The History of Chocolate

    Chocolate is a key ingredient in many beverages and foods, from chocolate milkshakes, candy bars, hot chocolate, and chocolate chip cookies, to the chocolate covered Oreos I make. Chocolate has an amazing history, as well as a myriad of benefits.
    Evidence of chocolate beverages dates as far back as 1900 BC. However after it's arrival in Spain in the 16th century, sugar was added to it, whereupon it became immensely popular. In the 20th century, chocolate was a staple, immensely popular with soldiers at war.
    To harvest cocoa, and therefore make chocolate, one must locate cocoa trees that grow in the wet lowland tropics of Central and South America, West Africa and Southeast Asia. Once harvested, the football sized pods must be split open. Often, they contain up to fifty beans. They must then be fermented, and cooked under heat. Periodically, workers come along to stir them and ensure they are cooked evenly. Finally, they are dried and sent to a factory, where they are roasted and turned into chocolate liquor, where milk and sugar is added to create delicious chocolate.
    Chocolate has many benefits that many are not aware of. Did you know that:

1. Each coca tree produces roughly 400-800 bars of chocolate a year?

2. Dark chocolate has the largest quantity of cocoa solids – at least 70%?

3. Candy eaters live almost a year longer than those who don't eat chocolate?

4. The creator of the Nestle Tollhouse cookie struck a deal with Nestle when her cookies first came out? She would sell them the rights for her cookies in exchange for a lifetime supply of chocolate.

5. Dark chocolate contains many more anti-oxidants than red wine?

    As you can see, chocolate is fascinating. Not only is a time-consuming and grueling process to make it, but it also has many health benefits people overlook. Who would have though that a bitter drink in 1900 BC would turn into the sweet treat we all know and love today?