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Chocolate Creates a Greater Mental High Than Kissing Does

Chocolate is one of life’s greatest pleasures, providing hope in the darkness of an otherwise drab culinary experience. Chocolate didn’t find its way into the culinary repertoire of the western world until the Spanish learned of it from the Mayan people of Mesoamerica. From this simple beginning, it has spread throughout the world to be one of the most desired treats of all social and economic classes. Chocolates Day celebrates the history of this delicious treat, especially in one of its most popular forms, a variety of chocolates.

  • Once they discovered chocolate, the Spanish actually kept the new substance to themselves for many years.
  • In 1579 a Spanish vessel was attacked by English Pirates, finding it full of cocoa beans. Being unfamiliar with the delicious substance, they set fire to the vessel thinking they had conquered a vessel full of sheep droppings.
  • The Spanish fell in love with the substance and were the first to start adding sugar to it.
  • In 1829 the cocoa press was invented, and with it came solid chocolate. This invention was intended to bring chocolate to the world, bringing it out of the exclusive province of the wealthy.
  • In 1847 the first chocolate bar was invented, and its 1000-year history as a substance consumed only as a liquid came to an end.
  • 1875 saw the creation of milk chocolate, and every innovation from there on out has gone towards making chocolate richer, creamier, and more delicious than ever.
  • It took eight years to develop the recipe for milk chocolate. Daniel Peter, a Swiss chocolatier and entrepreneur, spent eight long years trying to figure out a recipe for milk chocolate that would work. It wasn’t until 1875 that he realized that condensed milk was the answer to all his troubles.
  • Chocolate comes from the Aztec word “xocolatl” which means “bitter water”.
  • Switzerland is one of the top countries for chocolate consumption. The Swiss consume about 22 lbs of chocolate, per person, per year.
  • Cocoa beans were used as currency by the Mayan and Aztec cultures. Perhaps this is where the saying “Money grows on trees” came from.
  • Allowing chocolate to melt in your mouth produces the same or even stronger reactions as passionately kissing.
  • Most cocoa comes from West Africa.
  • There are an estimated 1.5 million cocoa farms in West Africa.
  • It takes 400 cocoa beans to make one pound of chocolate.
  • It Takes About One Week to Make a Single-Serving Chocolate Bar
  • Research to date supports that chocolate can be enjoyed as part of a balanced, heart-healthy diet and lifestyle.
  • Rudolph Lindt designed the first conching machine, its bed curved like a conch shell.
  • Benjamin Franklin sold chocolate in his print shop in Philadelphia.
  • Worldwide, 40 million to 50 million people depend upon cocoa for their livelihood.
  • Spanish royalty gave cakes of cacao in their dowries.
  • The Aztec emperor Montezuma drank 50 cups of cacao a day from a golden chalice.
  • The mere smell of chocolate increases theta brain waves, which trigger relaxation. In fact, a study conducted at Hasselt University in Belgium showed that when the scent of chocolate was diffused in bookstores, sales of books increased — especially those of romance novels.
  • Chocolate also contains tryptophan, which the brain uses to produce serotonin, a hormone that causes generalized euphoria. So, eating chocolate really does make you happier!
  • Chocolate has an antibacterial effect on the mouth, as eating pure cocoa has been shown to prevent tooth decay.
  • Europeans are the world’s truest chocolate lovers. Research from Forbes shows that the largest chocolate-consuming countries are Switzerland, Germany, and Ireland.
  • The Scientific Name for the Tree that Chocolate Comes From Means ‘Food of the Gods’.
  • Chocolate contains over 600 flavor compounds, which give off its distinct aroma, according to the American Chemical Society. In comparison, red wine is reported to only have around 200 flavor compounds.
  • Hershey’s Makes 70 Million Kisses a Day
  • Hershey’s Kisses got their Name from the Sound the Machine Makes
  • There are Actually Four Different Types of Chocolate: Dark, Milk, White, and Blond
  • Chocolate Milk was Invented in Jamaica in the Early 1700s
  • You’re More Likely to Buy Something from a Store that Smells Like Chocolate
  • $1.4 Billion Worth of Cocoa Products Are Consumed Each Year in the U.S.
  • Cadbury Makes 1.5 Million Creme Eggs a Day.
  • The first Cadbury Easter Egg was made in 1875
  • Eating Chocolate Every Day Reduces the Risk of Heart Disease

Sources:

Days of the Year

Foodimentary

Candy USA

Simply Chocolate

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