Okay, I’m confused. I planned to talk about chocolate today because I thought it was National Chocolate Week in the UK. As I’m writing this, the good old internet doesn’t agree on when Chocolate Week or Chocolate Day occurs. However, chocolate is always worth discussing and who needs a day, or week, for chocolate fans to celebrate the much-loved sweet treat?
Today’s sweet chocolate confection differs greatly from the original chocolate indulgence. Until the last three hundred years, chocolate was a bitter beverage. When it became popular in the European courts it evolved it something closer to the sweet confection we enjoy today.
Where Does Chocolate Come from?
Chocolate is made from the fruit of cacao trees, which are native to Central and South America. Cacao fruit pods contain around 40 cacao beans. The beans are dried and roasted to create cocoa beans.
Five Facts About Chocolate
- There is evidence to suggest the Olmecs and Mayans were drinking chocolate as early as 1500 BCE.
- The Aztecs believed chocolate was a gift from the gods. Cacao beans were more valuable than gold in Aztec culture and often used as currency.
- The Spanish brought chocolate back to Europe where it became a popular drink in the European courts in the 1500s. They began to sweeten the beverage with cane sugar and created new flavours using herbs and spices.
- In 1847, British chocolatier J.S. Fry and Sons created the first chocolate bar moulded from a paste made of sugar, chocolate liquor and cocoa butter.
- Modern chocolate production is expensive. Cocoa farmers struggle to make ends meet and some resort to slave labour (often through child trafficking). Along with the expansion of cacao plantations at the expense of the surrounding rainforests, this has resulted in the campaign for fair-trade chocolate, which promotes more ethical and sustainable chocolate production.
Health Benefits
Due to the high fat and sugar content, chocolate is usually condemned as unhealthy and many of us indulge in the confection as a guilt-ridden treat. However, chocolate does have some health benefits and because I love it, I’m going to jump on board to justify my consumption.
While its high calorific value suggests it be eaten in moderation, chocolate also has high antioxidants and research suggests this can help reduce stress, high blood pressure and cognitive decline.
We know that the same cacao pods also produce stimulant narcotics and there’s no denying the intense pleasure one experiences when eating chocolate. So, the next time you indulge, remember that it’s not all bad to enjoy a chocolate treat.
My favourite type of chocolate is the truffle. I love the way it melts in the mouth. I’m also a fan of white chocolate (which is not technically chocolate), but I’m not getting into that argument.
Do you enjoy chocolate, and what’s your favourite?
