Chocolate for the heart.
Chocolate and love have been closely associated for centuries before chocolate makers of the 1800s began putting chocolate pieces in heart-shaped boxes. Aztecs and Mayans served xocolatl (the original form of chocolate — a hot, frothy, bitter beverage made of roasted cacao) at weddings and fertility ceremonies, believing it to increase passion and virility.
Science lends some credence to the popular connection between chocolate and the heart. Theobroma cacao is the botanical name of the tropical rainforest tree that bears the cacao fruit. Inside the fruit pods (shaped like small footballs) are, on average, 30 cacao seeds (confusingly referred to as beans; ie, “cocoa beans” or “cacao beans”). These seeds contain phenylethylamine, a natural compound that triggers the brain to release mood-boosting endorphins. Each seed also contains tryptophan, an amino acid that aids in the production of serotonin which is linked to feelings of social closeness and contentment.
A freshly harvested cacao pod from a visit to our farming partners in the highlands of Nicaragua.
Cacao seeds also contain flavanols — antioxidants that not only help fight free radicals in the body but also function as a vasodilator — helping to relax and widen blood vessels, allowing blood to flow more freely. This latter point is why dark chocolate is often thought to be beneficial for heart health — as well as kickstarting a little romance!
So, whether you’re looking for chocolate for your own sweet self or for your Valentine, we hope you know you can feel great about indulging your love.
Postscript: When shopping for the love of chocolate, choose the flavors and origins you enjoy most — really, that’s it. When shopping for heart health, stick to dark chocolate (no dairy) that has a 70% cacao content or higher. The greater the percentage of cacao (with more flavanols, amino acids and beneficial compounds), the lower the corresponding quantity of sugar will be in your chocolate. ❤️