly from chocolate rather than cocoa powder.<ref name="cocoa vs choc" /><ref name="Riches" /> Hot chocolate made from milk also contains significantly larger amounts of fat and sugar. Processed cocoa powder usually contains additional sugars despite the fact that cocoa butter is removed during processing.<ref name="Riches" />
Caffeine found in cocoa may also cause health problems. Compared to coffee, hot chocolate only has minimal amounts of caffeine—a typical eight ounce cup of hot chocolate contains nine milligrams of caffeine, while and eight ounce cup of coffee may contain up to 133 milligrams depending on the brand. If consumed in large amounts, health problems such as [[cardiovascular]] problems, stress, emotional disturbances, [[gastrointestinal]] problems, and nutritional deficiencies may occur.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.teeccino.com/top10reasons.aspx|last=Cherniske|first=Stephen|title=Top 10 Caffeine-Related Health Problems|accessdate=2008-06-27|publisher=Teeccino}}</ref>
==See also==
*[[Chocolate]]
*[[Cocoa]]
*[[Chocolate milk]]
==Notes==
{{reflist|2}}
==Further reading==
*Turback, Michael (2005). ''Hot Chocolate'', Ten Speed Press. ISBN 1-58008-708-6.
*Morton, Frderic and Marcia (1986). ''Chocolate, An Illustrated History'', Crown Publishers, INC. ISBN 0-517-55765-7
==External links==
{{commons|Hot chocolate|Hot chocolate}}
*[http://www.cuisinenet.com/digest/ingred/chocolate/hot_chocolate_history.shtml A Very Brief History of Hot Chocolate]
[[Category:Chocolate beverages]]
[[Category:Hot cocoa]]
[[Category:Mexican beverages]]
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