It is not hard to believe that in Belgium, as in most parts of Europe, making chocolate is an artform. There are guided tours of chocolate factories, where the history of this old-world "temptress" is discussed with the same passion as the works of European masters. And why not? After all, chocolate is and has been a great mystery for the pleasures it has given and continues to give humankind.
The story of chocolate actually begins with the Aztecs. Although cocoa to the Aztecs was, above all else, a mystical raw material  a source of nourishing and beneficial substances. They also used cocoa beans as currency to buy food and slaves. Eventually, the Spaniards caught on to the monetary value of the cocoa bean and began to ship these natural riches to Europe.
Myths about the cocoa bean spread like wildfire across Europe. At one point, the Church even denounced a certain drink formulated by Spanish monks, derived from an original Aztec invention called "Xocolatl," a dark brown bitter drink made from roasted, ground cocoa beans and natural flavorings, as a "devil’s drink," an incitement to lust and sin. There was also talk that the notorious Casanova drank chocolate rather than champagne to inflame his passions.
At one point, the Church even denounced chocolate’s role in courtship as a symbol of love and affection. And so continues the myth that has made a legend of chocolate...
The chocolate of today still comes from the original recipe developed by those Spanish monks. The Dutch refined the techniques of cocoa processing, the French developed the bonbon, the Swiss invented milk chocolate, the Belgians, the famous Belgian chocolates in the very first "Ballotin" packaging, while the Brits a "democratic" milk chocolate, priced for "commoners."
Cocoa has the greatest impact on the price of chocolate. The more cocoa it contains, the more expensive the chocolate is. The more added ingredients, such as milk and sugar, the less expensive it is. Cadbury, for example, known historically as the brand name that "democratized" chocolate, has a particularly high milk content and, consequently, a favorable price tag. For some purists, however, chocolate must contain up to 90 percent cocoa. At the end of the day, nobody, not even so-called chocolate connoisseurs, can dictate what is the best chocolate for each one’s palette.
Some people may prefer a Hershey bar to a Godiva praline any day, but there is no denying that there is more work involved in creating a fine praline or savory truffle  artfully done by hand and individually dipped to produce just the exact chocolate coat required in every piece. Hence, it fetches a higher price tag. On the other hand, with industrial producers like Hershey, Mars and Cadbury, the production process is partly or completely automated  enabling them to sell their bars at a lower price.
So, is chocolate really just one of man’s sinful creations? The rules that apply to almost everything else in life also apply to chocolateâ€â€enjoy it, but do so in moderation. The good news is since cocoa and chocolate contain certain specific chemical substances, science surmises that they should have a beneficial effect on the human body. The so-called flava–noids, for example, may protect the body against the "free-radicals" that can cause cancer or heart disease, just as those found in red wine. There is also the positive stimulant activity of theobromine on the brain and nervous system, which leads to the speculation that chocolate may be beneficial to one’s love life, acting as some sort of aphrodisiac. This, of course, may belong to one of the myths about chocolate.
What is scientifically proven is that chocolate does not cause any increase in cholesterol levels, assuming moderate consumption, does not cause acne breakouts, or tooth decay.
With certainty, chocolate is a heavenly creation for humankind to enjoy and, fortunately, it will be around to tempt us for a very long time.