Where does this come from, and can I check it?

The Maya and Aztecs frothed ground beans into a bitter spiced beverage. The figure is taken from Encyclopaedia Britannica, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.

Is this really a food fact?

Yes. It sits on the Food shelf, one of 2,600 sourced facts grouped into space, animals, the human body, history, science and more. Category pages collect every fact in the same field.

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The links under the fact point to a quiz, game, puzzle or calculator on the same subject, and the shelf below shows related facts. The wording here is original, and quoted phrases are marked as quotations.

Mondo Knows Facts

Cacao was first drunk in Mesoamerica

The Maya and Aztecs frothed ground beans into a bitter spiced beverage Cacao trees grow in the shade of tropical forest, and their pods were harvested in Mesoamerica for thousands of years. The beans were fermented, dried, roasted and ground, then whisked with water, chilli and maize into a bitter drink served in decorated vessels. Spanish colonists later added sugar and milk, turning the drink into the sweet chocolate of Europe. It sits in Mondo's food collection, one of 200 facts that each trace back to the reference below.

Where this comes from

Encyclopaedia Britannica

Facts that can change over time are reviewed and updated. If something here looks wrong, Mondo would rather know than be confidently incorrect.

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More facts like this

Chocolate reached Europe through Spanish courtsCacao travelled from Mesoamerica and was soon served hot with sugar and spice The Maya created an accurate long count calendar systemClassic Maya astronomers calculated lunar and solar cycles with mathematical precision Conching smooths chocolate for hoursThe mixture is kneaded and aerated until its particles are too small to feel A drop of water makes chocolate seizeMelted chocolate stiffens into a grainy paste when moisture touches it White chocolate contains no cocoa solidsIt is made from cocoa butter, sugar and milk, with the dark powder left out Cocoa butter melts close to body heatIts crystals soften around 34 degrees, just below the temperature of skin

Tags: cacao, mesoamerica, chocolate

Cacao was first drunk in Mesoamerica: the short answers

Where does this come from, and can I check it?: The Maya and Aztecs frothed ground beans into a bitter spiced beverage. The figure is taken from Encyclopaedia Britannica, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.
Is this really a food fact?: Yes. It sits on the Food shelf, one of 2,600 sourced facts grouped into space, animals, the human body, history, science and more. Category pages collect every fact in the same field.
What else can I read about it?: The links under the fact point to a quiz, game, puzzle or calculator on the same subject, and the shelf below shows related facts. The wording here is original, and quoted phrases are marked as quotations.