The Role of Chocolate in Mesoamerica

To people today, chocolate is considered as only a drink and a delicious treat, but in the Mesoamerican times, it was a much much more. During the Mesoamerican times, there were many different civilizations which considered chocolate sacred. The Mayan thought that cacao seeds symbolized life and fertility. Life and fertility were considered the utmost importance. Cacao seeds were also represented in religious rituals. Mayan texts referred to chocolate as "God's food".
After the Mayan empire fell, the Aztec empire rose. The Aztecs, like the Mayans, saw chocolate as sacred and worshipped it. Chocolate was special because of its connection to their god, Quetzalcoatl. The first cacao tree was believed to be stolen from the Garden of Paradise by him. Other than being worshipped, chocolate was also seen as a "health elixir". It was considered a cure for stomach aches, hay fever and was also good for health. The emperor Montezuma once said," The divine drink, which builds up resistance and fights fatigue. A cup of this precious drink permits a man to walk for a whole day without food."
Although it had many health benefits, in both cultures, chocolate was only drunk by royalty and nobility as a spicy, frothy drink. Lesser classes had little chance of drinking it all. In fact, they were persecuted if they were caught drinking it.
The Mesoamericans had many more uses for chocolate than the people in today's world. Chocolate was special on many accounts, but it isn't appreciated as much today as it was in the olden days by Mayans and Aztecs.