For centuries, chocolate has been touted for its health benefits. Promoters cite its medicinal uses and even praise it as a “perfect food.” Early on, Baker’s advertised their chocolates as pure and healthful products that were often supported by physicians as well as medical journals.

While all of Baker’s chocolates enjoyed medical endorsements, Walter Baker took pride in the products specifically marketed for those suffering from illness. The earliest specialty chocolate was sold in 1844 as Walter Baker’s Homeopathic Chocolate. By 1849 Baker’s Broma and Cocoa Paste, another product for health purposes, began distribution. It is not clear if these were two variations of the same product, because Broma and Cocoa claimed the same nutritional benefits. Walter Baker considered his Broma and Cocoa Paste, made from a secret recipe purchased in England, to be a highly beneficial nourishment for invalids. It was touted as a nutritious and welcome change from the typical rice, starch, and barley concoctions hospital patients usually ate. Many doctors even provided written endorsements for Baker’s products and recommended the use of Broma and Cocoa Paste.