Indulge Your Curiosity: Top 24 Fun and Delicious Facts About Chocolate You Never Knew

1. Chocolate Empire's Value

Chocoholics, unite and conquer the world with sweet satisfaction: the global chocolate empire is worth a whopping $127.9 billion USD as of 2023, representing 59% of all US candy sales and even making our favorite cocoa treats 8% more valuable – or should we say, "up-choco-lifting"?
Source => damecacao.com

2. Steam Engine & Chocolate

Before steam engines were chugging along on trains and shouting "all aboard!", one particular engine went cuckoo for cacao: J. S. Fry & Sons patented a modified Watt steam engine in 1795, which kicked off the mechanization of chocolate production and eventually led to the world's first molded chocolate eating bar in 1847.
Source => si.edu

Did you know that the Mayans used cacao beans as currency, even pricing "special" services? 💰🍫 Discover how some even tried their hand at cocoa counterfeiting!

=> Fun Facts about Cocoa

3. Hitler's Secret Weapon

Chocolate lore whispered in shady confectionery corners tells of a tasteless treat capable of halting soldiers in their tracks. Carefully crafted and rumored to have been blessed by the Fuhrer himself, this insidious ration bar haunted the military mouths of yore: During WWII, Hershey's produced over 3 billion "D-ration" chocolate bars, designed to withstand high temperatures and provide minimum daily sustenance for soldiers. Despite its bitter taste and tough texture leading troops to nickname it "Hitler's Secret Weapon" due to its impact on their intestinal tracts, the bars kept rolling out of Hershey's factory, winning the company numerous awards for their commitment to quality and production.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

4. Milky Way Origins

You'd think Milky Way bars hitched a ride on Apollo 11 and were made from the cosmic dust of faraway galaxies; well, mars no more! In actuality, they were crafted to replicate malted milkshake flavors and derived their name from a popular malt drink of the era: Created in 1924, it's the oldest Mars chocolate bar brand still in existence, boasting a drool-worthy combination of chocolate, caramel, and nougat that tantalizes taste buds like a nostalgic supernova.
Source => milkywaybar.com

5. Chocolate Tree Harvesting

Cocoa-doodle-doo! It's not easy climbing the chocolate tree: In fact, workers employ machetes with long handles to carefully pluck cacao pods from the tree without harming the precious clusters that hold future buds.
Source => cargill.com

6. Dogs & Chocolate Dangers

While dogs may beg for any kind of chocolate like a desperate reality show contestant seeking camera time, they often don't realize the havoc they could wreak on their health to win the cocoa bean race: Baking chocolate poses the greatest danger to dogs due to its high concentration of theobromine and caffeine, while white chocolate's theobromine content is so laughably low it barely registers as a furry threat. So keep your canine buddies safe and save that bitter baking gold for your homemade delicacies!
Source => veterinarypartner.vin.com

7. Dark Chocolate Brain Boost

Well isn't this just a choco-lot of brain food! Who knew that scarfing down sweet treats could also make us walking encyclopedias?: It turns out that munching on dark chocolate loaded with flavonoids and methylxanthines, like theobromine, actually boosts cognitive function in healthy young adults. And the best part? These brainy benefits stick around for a whopping three weeks after a subchronic binge of dark chocolate indulgence.
Source => ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

8. Chocolate as Aphrodisiac

Craving some spicy bedroom adventures? Emperor Moctezuma had the perfect, delicious elixir for steamy rendezvous: Chocolate was considered an aphrodisiac by the Aztec ruler, and was frequently consumed by aristocratic women like Madame de Pompadour and Madame du Barry to warm their senses and woo their lovers, although it isn't mentioned that Casanova shared the same chocolatey secret.
Source => alimentarium.org

9. Heart Health & Dark Chocolate

Feeling a bit of "cocoa-loco" for dark chocolate? Well, hold onto your Willy Wonka hats as I reveal its bittersweet secret: Dark chocolate, rich in cocoa solids and packed with flavanols, can be linked to a lower risk of heart disease, but don’t go too Wonka-wild – the key is moderation and incorporating it into a balanced diet, as the concrete proof behind its heart-healthy superpowers still remains elusive.
Source => heart.org

10. Chocolate & Laughter

They say laughter is the best medicine, but the second best might just be chocolate: chocolate contains tryamine, a compound derived from the amino acid tyrosine, which increases dopamine levels in the brain, making us feel pleasure and rewarding our chocolate cravings.
Source => web.colby.edu

11. Chocolate Enhances Memory

Craving a little magic in your muggle brain? Chocolate's got you covered, Potter-style: Consuming chocolate can not only enhance your memory and concentration but also protect your brain from dementia and strokes, thanks to the caffeine, high cacao concentration, and antioxidants within. Your wand won't be the only thing that's sharp now!
Source => aop.com

12. White Chocolate: Real or Not?

If white chocolate were auditioning for a Shakespeare play, it would surely scream "To be or not to be (chocolate), that is the question!": Although white chocolate originates from the cocoa plant, it lacks the chocolate liquor found in dark and milk chocolate, and is instead made up of cocoa butter, milk solids, sugar, lecithin, and flavorings like vanilla, giving it a unique taste that still tantalizes those tastebuds.
Source => chezslaughterchocolate.com

