Chocolate is a prepared from roasted and ground cacao seeds.
The earliest evidences of its use of chocolate are found from Olmec sites in Mexico which provides us hint that choclate had been used since 19 centuries BCE.
The majority of civilizations like Mesoamerican, Maya and Aztecs people made chocolate beverages.
The ancient people of Maya civilization are accounted to be the first to regularly grow cacao trees and drink chocolate.
In ancient times the cocoa bean was also used as currency by Maya civilization.
Cultivation of the cacao beans was restricted so that its value would not go down and can be used as money.
The chocolate is a Spanish word which is derived from the Classical Nahuatl word xocolātl.
Amazing fact, Both COCOA AND CACAO are same.
 |
| Chocolate |
THERE ARE TWO types OF CACAO- forastero beans and the crillo bean which is more tastier chocolate.
July 7 is also celebrated as Chocolate Day, marks a day when chocolate was first introduced to Europe on July 7, 1550, by Christopher Columbus.
July 28 is also celebrated as National Milk Chocolate Day.
September 13 is also celebrated as International Chocolate Day.
November 7 is also celebrated as National Bittersweet Chocolate With Almonds Day
Although cocoa originated in the Americas, But countries such as Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Indonesia and Nigeria are the leading producers of cocoa in recent 2020 which accounting for some 60% of the world cocoa supply.
The scientific name for the cacao tree from which chocolate produced is Theobroma cacao, which means “food of the gods.”
The cacao tree belongs from family "Malvaceae."
An amazing fact about chocolate is it activated theta brain waves which activated the sensation of pleasure and relaxation.
Chocolate comes in over 600 flavors.
Cocoa solids is bitter in taste.
To make 450 grams of chocolate it takes around 400 cacao beans.
The only edible substance which melts at a temperature around 32°C ( 90°F) is chocolate. Due to this property chocolate melts in mouth.
 |
| Melting Choclate |
Types of chocolate:
Baking chocolate which is purely unsweetened and contains cocoa solids and cocoa butter in varying proportions. Today the chocolate people consumes is sweet chocolate.
1. Milk : It is sweet chocolate which is formed from milk powder and condensed milk along with cacao.
Daniel Peter invented milk chocolate in Switzerland in 1875.
2. White chocolate: In this chocolate cocoa solids are absent which provides colour to chocolate.
3. Dark chocolate : In this chocolate fat and sugar is added in cacao solution.
Dark chocolate is powerful source of antioxidants, improve blood flow, lower blood pressure reduces the risk of Heart diseases and also improve the function of the brain so it is advisable to consume it daily.
There is a rare fourth kind of chocolate called as blond chocolate.
Note: There is no significant evidences that it affects blood pressure and contains any additional health benefits.
Chocolate bloom is the condition when sugar and fats are seperated due to its poor storage but it can be safely consumed.
Chocolate has good amount of caffeine in it, and the dark chocolate contains high caffeine content.
According to the latest data by International Cocoa Organization, Europeans consumes almost half the world’s chocolate.
During 100th birthday celebrations of chocolate, Thorntons made the world’s largest chocolate bar having estimated weight around 5,792.50 kilograms.
 |
| chocolate bar |
The first chocolate bar in the world is made by Cadbury a British company in 1842 which is owned by Mondelez headquartered in Uxbridge London.
Ruth Graves Wakefield and Sue Bridges inventor of the Chocolate Chip Cookie sold the formula to Nestle in return for a lifetime supply of chocolate.
An Italian pastry maker added hazelnuts into chocolate mixture and invented Nutella during WWII, when he was trying to extend his supply to army.
There are millions of Toblerone bars are sold every year if they were laid down they woud be of 62,000 kilometers more longer than the circumference of the Earth.
Video source: Gabe Humphries
Milky Way candy bars name came from the malted milk shakes.
M&Ms was created to manufature chocolates for soldiers in 1941 to enjoy it without melting.
The Wispa Gold a caramel brand chocolate which was in demand so Cadbury designed Wispa Gold Wrapped Bar to relaunch Wispa Gold.
This Wispa Gold Wrapped Bar also Known as “The World’s Most Expensive Chocolate Bar” which was wrapped in edible gold leaf had estimated cost of $1,420 per bar.
A limited edition of chocolate flavored stamps was also issued by Belguim in 2013
The killer compound named Theobromine is also present in chocolate which is poisonous to dogs, can even kill human Also.
10 kilograms of chocolate is very Lethal for a human being.
Mice is more tempted to chocolate than a piece of cheese.
One tree of cacao produces around 2500 cacao beans.
The cacao tree takes around 4 to 5 years to produce cacao beans.
Spanish royal family used to gift cakes of cacao in dowries.
After intense workout, Chocolate milk provides as good recovery drink.
Social