Unit9-Part1-Reading

a sacred food, chocolate.

Chocolate is a processed, typically sweetened food

produced from the seed of the tropical cacao tree.

Cacao has been cultivated for at least three millennia

in Mexico, Central America, and Northern South America.

However, although cocoa is originally from the Americas,

today Western Africa produces almost two thirds

of the world's cocoa.

Cocoa was used originally in Mesoamerica,

both as a beverage and as an ingredient in foods.

It played a special role in both Maya

and Aztec royal and religious events as a sacred food.

Priests presented cacao seeds as offerings to the deities

and served chocolate drinks during ceremonies.

The first European contact with chocolate

came in the 16th century.

After the Spanish conquest of the Aztecs in 1521,

chocolate could be imported to Europe.

The popularity of chocolate spread throughout Europe

in the 16th century.

The Europeans fattened and sweetened it

by adding milk and refined sugar.

Chocolate is still very popular today.

Some people even get addicted to it

because it releases serotonin

and another feel -good hormone, dopamine.

This release may bring about chocolate addiction

and people get addicted to chocolate

in the same way they get addicted to caffeine or nicotine.