13. Hawaii's Choco-Wave

Aloha, chocoholics! Ever wondered where chocolatiers go to catch some sweet waves and even sweeter cocoa beans? Hawaii's got you covered: As the only state in the US able to grow cacao beans, Hawaii treats the chocolate-making process like the art of surfing, with local companies like Lonohana Estate Chocolate mastering the ripeness of each rad bean to ensure maximum flavor. They ride the fermentation and drying wave for about 4-6 days, creating a gnarly, delicious chocolate only found on Hawaii's shores.
Source => khon2.com

14. Aztecs & Chocolate

Before Netflix and chill, the Aztecs had chocolate and worship: They believed chocolate was a divine gift from the gods and utilized it in religious ceremonies, even using cocoa beans as currency due to its high value in their society.
Source => abcnews.go.com

15. Coco Bean Currency

Cuckoo for cacao beans: Back in the Mesoamerican days, they were the ultimate form of dough, doubling as an edible yum-buck that could buy you guac, turkey, or get you steamy with the locals. Factual deal: Cacao beans served as a valued currency dating as far back as 1750 BC, even throughout the Aztec empire, trading for everything from avocados to turkeys and sexual favors.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

16. Ancient Spicy Chocolate Drink

Before the age of Willy Wonka and his delightful chocolate contraptions, our ancestors sipped cocoa with a peculiar twist: A 1644 Spanish recipe for chocolate drink was a veritable potpourri of chili peppers, anise, cinnamon, and achiote. It took us until the 18th century to invent better methods for grinding cocoa beans and crafting solid chocolate bars; even then, the handmade process yielded inconsistent textures and flavors on a month-to-month basis.
Source => janeaustensworld.com

17. Casanova's Cocoa Concoction

Beware Casanova's cocoa concoction: Louis XV of France was a chocolate maestro, whipping up steamy cups of hot cocoa in his private kitchen and sharing the aphrodisiac potion with his enamoured mistresses. The serious reveal: Chocolate was ceremoniously introduced to France in 1615 during Louis XIII's marriage, and became a luxe staple by Louis XIV's reign, finally becoming accessible to the masses with the Industrial Revolution.
Source => en.chateauversailles.fr

18. Chocolate Sales in the US

In a Willy Wonka-esque world where chocolate rivers flow and cocoa confections reign supreme, the United States proudly upholds its passion for these divine delights: Chocolate accounts for 59% of all candy sales in the US as of 2018, hovering tantalizingly close to the magical 60% mark!
Source => damecacao.com

19. Missing Chocolate Bunny Ears

Bunny-eared bandits on the loose at Easter: A peculiar study by an ear, nose and throat doctor revealed that during the Easter season, reports of "confectionary rabbit auricular amputations" (aka missing chocolate bunny ears) significantly increase, perpetrated mainly by adults and children. However, the study disproved the widespread belief that 59% of people chomp off the bunny ears first, showcasing this mayhem's modus operandi to be more mysterious than we thought!
Source => aarp.org

20. Cocoa Production Locations

Trees might grow in Brooklyn, but chocolate trees don't: Over 50% of the world's cocoa beans are produced by West African countries like Ivory Coast and Ghana, and there are over 10 different varieties of cacao trees, such as the widely grown Forastero, the pricey Criollo, and the hybrid Trinitario. Patience and optimum hot, humid climates are key factors in the notoriously difficult cultivation of these beloved beans, with the reward being chocolatey goodness for all to enjoy.
Source => cocoterra.com

21. Japanese Valentine's & White Day

Talk about "sweet" nothings: In Japan, women give men obligation chocolates on Valentine's Day, symbolizing mandatory affection rather than true romance. The tables turn on White Day when men return the favor with marshmallow-based treats or white gifts – but both holidays may be losing their appeal, as spending for these lovey-dovey days has taken a romantic nosedive.
Source => bbc.com

22. Edible Chocolate Record

When Willy Wonka met the vinyl: A Scottish baker, Ben Milne, spun a delicious tune by creating a completely edible and playable music record made entirely out of chocolate. Collaborating with the Edinburgh band FOUND, the chocolaty disc features their latest single, "Anti Climb Paint", and it was achieved by mastering the same template used for pressing vinyl discs, showcasing that the sweet sound of music can truly be a treat for the senses.
Source => laughingsquid.com

23. Swiss Chocolate Consumption

In the land of Heidi, holey cheese, and heavenly peaks, the locals have hatched a rich conspiracy of indulgence: They're secretly trying to turn themselves into walking bars of chocolate! The serious reveal: In actuality, the Swiss, due to their heritage and love for quality chocolate, hold the top spot for chocolate consumption, munching away at a staggering 25.5 pounds per person per year.
Source => damecacao.com

24. Chocolate Chip Cookie Origin

Once upon a time in a land of flour and sugar, a spirited woman embarked on a quest for a chocolaty creation that went delightfully wrong: Ruth Graves Wakefield, a Massachusetts restauranteur, inadvertently invented chocolate chip cookies in 1938 when she swapped baking chocolate for chopped Nestle chocolate bar bits, anticipating a fully chocolate-transformed batter—instead, the world received a scrumptious surprise with gooey chocolate nestled amongst the golden dough.
Source => steemit.com