Because sugar was yet to come to the Americas, [4] xocōlātl was said to be an acquired taste. What the Spaniards then called xocōlātl was said to be a drink consisting of a chocolate base flavored with vanilla and other spices that was served cold. [6] [7] The drink tasted spicy and bitter as opposed to sweetened modern hot chocolate. [4] As to when xocōlātl was first served hot, sources conflict on when and by whom. [4] [7] However, José de Acosta, a Spanish Jesuit missionary who lived in Peru and then Mexico in the later 16th century, described xocōlātl as:

In 1828, Coenraad Johannes van Houten developed the first cocoa powder producing machine in the Netherlands. [4] [18] The press separated the greasy cocoa butter from cacao seeds, leaving a purer chocolate powder behind. [4] This powder was easier to stir into milk and water. As a result, another very important discovery was made: solid chocolate. By using cocoa powder and low amounts of cocoa butter, it was then possible to manufacture chocolate bars. The term chocolate then came to mean solid chocolate rather than hot chocolate, with the first chocolate bar being created in 1847. [19] Research has shown that the consumption of hot chocolate can be positive for one's health. A study conducted by Cornell University has shown that hot chocolate contains more antioxidants than wine and tea, therefore reducing the risk of heart disease. [22] In a single serving of cocoa, the researchers found 611 milligrams of gallic acid equivalents (GAE) and 564 milligrams of epicatechin equivalents (ECE), compared with 340 milligrams of GAE and 163 milligrams of ECE in red wine, and 165 milligrams of GAE and 47 milligrams of ECE in green tea. [44] Chang Yong Lee, the professor and researcher at Cornell who conducted the study, revealed that larger amounts of antioxidants are released when the drink is heated. [22] The first chocolate drink is believed to have been created by the Maya around 2,500–3,000 years ago, and a cocoa drink was an essential part of Aztec culture by 1400AD, by which they referred to as xocōlātl. [2] The drink became popular in Europe after being introduced from Mexico in the New World and has undergone multiple changes since then. Until the 19th century, hot chocolate was used medicinally to treat ailments such as liver and stomach diseases.Lee, KW; Kim, YJ; Lee, HJ; Lee, CY (December 3, 2003). "Cocoa has more phenolic phytochemicals and a higher antioxidant capacity than teas and red wine". Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 51 (25): 7292–5. doi: 10.1021/jf0344385. PMID 14640573. Tsokolate is also known as suklati in Kapampangan; sikulate in Maguindanao; and sikwate or sikuwate in Visayan languages. All are derived from Spanish chocolate ('chocolate'). [40] Hot chocolate can be made with dark, semisweet, or bittersweet chocolate grated or chopped into small pieces and stirred into milk with the addition of sugar.

Chocolate Houses". Cadbury Trebor Bassett. 2008. Archived from the original on October 28, 2007 . Retrieved June 27, 2008. a b c d e f g h i Burleigh, Robert (2002). Chocolate: Riches from the Rainforest. Harry N. Abrams, Ins., Publishers. ISBN 0-8109-5734-5. a b Morton, Marcia; Frederic Morton (1986). Chocolate, an Illustrated History. New York: Crown Publishers. Further information: History of chocolate Silver chocolate pot, France, 1779. [3] Victoria and Albert Museum, London. a b c d e Stradley, Linda (2004). "Rediscover True Hot Chocolate - History of Hot Chocolate". What's Cooking America . Retrieved June 27, 2008.Hall, Christopher (November–December 2010). "Where to Find the Best Hot Chocolate and Churros in Spain". National Geographic Traveler. Archived from the original on October 3, 2011 . Retrieved July 9, 2017. Don Cortes". Cadbury Trebor Bassett. 2008. Archived from the original on October 21, 2007 . Retrieved June 27, 2008. Cuestión moral: si el chocolate quebranta el ayuno eclesiástico ( Whether chocolate breaks ecclesiastical fast: a moral question) Rosengarten, David (January 6, 2004). "Hot chocolate like you've never tasted before". TODAY. Archived from the original on April 12, 2004 . Retrieved December 20, 2009. In Germany, hot chocolate made by melted chocolate ( Heiße Schokolade Wiener Art) is distinguished from those made from powders ( Trinkschokolade). [27] It is often served with whipped cream on top. [27]

