Every year, international Chocolate Day is celebrated on July 7th, the day it was first introduced in Europe. Chocolate is a unique food extracted from the beans of the Theobroma cacao tree (cocoa, cacao) that remains solid at room temperature and melts in anyone’s mouth because of the presence of cocoa butter in it. Solid sugar and cocoa butter together make the world’s irresistible “Chocolate.”.
History of Chocolate Day:
In early 450 B.C., cocoa was used as a drink named ‘Chocolatl’ by Mexicans; later, Christopher Columbus bought some cocoa beans to Europe as a curtesy on JULY 7th, 1550. It then came to Italy in 1606 and, during 1657, to France. But this drink remains only for rich families, common people are unaware of it. In 1727, milk was added to the drink; this invention was a tribute to the founder of the British Museum. Later, it was purchased and used by “The Cadbury Family.”
In 1828, the cocoa press was invented that removed half of the cocoa butter from the seeds by mechanically pressing them in the press. Later, the beans were milled into ‘Cocoa Powder’. In 1847, the first chocolate factory to produce plain eating chocolate (made up of cocoa cotyledons, cocoa butter, and sugar) was established in Bristol (U.K.) by Joseph Fry.
Some of the earliest famous chocolate brands are as follows:
- 1847 – Fry’s chocolate
- 1875 – Peter’s milk chocolate
- 1900 – Hershey bar
- 1901 – Milka
- 1905 – Cadbury’s dairy milk
- 1936 – Nestle’s Galak
- 1960 – Galaxy
Later, demand for eatable chocolate increased, and it reached every part of the world.
Health benefits of Dark Chocolate:
- Cocoa are naturally rich in polyphenols that have beneficial effects on cardiovascular disease.
- The antioxidant capacity of dark chocolate is 13.1/ 100 g, that preserve cell membranes, protect DNA, prevent the oxidation of low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol that leads to atherosclerosis and prevent plaque formation in blood arteries.
- Dark chocolate proved to have a rapid and significant improvement of endothelial and platelet function in healthy smokers 2-8 hours after ingestion. Because smokers usually have endothelial dysfunction.
- The flavonoids in dark chocolate also help to reduce insulin resistance and prevent type II diabetes.
- It also increases blood flow to the brain and heart, improves alertness and cognitive functions.
- Mild caffeine found in dark chocolate works as mood stimulator.
Chocolate is a high calorie and high fat food however, dark chocolate is naturally fortified with many therapeutic benefits to human health. Thus, on this International Chocolate Day share some good memories and dark chocolate with you
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