Chocolate : Facts

 

1. Hershey’s Kisses were first produced in 1907 and were shaped like a square. A new machine in 1921 gave them their current shape.

2. Chocolate has over 500 individual flavor components. Strawberry and vanilla each have less than half that much.

3. The word "cocoa" was the result of the misspelling of "cacao."

4. The first machine-made chocolate was produced in Barcelona, Spain, in 1780.

5. Cacao has been around for millions of years and is probably one of the oldest of nature's foods

6. Because of the nature of cacao butter, chocolate is the only edible substance that melts at around 93� F, just below body temperature. This means that after placing a piece of chocolate on your tongue, it will begin to melt

7. The cacao bean naturally contains almost 300 different flavors and 400 separate aromas.

8. The largest and oldest chocolate company in the U.S. is Hershey's. Hershey's produces over one billion pounds of chocolate product annually.

9. In a small study at Indiana University, cyclists who drank chocolate milk after a workout had less fatigue and scored higher on endurance tests than those who had a sports drink.

10. The first chocolate chip cookie was invented in 1937 by Ruth Wakefield who ran the "Toll House Inn." The term "Toll House" is now legally a generic word for chocolate chip cookie. It is the most popular cookie worldwide and is the official cookie of Massachusetts.

11. Research suggests that dark chocolate boosts memory, attention span, reaction time, and problem-solving skills by increasing blood flow to the brain. Studies have also found that dark chocolate can improve the ability to see in low-contrast situations (such as poor weather) and promote lower blood pressure, which has positive effects on cholesterol levels, platelet function, and insulin sensitivity.

12. In 1879, Swiss Rodolphe Lindt discovered conching, an essential process in refining chocolate. He discovered it by accident when his assistant left a machine running all night.

13. In 1875, Swiss Daniel Peter discovered a way of mixing condensed milk, manufactured by his friend Henri Nestl�, with chocolate to create the first milk chocolate.

14. Quakers, such as George Cadbury, amassed a great fortune producing drinking chocolate as an alternative to alcohol.

15. People who feel depressed eat about 55% more chocolate than their non-depressed peers.

16. Napolean always carried Chocolate with him as an energy booster.

17. Nearly 40% of world's Almond and 20% of world's peanuts are used for making chocolate.

18. The first chocolate chip cookie was invented in 1937 by Ruth Wakefield who ran the "Toll House Inn." The term "Toll House" is now legally a generic word for chocolate chip cookie. It is the most popular cookie worldwide and is the official cookie of Massachusetts.