The document discusses the history of chocolate, from its origins in Mesoamerica to its spread throughout Europe. Cacao beans were first used as currency and medicine by the Olmecs and Mayans before Spanish conquistadors brought chocolate to Europe in the 16th century. It then grew in popularity among the elite classes and was promoted as a health drink. Chocolate eventually became commercially produced in the 18th and 19th centuries and is now enjoyed globally as a popular confection.