Chocolate Facts and Health BenefitsChocolate Facts: Cocoa beans come from a tree that is a species of the 'Genus Theobroma', which is translated as the food of Gods. Chocolate gets its name from a Mexican word- choco choco for the sound it makes when you stir hot chocolate and it is made with cocoa liquor- mixed with other ingredients such as milk, sugar and vanillin. • Swiss eat 21 grams of chocolate a year and surprisingly have very low heart disease and obesity rates. • Americans eat half the world's chocolate supply and an average American approximately 12 pounds a year. • In Belgium, 1 in 200 workers are involved in making, selling and promotion of chocolate. • Chocolate can be deadly for dogs. It contains theobromine which can be toxic to a dog's central nervous system and cardiac muscles. 
• Number of Toblerones sold in a year would equate to 62,000 Km- circumference of the earth, if they were laid end to end. • Chocolate makers use 40% of the world's almonds and 20% of the world's peanuts. • Contrary to common belief, refrigerating chocolate does not impair the flavour of chocolate but heat, humidity, fluctuating temperatures, air and age can. Chocolate Nutrition Facts:• Dark chocolate contains large amounts of vegetable proteins, potassium, and magnesium; small amounts of calcium and sodium; traces of iron; vitamins A, B1- thiamine, B2- riboflavin, D, and E. • Chocolate has been enjoyed as an aphrodisiac and a mood enhancer throughout the centuries. • It contains phenylethylamine- PEA, a substance your body manufactures when you're falling in love. • Dark chocolate has a low GI of 22. It is an excellent source of energy as it releases slowly into the bloodstream and does not elevate insulin levels. The sustained energy it provides is ideal for endurance activities and even weight-training routines. • Fat in chocolate is both of the unsaturated- 75% and saturated- 25% type. Unsaturated fats can help lower your cholesterol levels and counteract the bad effects of the saturated fats. 
• Dark chocolate is the food with the highest antioxidant content- about 6 times the antioxidants found in blueberries. • Caffeine in a standard chocolate bar is about the tenth of caffeine found in a standard cup of coffee. • Previous research has shown dark chocolate may be good for cardiovascular health. It contains flavonoids which boost the function of endothelial cells in the lining of blood vessels. Chocolate As an Anti-depressant:• A university study suggests that people with certain personality styles crave chocolate, not only when they are depressed, but also when they are anxious and irritable and that eating chocolate improves their mood. • It may bring instant comfort and may act as a mild anti-depressant by increasing your serotonin and endorphin levels that alleviate pain and promote feelings of happiness. • Other substances, such as theobromine and phenylethylamine- PEA in chocolate, also have a stimulating effect. PEA is an amino acid that is produced naturally by the brain during euphoria. • Chocolate also contains caffeine, which has a mild amphetamine effect. References: Serafini, M., Bugianesi, R., Maiani, G., Valtuena, S., De Santis, S. & Crozier, A. 2003. Plasma antioxidants from chocolate. Nature 424, 1013 Haynes, Fiona. "Chocolate as a Health Food?". Low Fat Cooking. http://www.lowfatcooking.about.com/od/healthandfitness/a/chochealth.htm. http://www.facts-about-chocolate.com. http://www.infobarrel.com/10_Facts_about_Chocolate: Chocolate Facts . http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/qi/5878406/ QI-quite-interesting-facts-about-chocolate.html.
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