Ancient Mayans invented spicy chocolate drinks
Ancient Mayans pioneered chocolate as a bitter, spicy drink, a sacred and powerful beverage central to their culture long before it became a sweet global indulgence.
Long before sweet chocolate bars, ancient Mayans crafted frothy, bitter chocolate drinks spiced with chili peppers. As early as 600 BCE, they cultivated cacao trees in Mesoamerica, grinding roasted beans with water, cornmeal, and chili to create a drink called xocoatl, meaning 'bitter water.'
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