Five chunks of chocolate history 五 “塊” 有關巧克力的歷史

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Did you know cocoa was once mistaken for animal poo?

你知道嗎，可可豆曾被誤認為是動物糞便？

Here’s five chunks of chocolate history.

來看一看五 “塊” 有關巧克力的歷史。

1. Origins

起源

3,000 years ago, the ancient Maya and Aztec people of what is now Mexico in Central America believed it was a sacred drink from God and used cocoa beans as currency.

三千年前，曾經定居在現在中美洲墨西哥地區的古代瑪雅人和阿茲特克人認為可可是上天賜予的一種神聖飲品，並將可可豆作為貨幣使用。

2. Global popularity

風靡全球

In the 1500s, Spanish explorers took the beans back to Europe, but it was an expensive luxury.

16 世紀，西班牙的探險傢們將可可豆帶回歐洲，但它在當時是一種昂貴的奢侈品。

The first batch to arrive in Britain was burnt, after the beans got mistaken for sheep poo.

第一批運抵英國的可可豆被燒毀瞭，因為被誤認為是羊糞。

Later, chocolate bars were developed. It got cheaper, so more people could afford it.

後來，人們研發出瞭巧克力棒。巧克力價格便宜瞭，所以更多的人也能買得起瞭。

3. Health

對健康的好處

Some experts say dark chocolate is the best form to eat, as it’s full of compounds called flavonoids. It’s thought that small amounts can help your blood sugar, heart and brain.

一些專傢認為，相對其它巧克力種類來說，黑巧克力的健康好處最多，因為它富含一種叫作類黃酮的化合物。人們認為吃少量的黑巧克力有助於控制血糖，促進心臟和大腦的健康。

White chocolate was accidentally invented when doctors were trying to get children to drink more milk.

白巧克力是個意外的發明，當時醫生通過給牛奶裡添加其它成份而試圖讓醫院裡的孩子們多喝牛奶。

4. Exploitation

勞動剝削

But chocolate has a difficult past, too. Cocoa plantations have historical links to slavery.

但巧克力也有一段艱難的過去。可可種植園與奴隸制有深遠的歷史聯系。

5. Environment

環境影響

(Source: World Cocoa Foundation)
Some organisations say forests are being cut down to make way for cocoa plantations.

（信息來源：世界可可基金會）
一些相關組織表示，森林正在遭到砍伐，以為種植可可樹騰出土地。

And an increasing climate crisis means less cocoa is being produced, so the price of your favourite treat could be going up.