Speaking of chocolate

There is an island off the coast of Panama where the natives drink an average of five cups of unprocessed cocoa (sweetened with a little sugar) each day. The people of the San Blas Islands "appear to experience significantly lower death rates from heart attacks, stroke, diabetes, and cancer" than residents of the nearby mainland, which has convinced Dr. Norman Hollenberg, a Harvard Medical School professor, that substances in cacao -- the plant from which chocolate is made -- are loaded with health benefits.

"Xocolatl" was the word for chocolate among the Aztecs, from whom the Spanish conquistadors learned of the food. Residue found in ancient pots indicate that the Mayans were eating chocolate at least 2,600 years ago. They were certainly on to something.