Chocolate in one form or another is loved by all. Whether it’s a slab of dark 70%, a slice of beautifully decorated white chocolate cheesecake or a family favourite such as chocolate covered Turkish Delight, everyone has their favourite.

Chocolate as we know it now wasn’t invented until the mid-1800s, before that it was usually a bitter beverage made from powdered chocolate or the pulp of the cacao bean; the root of all chocolate products.

It’s now part of daily life and there are lots of fun facts and trivia about chocolate as well as world records which are dedicated to this smooth, satisfying confectionary.

  1. Relaxation is a result of just the smell of chocolate. Brain waves called theta waves are triggered when we smell chocolate and in turn this makes us chill out even before we’ve tasted it.
  2. Whilst white chocolate is the top choice for many, it isn’t technically chocolate. The reason for this is because it doesn’t contain any cocoa solids or even any liquid derived from cocoa.
  3. To make a pound of chocolate around 400 cacao beans are needed
  4. The man who invented the chocolate chip cookie sold his idea for a fair price; a lifetime’s supply of chocolate.
  5. 250,000 tonnes of chocolate is eaten at Easter and 200,000 tonnes are consumed each Christmas.
  6. When America was discovered, the Europeans tried the bitter drink which was produced from the pulp of the cacao bean. They found it not to their taste and so started to add honey to make it more palatable. This was the first recorded time that any kind of sweetener had been added to any kind of chocolate-related product.
  7. World War 2 saw an innovation in the world of chocolate; M&M’s were invented purely as a treat to give to American soldiers who could then carry them around with them stored in their uniform and know that the chocolate would not melt because of the crisp casing.
  8. Every second of the year, 100 pounds of chocolate is eaten in America.
  9. The world record for the heaviest bar of chocolate stands at a staggering – and mouth watering – 12,770 pounds or 5,792 kg.
  10. History was changed in the chocolate world in 1912. Milton Hershey was booked to travel on the ill-fated Titanic but cancelled his booking at the last minute because of business issues he had to deal with.
  11. Some say that sweet and savoury work, others think it’s just plain weird but it is now possible to buy crisps which are completely covered in chocolate.
  12. It’s time to stop feeling guilty about eating chocolate and the number of calories being consumed as it has been scientifically proven that if you eat a small amount of dark chocolate every day you will reduce the risk of heart disease by one third.
  13. Whilst listening to the advice of dentists is always good and brushing and flossing as instructed will lead to continued great teeth and mouth hygiene; chocolate can also help. It contains an anti-bacterial agent which has an effect on the mouth which assists with protection against tooth decay.
  14. It is said that Napoleon always carried some chocolate with him whenever he was involved in a battle.

The church once said that chocolate was a sin as they were watching their flocks gain weight when the product was introduced into Europe as a sweetened beverage. This took place in the 17th century but a hundred years later it was seen as good to consume and was even encouraged as it was declared that it had excellent medicinal purposes to cure such conditions as angina and chest pains.