Fabulous facts about chocolate
January 22nd 2009 21:38
Yes, they are made of cocolate
1.
The earliest written accounts of chocolate use date to about 1000 BC by the Olmecs tribes of southern Mexico .
2.
The first chocolate bar was made in England in 1842 by Cadbury's. In 1861, Cadbury's produced the first heart-shaped box of chocolate.
3.
In 1875, after more than eight years of experimentation, Daniel Peter of Switzerland, created milk chocolate. He sold his creation to his neighbour, Henri Nestlé, and Nestlé chocolate came into being.
4.
In 1879, Rodolphe Lindt, the founder of Lindt Chocolates, invented the process of “conching”, which is used to refine chocolate.
5.
During the Second World War, the US Government commissioned Milton Hershey to create a candy bar to be included in soldier’s rations. The candy bar chosen was the Hershey Milk Chocolate Bar. This was such a successful collaboration, Hershey Chocolate was called upon during the Persian Gulf War to create a chocolate bar that could withstand high temperatures. The “Desert Bars” were included in the soldier’s daily rations and were also sold to consumers for use in survival kits.
6.
Chocolate manufacturers use 40% of the world's almonds and 20% of the world's peanuts.
7.
Chocolate is not physically addictive and, proven by several medical studies, does not cause acne.
8.
Chocolate contains significantly less caffeine than tea and soft drinks.
9.
The shelf life for chocolate is about one a year.
10.
The seeds of the cacao tree, native to South America, are the source of cocoa and chocolate. Cacao trees yield between 20 and 30 pods per harvest, each of them containing between 30 and 40 seeds, or beans. It takes about 400 beans to make a pound of chocolate. The pods take about six months to develop, so the trees can be harvested twice a year.
11.
The average American eats 10-12 pounds (4.5 kg) of chocolate a year. The average Swiss eats 21 pounds (9.9 kg) a year. Despite this, Americans have the highest lean body mass index in the western world, while the Swiss have the lowest incidence of obesity and coronary heart disease in western Europe.
12.
Several medical studies show that eating chocolate in moderation can actually prolong life by reducing risk of blood clots and fighting bad cholesterol. Chocolate also contains antioxidants which may help prevent cancer and heart disease.
13.
In the United States, white chocolate cannot be labelled as chocolate. According to US law, anything labelled chocolate must contain chocolate solids. White chocolate contains only cacao butter, so it is labelled "white coating" or "white confectionery".
14.
In Japan, the traditional practice of giri choco calls for employees to give chocolates to their managers as a token of loyalty. Giri choco translates as “duty chocolate.”
15.
Chocolate was responsible for invention of the microwave oven. A tube that produces microwaves was invented by British scientists during World War II. Called the magnetron, its ability to cook food was discovered by accident - when someone walked past and found a chocolate bar in his pocket had been melted. This led directly to microwave ovens, the first models of which were the size and weight of a refrigerator.
www.extremechocolate.com, cocoajava.com, chocolateshavings.blogspot.com, www.tea-or-chocolate.com, en.wikipedia.org, www.associatedcontent.com, phantasia97tx.tripod.com, www.ideafinder.com
| 85 |
| Vote |
Comment by Sara Dobson
My Turn
Comment by Chris Champion
LettersToNorm
moneywhither
Vyoos
Zoomies
Bloggercises
The Blog of Lists
Newly Old
Comment by Cheryl J
Rhythmatism
Zentertainment
Budget Centsability
Comment by Chris Champion
LettersToNorm
moneywhither
Vyoos
Zoomies
Bloggercises
The Blog of Lists
Newly Old
Comment by Sara Dobson
My Turn
Comment by Chris Champion
LettersToNorm
moneywhither
Vyoos
Zoomies
Bloggercises
The Blog of Lists
Newly Old
Comment by Janet Collins
Acceptable Etiquette
The Social Critic
Janet Collins Blog
[
I love dark chocolate, brown chocolate, white chocolate. To me it is all chocolate. And enjoyable and I can never understand people who don't eat chocolate.
Comment by Chris Champion
LettersToNorm
moneywhither
Vyoos
Zoomies
Bloggercises
The Blog of Lists
Newly Old
I promised you a chocolate list months ago. My only excuse is that, err, the research took longer than I thought (so much chocolate to eat!). I thank you for your patience
Comment by me:)
Comment by me:)
Comment by Chris Champion
LettersToNorm
moneywhither
Vyoos
Zoomies
Bloggercises
The Blog of Lists
Newly Old