On July 7th we celebrated World Chocolate Day, a delightful celebration of one of the world’s favourite treats – chocolate. World Chocolate Day is the perfect opportunity to indulge in your favourite chocolatey delights, whether you prefer dark, milk, or white chocolate, World Chocolate Day. I guess everyone in this world loves eating chocolates whether that may be children, young or old people.
From chocolate bars to truffles, and hot cocoa to chocolate cakes, there’s a wide array of ways to savour this beloved treat. Did you know that around 1 billion people from around the world eat chocolates every day besides when you eat in a moderated amount it has many health benefits although chocolates are also recognized as fattening, amazingly they can also aid weight loss and help maintain weight if consumed moderately. Besides, it’s Valentine’s week and chocolate is the food of love.
HISTORY OF WORLD CHOCOLATE DAY
The year 2009 World Chocolate Day marks and supposed anniversary of the day that this iconic dessert made its first entrance into Europe in 1550. On this day all around the world, candy stores, and local suppliers place their best-loved merchandise on sale so that everyone, both young and old, can enjoy a nibble of the stuff.
Did you know that Chocolate comes from the seed of the Theobroma Cacao tree? This tree usually grows in Mexico, Central America, and Northern South America, where it has been cultivated for at least three millennia. Also, Africa holds 70% of the growing cacao trees in the world today.
The tree called Theobroma, seeds have a very serious, bitter taste and must be fermented to develop the flavour. Seeds from a cacao tree are covered with banana leaves and left to ferment at that point it is called cocoa beans, after the cocoa beans have reached their processing plant, they are roasted slowly at a low temperature. Then it’s time to separate the shells from the nibs so that the nibs can be ground to a fine powder called cocoa liquor, which is just pure chocolate in rough form. In this process you will get chocolate liquor, then the chocolate liquor gets processed into two components – cocoa butter and cocoa solids.
Likewise, cocoa powder is made and packed for purchase at grocery stores so that we can bake the beloved roasted taste profile into our cakes and cookies, while cocoa butter is produced so that manufacturers can use it as an ingredient in their chocolate bars.
This edible treasure is a powerful source of antioxidants, plus it helps to improve blood flow, lower blood pressure, and reduce the risk of heart disease. Also increases serotonin and dopamine levels, which helps to boost mood. Likewise, many people are advised to eat more dark chocolate as it contains healthier benefits. Tons of treats are made from chocolate – hot chocolate milk, chocolate milk, chocolate cake and brownies, chocolate candy bars.
| 1100 B.C. (Cacao seeds are used) | The earliest record of using cacao seeds is from around 1100 B.C. in Central America |
| 1500 (Chocolate arrives in Europe) | Chocolate is introduced to Europe by Spanish explorer Hernán Cortés. |
| 1641 (On the scene) | North America received its first chocolate shipment on a Spanish vessel at what is now the coast of Florida. |
| 1847(Fry’s chocolate bar) | Joseph Fry (owner of an English-based company — Fry’s) and his son create the first mass-produced chocolate bar. |
| 1894 (A Household Name) | Milton S. Hershey founds Hershey’s Chocolate Factory in Derry, Pennsylvania |
| 1971 (Owning the Silver Screen) | “Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory,” a movie that completely revolves around the Western world’s obsession with the sweet brown squares, premieres in the U.S. |
| 2009 (Celebrating Celebrating) | After centuries of being the featured dish at every joyful event, chocolate wins an event of its own when World Chocolate Day is finally established. |
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Chocolate was currency- Did you know that cacao beans were used as a barter currency in the Mayan Times?
- Chocolate was once a medicine- Chocolate milk, discovered by Dr. Hans Sloane, was once sold as a medicine in Ireland.
- Chocolate cures cough- Chocolate contains theobromine which can cure cough better than cough syrups.
- Chocoholics from Switzerland- Switzerland is famous for its chocolate and its people consume about 8.8 kgs of chocolate per year.
- Hot Cocoa was the first treat- The first chocolate product was hot cocoa discovered by the Mayans about 3,000 years ago.
FAQs
When is the World Chocolate Day?
Chocolate Day occurred on the July 7th
What are its health benefits?
Chocolate’s potential health benefits, such as improved heart health and mood enhancement due to its flavonoid content.
Also, read more about National Creative Ice Cream Flavors Day – July 1, 2024