Loathsome to such as are not acquainted with it, having a scum or froth that is very unpleasant taste. Yet it is a drink very much esteemed among the Indians, where with they feast noble men who pass through their country. The Spaniards, both men and women, that are accustomed to the country, are very greedy of this Chocolate. They say they make diverse sorts of it, some hot, some cold, and some temperate, and put therein much of that "chili"; yea, they make paste thereof, the which they say is good for the stomach and against the catarrh. [8] Exclusive Brand Torino. "THE HISTORY OF CHOCOLATE IN TURIN". Exclusive Brand Torino . Retrieved January 20, 2022. Poncelin, Pamela. "Culinary Ambassadors: Breakfast in France". Serious Eats . Retrieved July 10, 2017. Kperogi, Farooq (January 26, 2014). "Q and A on the grammar of food, usage and Nigerian English". Daily Trust. Archived from the original on February 23, 2017 . Retrieved February 23, 2017. We call everything we drink in the morning "tea" even if it's not.[...]"Daddy, why do Nigerians call hot cocoa 'tea'?" she asked me.Paajanen, Sean (February 6, 2019). "An Abridged History of Hot Chocolate: Its Changes Over the Years". The Spruce Eats. Theobromine found in the cocoa solids is fat soluble. [24] Cocoa beans contain significant amount of fats, but cocoa powder is usually defatted. However, adding fat to defatted cocoa powder will increase its bioavailability. a b c Green, Matthew (March 11, 2017). "How the decadence and depravity of London's 18th century elite was fuelled by hot chocolate". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on January 12, 2022 . Retrieved July 15, 2017. Ehmer, Kersten; Hindermann, Beate (2015). The School of Sophisticated Drinking: An Intoxicating History of Seven Spirits. Greystone Books. p.32. ISBN 9781771641197. a b Polistico, Edgie (2017). Philippine Food, Cooking, & Dining Dictionary. Anvil Publishing, Incorporated. ISBN 9786214200870.

Several negative effects can be attributed to drinking hot chocolate, as some hot chocolate recipes contain high amounts of sugar, [42] hydrogenated oils, or fats. [ citation needed] Baggott, MJ; Childs, E; Hart, AB; de Bruin, E; Palmer, AA; Wilkinson, JE; de Wit, H (July 2013). "Psychopharmacology of theobromine in healthy volunteers". Psychopharmacology. 228 (1): 109–18. doi: 10.1007/s00213-013-3021-0. PMC 3672386. PMID 23420115.In the Philippines, the native hot chocolate drink is known as tsokolate. It is made from tabliya (or tablea), tablets of pure ground roasted cacao beans, dissolved in water and milk. Like in Spanish and Latin American versions, the drink is traditionally made in a tsokolatera and briskly mixed with a wooden baton called the molinillo (also called batidor or batirol), causing the drink to be characteristically frothy. Tsokolate is typically sweetened with a bit of muscovado sugar and has a distinctive grainy texture. [40] [41] Chocolate History". Middleborough Public Schools. 2008. Archived from the original on July 2, 2008 . Retrieved June 26, 2008. In Mexico, hot chocolate remains a popular national drink, often including semi-sweet chocolate, cinnamon, sugar, and vanilla. [35] Hot chocolate of this type is commonly sold in circular or hexagonal tablets [35] which can be dissolved into hot milk, water, or cream, and then blended until the mixture develops a creamy froth. A 1942 article in the Chicago Tribune describes Mexican cinnamon hot chocolate as being traditionally served alongside a variety of sweet Mexican pastries, [36] such as pan dulce or churros. a b c d McGavin, Jennifer (April 4, 2017). "Kakao oder Heisse Schokolade". the spruce . Retrieved July 9, 2017. Most luxury hot chocolate producers agree that the best way to enjoy their drinks is to slowly melt the suggested amount of real chocolate flakes into warm milk. Milk can be heated in a pan, a milk steamer, microwave or even a dedicated hot chocolate maker, but sometimes this is all a bit too much faff.