World Chocolate Day: Friday 7th of July 2023

Take a moment to indulge in World Chocolate Day!  

Did you know that approximately 1 billion people from around the world eat chocolates every day?  

This just shows that many of us cannot resist the temptation of chocolaty treats. Indeed chocolate is also the food of love! You might think chocolate is unhealthy, however dark chocolate has many health benefits. It creates a calm and happy mood, improves memory and even helps to keep that heart healthy… but remember everything in moderation! 

What is the story of chocolate? 

Chocolate begins from the pods of the cacao tree and is native to Central and South America. Pods g from the trunk and in the larger branches, which contain the cacao beans.  

Did you know cacao is the botanical name for the unfermented beans and cocoa is the manufactured product?  You can find more about the cocoa bean via our Library Search here: 

History of Chocolate

Chocolate can be traced back to the Mayans. It was consumed in liquid form for celebrations and complimented most meals. It was often combined with chillies, water and honey.  Furthermore, The Aztecs also believed that chocolate was sacred and used the cacao beans as currency- in fact, it was more valuable than gold!  

During the industrial revolution, chocolate boomed. Half of the cacao butter was removed for the chocolate liquor and resulting in a creamier and improved quality. It was the modern era for cost-effective, machine-based chocolate. 

John Cadbury opened the first shop in Birmingham in 1824 and has manufactured chocolate since. Due to the machinery, different types of chocolate have emerged and today it is a highly refined, edible confectionary.   

Fair-trade chocolate  

Fairtrade Chocolate supports changing the way cocoa is supplied, ethical working conditions and sustainable incomes for farmers and their families. You can recognise the fairtrade on products like this one below: 

Find more about Fair Trade here: https://www.fairtrade.org.uk/Buying-Fairtrade/Chocolate/ 

Read more on Chocolate using LibrarySearch.napier.ac.uk

Let us know which is your favourite chocolate bar in the comments below?  

Find more information  

https://nationaltoday.com/world-chocolate-day/  

https://www.history.com/topics/ancient-americas/history-of-chocolate  

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