As Charles Schulz, the creator of the Peanuts cartoons once said, "All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt." Most of use certainly would agree that chocolate can make our lives a bit better, and this delectable sweet is one of the most popular foods on earth. Here are a few fun facts about chocolate that you might not know.
While sweet treats often are considered quite unhealthy, dark chocolate actually can be beneficial for our bodies. The antioxidants in dark chocolate have been show to improve the health of our cardiovascular system and reduce blood pressure. Some studies suggest that a small amount of dark chocolate can help keep a person from becoming diabetic. There are also studies that suggest that chocolate can improve memory and other cognitive functions.
There are many similarities between the way coffee is produced and the way that chocolate is produced. For instance, both are roasted seeds and both contain high amounts of antioxidants. When it comes to chocolate, this seed comes from a cacao tree. Straight from the tree, the cacao seed is extremely bitter, so producers ferment the bean. Then after it has been fermented, dried and roasted, it is split open and the nib is removed and ground. This becomes the cocoa powder that used to produce all sorts of chocolate products.
Although, it was first produced in Central America and Mexico, most of the world's cocoa now is grown in Africa. Aztecs and Mayans drank chocolate but without any sugar or fat, and it was a fairly strong and bitter drink. Europeans were the first to add the sweet stuff and turn it into a confection. John Cadbury, of the famous Cadbury company, created the world's first chocolate bar around 1842, and the Cadbury brand still is going strong today.
Of the Top Ten chocolate makers out there, four are based in the United States. Mars, Nestle and Mondelez International are all U.S.-based and are the top three chocolate companies, and Hershey is also among the ten top chocolate producers in the world. These companies also produce some of the world's best-selling chocolate bar brands such as Milky Way, Snickers and Kit Kat. While these inexpensive treats are popular, many people prefer a higher quality, gourmet-style chocolate produced by specialty chocolate companies.
Now that you have read a bit about chocolate, it's time to indulge in this sweet treat. Consider purchasing something truly unique such as a chocolate pizza from Chocolate Pizza Company. A mix of handmade toffee and chocolate creates the crust for the dark and milk chocolate pizzas, while cranberries, almonds and melted white chocolate form the crust for the white chocolate pizzas. There are also many different toppings you can consider to truly customize your gourmet chocolate pizza. In addition to this unique chocolate offering, Chocolate Pizza Company creates truffles, nut clusters and much more, such as their own creation, Peanut Butter Wings. These, of course, are the perfect pairing for a chocolate pizza and come in either dark or milk chocolate varieties.
While sweet treats often are considered quite unhealthy, dark chocolate actually can be beneficial for our bodies. The antioxidants in dark chocolate have been show to improve the health of our cardiovascular system and reduce blood pressure. Some studies suggest that a small amount of dark chocolate can help keep a person from becoming diabetic. There are also studies that suggest that chocolate can improve memory and other cognitive functions.
There are many similarities between the way coffee is produced and the way that chocolate is produced. For instance, both are roasted seeds and both contain high amounts of antioxidants. When it comes to chocolate, this seed comes from a cacao tree. Straight from the tree, the cacao seed is extremely bitter, so producers ferment the bean. Then after it has been fermented, dried and roasted, it is split open and the nib is removed and ground. This becomes the cocoa powder that used to produce all sorts of chocolate products.
Although, it was first produced in Central America and Mexico, most of the world's cocoa now is grown in Africa. Aztecs and Mayans drank chocolate but without any sugar or fat, and it was a fairly strong and bitter drink. Europeans were the first to add the sweet stuff and turn it into a confection. John Cadbury, of the famous Cadbury company, created the world's first chocolate bar around 1842, and the Cadbury brand still is going strong today.
Of the Top Ten chocolate makers out there, four are based in the United States. Mars, Nestle and Mondelez International are all U.S.-based and are the top three chocolate companies, and Hershey is also among the ten top chocolate producers in the world. These companies also produce some of the world's best-selling chocolate bar brands such as Milky Way, Snickers and Kit Kat. While these inexpensive treats are popular, many people prefer a higher quality, gourmet-style chocolate produced by specialty chocolate companies.
Now that you have read a bit about chocolate, it's time to indulge in this sweet treat. Consider purchasing something truly unique such as a chocolate pizza from Chocolate Pizza Company. A mix of handmade toffee and chocolate creates the crust for the dark and milk chocolate pizzas, while cranberries, almonds and melted white chocolate form the crust for the white chocolate pizzas. There are also many different toppings you can consider to truly customize your gourmet chocolate pizza. In addition to this unique chocolate offering, Chocolate Pizza Company creates truffles, nut clusters and much more, such as their own creation, Peanut Butter Wings. These, of course, are the perfect pairing for a chocolate pizza and come in either dark or milk chocolate varieties.
About the Author:
Elba Fenwick enjoys reading chocolate blogs. For further information about chocolate covered cookies or to find about other products such as gourmet chocolate gift baskets, please visit the ChocolatePizza.com site now.
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