Chocolate and Love: Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching, and we usually give our loved ones something delicious as a gift. Have you ever wondered why anything happened? Why do humans gravitate towards chocolate and candies and why do stores stock their shelves with heart-shaped chocolates and sweetie pies?
Few people may be aware, but chocolate is thought to be an aphrodisiac meal. It releases feel-good hormones into the brain that heighten desire and energy. It has been demonstrated that chocolate gives off a natural high that improves mood and is frequently associated with feelings of love.
The cocoa tree, scientifically known as Theobroma cacao, which translates to “food for the gods” in Greek, is the source of chocolate. It’s safe to state that I can gift my significant other chocolate to express my love and gratitude if it’s suited for a god.
With time, chocolate production became more commercialized, and businesses like Cadbury jumped on the bandwagon to produce a wide variety of chocolates in exquisitely decorated boxes, ready for you to give to your special someone on Valentine’s Day, the global celebration of love.
Today’s sought-after chocolatiers create exquisitely adorned and filled chocolates that are works of pure art that are deserving of admiration. You may gift these chocolates to that special someone on Valentine’s Day with the knowledge that they will love you even more!
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Why is love connected to chocolate?
We begin our story today by traveling back in time to the Aztecs, two millennia ago. Montezuma II ruled over this ancient society, which consumed chocolate as an elixir with alleged sexual properties. This is the beginning of the connection between chocolate and romance and love, however, it may not always be the case.
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However, what of Valentine’s Day’s beginnings as a day dedicated to lovers?
Some claim, however, that its roots are in the Roman Lupercalia event. A couple of centuries later, in 496 AD, Pope Gelasius I remembered a martyred saint on this fertility-themed holiday.
Are you curious about his name? Valentine, naturally!
Returning to the third century, on February 14 was Roman emperor Claudius II (both, incidentally, being called Valentine). Even though they took place a few years apart, the custom persisted.
Thus, chocolate has become an aphrodisiac and Valentine’s Day has been created. However, what drew the two together? Let’s examine it in more detail.
What’s the relationship between love and chocolate?
We must take a brief detour back to the Aztecs to arrive at the solution. This fertility drink swiftly traveled to Europe, as documented in various historical texts, with Montezuma II believed to have consumed up to 50 cups of chocolate.
Among other countries, the nobility of Spain, Italy, France, and England would spend a lot of money on chocolate and chocolate-flavored beverages.
Giacomo Casanova of Italy even referred to chocolate as the “elixir of love.” The popularity of chocolate grew along with its reputation as a stimulant for sex.
Valentine’s Day and those in love were initially associated by the author Geoffrey Chaucer in the 1300s. How did he accomplish this? through the Parliament of Fowls, a poem written in 1382 in which he makes special reference to “Seynt Valentynes day.”
Many poets, both professional and amateur, swiftly followed suit, picking up quills and continuing the tradition of expressing love via words.
1600s Let’s go back in time to 1662. This is when Henry Stubbe, a physician, authored The Natural History of Chocolate and made the explicit connection between chocolate and sex. This physician not only supported the chocolate beverage but also, as a servant to King Charles II, made it possible for him to satisfy his passions.
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The nineteenth century
The 1800s, or the 19th century, is now upon us. February 14 began to acquire momentum and appeal among regular people in Britain (and later in the US). They used to trade cards with ribbons, lace, and, of course, Cupids on them!
During Queen Victoria’s reign, in 1837, Valentine’s Day began to gain popularity. And why is this the case? Well, mass-produced cards and less expensive penny post. Naturally, this coincided with chocolate becoming more and more popular and more accessible to a wider range of individuals.
Here are some fascinating details regarding Valentine’s Day in the United States
A record $4.1 billion worth of sweets were sold during the Valentine’s Day shopping season in 2022. In 2023, 92% of Americans said they would celebrate the holiday with chocolate and other candies, while 93% said they would like to receive a present of chocolate or candy.
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This merely serves to demonstrate how popular chocolate and love are in the modern era. And the fact that Valentine’s Day is becoming more and more popular across the globe—including in North, South, and Central America, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Australia, and Africa—proves this.
