Chocolate: Did You Know?

Valentine’s Day has come and gone. Did you receive any chocolate? Do you still have any of it left? Chocolate is so hard to resist!

Along with eating chocolate, I took some time to learn more about chocolate. Some of what I read refreshed my memory and some left me thinking “Wow, that was interesting!”.

Did you know?

1. Scientists first learned about the health benefits of chocolate from the Kuni Indians who live on an island off the coast of Panama. The traditional Kuni diet includes several cups of cocoa beverage each day. Kuni Indians who have moved to the mainland of Panama have not continued this tradition. Both high blood pressure and heart disease is rare with the Kuni still living on the island. However, the incidence of heart disease with those having moved to the mainland is much higher. (globeandmail.com: Chocolate passions best bittersweet)

2. Pennsylvania, home of Hershey’s, has traditionally been the center for all things chocolate in the United States. However, by the year 2000, California surpassed Pennsylvania. California at that time had 136 chocolate companies compared with 122 for Pennsylvania.

3. Hershey has invested heavily in premium chocolate. Just over a year ago, the Hershey company purchased the popular chocolate company Scharffen Berger. And late last year purchased the Ashland, Oregon-based company Dagoba Organic Chocolate. (Dark Chocolate Domesticated)

4. Cocoa beans are technically a fruit!

5. Coffee flavor intensifies the taste of chocolate.

6. Dark chocolate should not be eaten in the same manner as milk chocolate. Allow chocolate of 60 percent or more cocoa to simply melt in your mouth. Savor the flavor as it melts slowly. The smooth sensuous nature of even a small piece of dark chocolate can go a long way!

7. Depending on the ingredients, chocolate usually has a melting point of 36 degrees Celsius. And that’s what gives chocolate the melt-in-your-mouth can’t resist quality! Body temperature is usually closer to 37 degrees.

Did you learn anything new?