Chocolate and its Dark Matters

Chocolate, it's a delicacy, it's an indulgence and it's two movies starring Johnny Depp in completely unrelated contexts. Without a doubt, it's one of the world's most beloved foods and honestly, it's tough to imagine a life without chocolate. I mean what else would we give to our spouses and partners on Valentine's day? Quality time?........ Grow up, buddy.

Chocolate is consumed in every conceived form from bars to drinks to eggs, and high-quality dark chocolate consists of many health benefits which I will be getting into later. So we seem to know a lot about chocolate but how much do we know about its history and the dark side of its industry across the world? You would think something so beloved by all and associated with positive emotions wouldn't have a negative side, but unfortunately, it does. But before we get into that..........

HISTORY LESSON!!

Chocolate can be traced back to its ancient roots in the Mayan and Aztec Civilizations in Mesoamerica. For anyone who isn't familiar with Mexican ancestry, Mesoamerica is a historical region that starts from the southern part of North America and extends to Central America and consists of countries such as Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, etc. But anyway, Chocolate was revered by both Mayans and Aztecs. They believed that it was a gift from the gods and made special drinks from it to celebrate ceremonies, victories, rituals, and even human sacrifices. (pretty sweet......huh)

Ancient Aztec painting

Graham Crumb/Imagicity.com, CC

The first-ever beverage to be made from Cacao pods was a hot, frothy, bitter, and spicy drink known as Xocoatl. (Fun fact: The word "Cocoa" comes from "Cacao" which lost its foreign pronunciation when it came to Spain) This was very different from the modern-day "hot chocolate" that people enjoy nowadays. It was believed to be very bitter and good, for its healing properties. They used to even add chili powder to the drink to serve it as an aphrodisiac. This was even referenced in the movie "Chocolat" which was the first chocolate movie to star Johnny Depp in it. Of course, the 2nd one is the famous remake of the movie "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory". Both of these movies reference Aztec or Mayan culture in different ways. "Chocolat" has referenced the Xocoatl drink and how it acts as something that brings out inner desires. Watch both of these movies if you haven't already.

Oompa Loompas finding Cacao

Oompa Loompas revering Cacao

Man drinks Xocoatl, "Chocolat"

That was chocolate in its bad-boy phase. It was dark, bitter, and full of spice. But, now it's different. How did it reach its worldwide fame today?

Image via Flickr by Cocoa and chocolate, a short history of their production and use

From there, chocolate traveled to Europe. There are two stories of how it came there. According to History, when Spanish conquistador, Hernan Cortez came to Mesoamerica, he encountered it in the court of Montezuma in 1519. He brought those beans with him to Europe. Another story is that Christopher Columbus discovered cacao beans after intercepting a trade ship on its way to America and bringing it back to Spain in 1502. It became a huge hit among the Spanish elite society and Spain started importing chocolate in large quantities. Soon, chocolate houses popped up all around Europe. But, Europeans weren't used to the flavors of chocolate that Aztecs were consuming. So, they changed it to suit their palate with cinnamon, sugar, vanilla, etc.

In 1828, Dutch scientist, Coenraad Johannes van Houten, discovered a way to treat cacao pods with alkaline salts to make powdered cocoa that was easy to mix in water and consume as a beverage. This process was known as "Dutch processing" and the chocolate powder created was known as "Dutch Cocoa", which we commonly use today in confectionery.

Chocolate makes anything better. When you eat it, it releases serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins which make our mood better and gives us feelings of "love". It feels like its purpose itself is to make things better. But just like with many great things in life, there is a dark story behind it.

License: CC BY SA 4.0

According to Food Empowerment Project, Western African countries, mainly Ghana and Ivory Coast produce about 70% of the world's cocoa, and approximately 2.1 million children in the Ivory Coast and Ghana work on cocoa farms, most of whom are likely exposed to the worst forms of child labor. Cacao plantations cannot afford the high labor costs and often turn to child labor and slavery. Most cocoa farmers earn less than $1 per day. As a result, they often resort to the use of child labor to keep their prices competitive.

In 2004, the Ivorian First Lady’s entourage allegedly kidnapped and killed a journalist reporting on government corruption in its profitable cocoa industry. Ivorian government is aware of this issue and is trying to keep it down cause it will benefit their economy as cacao is one of their major exports. If you think the major chocolate companies are gonna do anything about this like Nestle, Mars, Hershey's, etc. who acquire their raw material from countries that adopted child labor and slavery.........you're wrong.

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Six people from Mali sought damages from Nestlé and Cargill for being trafficked into the Ivory Coast as children and forced to work on cocoa farms in the Ivory Coast. Food Empowerment Project states that business groups like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, along with Nestlé and Cargill, wanted the case tossed out, and got their wish when the Supreme Court appallingly ruled in favor of the chocolate companies. I have read some of the abusive acts that the victims went through on these plantations and it's truly heartbreaking. In fact, there is a documentary about human trafficking and child labor on cocoa farms by Bastard Film & Tv which I would highly recommend that you watch it where they uncover the dark side of the chocolate industry.

It really blows my mind that something that is common, which we see every day in our lives has such dark secrets behind it. Learning about chocolate and its history helps us understand its roots and its purpose in our lives and how it was revered and treated as "Food of the Gods". Modern-day chocolate industry needs to change and the only way that would be possible is if consumers start getting aware of the horrific incidents associated with cocoa farms across the world. It is true what they say that change starts with you.

I hope I have given you something to think about next time you eat chocolate or till next week when I come up with something else.

See you next time!