It is often said that chocolate has health benefits. That's not wrong, of course. But truth be told, chocolate has pretty much always been known to be good one's health, at least as far as we can tell. Looking back through the pages of recorded history, one can see that thousands of years before the rise of Aztec civilization, the ancestors of the Aztecs, the Olmec Indians of South and Central America used the fruit of the cacao tree as a tonic. It was much later on that Aztecs created a fermented drink of capsicum peppers and cacao beans. But it's clear that the practice of using chocolate as a tonic or elixir for long life predates the 1500s and Montezuma, the Aztec ruler who introduced chocolate to Cortes. Montezuma is often cited as one of the first to recognize chocolate could be used a medicine. That's clearly not right. He merely popularized what had long been known about chocolate, that it's good for you. He's the one who in the early 1500s (probably around 1508), who made the first declaration about its benefits: "The divine drink [zocolatl], which builds up resistance and fights fatigue. A cup of this precious drink permits a man to walk for a whole day without food."

So, even if it's taken a few millennia, it was inevitable that modern science would one day substantiate what has long been known about chocolate. Yes, science (and our collective awareness) is finally playing “catch up" and acknowledging that chocolate is good for you. About time, don't you think?

Aléthea’s Chocolates has included numerous links to web site's that discuss all the various ways in which chocolate helps you live a longer and more healthy life. Here you'll find studies on using chocolate to lower blood pressure, studies showing cardiovascular health benefits through lowering of cholesterol, platelet aggregation (and other factors) studies which indicate that chocolate improves the human immune system., and more. If you wish to contribute additional data or links to be included on these pages, please send our webmaster any new links or information you have. Please also note the source of your information, whenever possible.

• Chocolate HQ - A valuable chocolate information resource web site.
• Field Museum Exhibit
• Chocolate protects the heart
• Dark Chocolate Lowers Blood Pressure.
• Is chocolate healthier than green tea?
• Bad effects of chocolate overstated or entirely false
• Cardiovascular benefit evidence continues to grow
• Chocolate's saturated fat no longer thought to increase cholesterol
• Dr. Joe Vinson's links to various articles from the press
• Chocolate's Potential Health Benefits – its Effect on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome