International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health Review Chocolate, “Food of the Gods”: History, Science, and Human Health Maria Teresa Montagna 1,* , Giusy Diella 1, Francesco Triggiano 1, Giusy Rita Caponio 2,3, Osvalda De Giglio 1 , Giuseppina Caggiano 1, Agostino Di Ciaula 2 and Piero Portincasa 2,* 1 Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, Section of Hygiene, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Medical School, Piazza G. Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy;
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[email protected] (G.C.) 2 Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, Clinica Medica “A. Murri”, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Medical School, Piazza G. Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy;
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[email protected] (A.D.C.) 3 Department of Soil, Plant and Food Science (DISSPA), University of Bari Aldo Moro, Via Amendola 165/a, 70126 Bari, Italy * Correspondence:
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[email protected] (P.P.); Tel.: +39-080-547-8476 (M.T.M.); +39-080-547-8293 (P.P.) Received: 27 November 2019; Accepted: 3 December 2019; Published: 6 December 2019 Abstract: Chocolate is well known for its fine flavor, and its history began in ancient times, when the Maya considered chocolate (a cocoa drink prepared with hot water) the “Food of the Gods”. The food industry produces many different types of chocolate: in recent years, dark chocolate, in particular, has gained great popularity. Interest in chocolate has grown, owing to its physiological and potential health effects, such as regulation of blood pressure, insulin levels, vascular functions, oxidation processes, prebiotic effects, glucose homeostasis, and lipid metabolism.