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World Chocolate Day : Some Fun facts you didn’t know!

From something to boost up our energy level while working long hours to a sweet little package of love to our dear ones, chocolates have been our ultimate favourite. What could be better than getting to know some fun facts about chocolates while having one in your mouth this World Chocolate day? Let’s get to know some interesting facts about the most favourite dessert item for people of every age:

Every year on July 7th, World Chocolate Day allows chocolate lovers around the world to indulge in their favorite treat without any guilt. The day also celebrates all kinds of goodies made from chocolate, including chocolate milk, hot chocolate, chocolate candy bar, chocolate cake, brownies, or anything covered in chocolate.

Chocolate comes from the seed of the tropical Theobroma cacao tree. Cacao has been cultivated for at least three millennia and grows in Mexico, Central America, and Northern South America. The earliest known documentation of using cacao seeds is from around 1100 BC.

Since cacao tree seeds have a very intense, bitter taste, they must be fermented to develop the flavor. Once fermented, processors dry, clean and roast the beans. After roasting, the shell is removed to produce cacao nibs.

The cacao nibs are then ground into cocoa mass, which is pure chocolate in rough form. The cocoa mass is usually liquefied, then molded with or without other ingredients. At this point in the process, it is called chocolate liquor. The chocolate liquor gets processed into two components: cocoa solids and cocoa butter.

Most Common Types of Chocolate
  • Unsweetened baking chocolate – cocoa solids and cocoa butter in varying proportions.
  • Sweet chocolate – cocoa solids, cocoa butter or other fat and sugar.
  • Milk chocolate – sweet chocolate with milk powder or condensed milk.
  • White chocolate – cocoa butter, sugar, and milk but no cocoa solids.

Most people love chocolate. In fact, nine out of ten people love chocolate. About 1 billion people eat chocolate every day. Besides the fact it tastes so good, there are some health benefits of chocolate. Chocolate increases serotonin and dopamine levels, which helps to boost the mood. Dark chocolate can also be especially good for you. Dark chocolate is a powerful source of antioxidants, plus it helps to improve blood flow, lower blood pressure, and reduce the risk of heart disease.

WORLD CHOCOLATE DAY HISTORY

It’s unclear who came up with this yummy food day. However, the day is celebrated on July 7th because it was on this date in 1550 that chocolate was first brought to Europe. The first World Chocolate Day was celebrated in 2009.

Chocolate is actually a vegetable. Really?

Milk and dark chocolate come from the cacao bean, which grows on the cacao tree (Theobroma cacao), an evergreen from the family Malvaceae (other members of the family include okra and cotton). Thus this makes the sweet treat a vegetable.

White chocolate is not chocolate

White chocolate does not contain cocoa particles or chocolate liquor. It is made with a blend of sugar, cocoa butter, milk products, vanilla, and a fatty substance. So technically, white chocolate is not really chocolate at all.

Hot chocolate was the first chocolate treat

Cacao was brewed in both Mexican and Aztec cultures, however, it was nothing like today’s hot chocolate. It was typically a bitter concoction that was often used for ceremonial occasions like marriages. Sweet Milk Cocoa Winter Dairy Drink Hot Chocolate. Original public domain image from Wikimedia Commons.

Sweet Milk Cocoa Winter Dairy Drink Hot Chocolate. Original public domain image from Wikimedia Commons

Cacao beans were once used as currency

The Aztecs loved and valued the cacao bean so highly that they used it as currency during the time of civilization.

Cacao trees are almost immortal

Cacao trees live up to 200 years. However, the tropical beauties produce the viable cacao beans for just 25 years of their lifespan.

There is a fourth type of chocolate too

We all know the various types of chocolate: milk, dark, and white. But apart from these varieties, there is a rare fourth type known as blonde chocolate too. It is made by caramelising white chocolate.

Chocolates too contain caffeine

Darker chocolates can have as much caffeine as a can of Coca-Cola. The darker the chocolate, the higher the caffeine content.

Growing a Cacao tree is no joke

It takes about 400 beans to make a pound of chocolate. It also takes about a year for one cacao tree to produce enough pods to make about 10 small-sized chocolate bars.

Free public domain CC0 photo.

More chocolate means less sorrow

Chocolate produces an effect of a mild anti-depressant by increasing serotonin and endorphin levels in the brain.

Chocolates are not for pets

Chocolate contains a toxic component called theobromine may be dangerous for your pet. While humans can easily metabolise this component, it takes time to process for the pets. Chocolate poisoning is a problem that can be caused due to its intake.

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