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Chocolate is made from the fruit of cacao trees, which are native to Central and South America. The beans are dried and roasted to create cocoa beans. It is unclear when cacao became a "thing" however, it can be traced to the ancient Maya, and even earlier to the ancient Olmecs of southern Mexico.
Chocolate even has many health benefits that come from the antioxidants, such as:
The word chocolate may conjure up images of sweet candy bars and luscious truffles, but the confections of today bears little resemblance to the chocolate of the past. It was once bitter, far from sweet, it became popular within the royal courts and evolved into the loved commodity it is today.