Sixteen scrumptious chocolate scoops

It’s no secret, we simply love chocolate. The magic of how one bite of deliciousness can immediately make you feel better about life. How simply smelling it can wake up the butterflies in your tummy. Yes, we do love chocolate.

But there is so much about it that we don’t actually know. Hence, we’ve done a little research to try and find out a little more about this amazing treat. Read the sixteen facts about chocolate that we think are simply incredible.

1. The history of chocolate originated with the Mayans, who used the beans as currency. Even back then they knew how valuable these beans were.
2. The Mayans and Aztecs already enjoyed their days with chocolatey drinks that they made from the white pulp surrounding the cocoa pods.
3. Research has found that chocolate melting in your mouth can produce up to four times as much pleasure as kissing someone.
4. Although cocoa trees can live for over 200 years, they only produce viable cocoa beans for about 25 of those years.
5. To make 500g of chocolate you need more than 400 beans.
6. The first solid chocolate, which was called “eating chocolate”, was created in 1847 by The Fry and Sons shop. They created a grainy treat by combining cocoa butter, sugar, and chocolate liquor.
7. In 1875, Daniel Peter invented milk chocolate. The Swiss chocolatier struggled for eight years to perfect his technique, finally turning to condensed milk.
8. Chocolate’s melting point is 33.89^oC, which is why it melts so easily in your mouth.
9. Chocolate can actually lower your body fat. A study was done in 2013 where 1458 teenagers were monitored and those who ate chocolate as a regular part of their diet had lower levels of central fat and total body fat.
10. Dark chocolate is an anti-inflammatory. A study conducted in 2014 found that the healthy bacteria in your stomach thrive on the pH level and chemical make-up of chocolate. When you eat chocolate, the compounds that are released can reduce the risk of a stroke.
11. Dark chocolate can also lower your blood pressure and bad cholesterol.
12. Simply smelling chocolate can improve your mood. Chocolate’s scent increases your theta brain waves, which induce relaxation.
13. Chocolate can improve your memory. A study where participants had to drink a high concentration of cocoa flavanols (a compound found in cocoa beans) every day for three months showed that they performed up to 25% better in memory tests.
14. Although chocolate is good for you, the first recorded ‘Death by Chocolate’ was in the 17^th A Mexican bishop’s daily hot chocolate was poisoned when he passed a law forbidding people to eat and drink during church services.
15. Chocolates are even needed in space. On all space journeys conducted by Russia and the United States of America, chocolate has to be on board.
16. Chocolate was the muse for microwave inventor, Percy Spencer. He realised his chocolate bar melted quicker when he worked with magnetrons and so started developing his prototype.

Chocolate is amazing and versatile and is the most delightfully tasting treat. So the next time you indulge in a Beyers chocolate, rest assured that you’re doing yourself the world of good.