Last Updated: July 06, 2022, 14:24 IST
Eating chocolate releases endorphins, the feel-good chemicals in your body that make you feel happy. (Image: Shutterstock)
World Chocolate Day 2022: Chocolate is undoubtedly mankind’s one of the earliest luxuries that have managed to retain its reputation to date
WORLD CHOCOLATE DAY 2022: World Chocolate Day or International Chocolate Day is celebrated every year on July 7. This special day allows people around the world to indulge in their favourite treat without any guilt.
Chocolate is undoubtedly mankind’s one of the earliest luxuries that have managed to retain its reputation to date. Chocolate is made from the fruit of the cacao tree which is said to be first cultivated some thousands of years ago.
The cocoa beans initially have a bitter taste. Once sourced from the tree, they pass through various processes including roasting, shell removal, and heating among others that finally result in lip-smacking chocolate.
The first step involves roasting the cocoa beans which develops the colour and taste that we expect from the chocolate bar we eat. This is followed by grinding which turns the beans into cocoa liquor. The liquor is then mixed with sugar and cocoa butter to make the final product that is loved by all.
Along with other popular food items, chocolate also evolved with time. From milk chocolate, white chocolate to dark chocolate, today we have a range of variety with each one of them having a mouth-watering appeal.
Ahead of World Chocolate Day, let us know some facts about the most popular treat that has been pleasing humanity for ages.
- Antioxidants present in dark chocolates can help lower blood pressure and is good for your cardiovascular health.
- While some like white chocolate better than its dark counterpart, it must be noted that white chocolate isn’t really chocolate. It doesn’t contain cocoa particles and is just a mixture of sugar, vanilla, and cocoa butter.
- Chocolate is hailed as a heavenly fruit and the tree it is sourced from has an interesting name that suggests its reputation even in ancient times. In Greek, the tree is called Theobroma cacao which translates to ‘food for the gods’ in English.
- Eating chocolate releases endorphins, the feel-good chemicals in your body that make you feel happy.
- It takes up to 400 cocoa beans just to make roughly 500 grams of chocolate. On average, a cocoa pod contains 40 cocoa beans.
