“Chocolate is an excuse that God made up for broccoli,” Richard Paul Evans, an American writer, once joked. Sweet tooths all over the world love this product.
It can do a lot: quench your appetite, cheer you up, make your skin beautiful and normalize blood pressure. Especially for those who can not imagine their life without the coveted goodies - the most interesting facts about chocolate.
History of Chocolate
The dessert owes its origin to the Olmec tribes that inhabited the lands of Latin America in 1000 BC. e. The ancient people learned to grind the fruits of the cacao tree (Theobroma cacao) into powder and prepare a drink called chocolatl, which means "bitter water." In the III century, the Olmec tradition was adopted by the Maya Indians, who created the first plantations of chocolate trees.
In Europe, the bittersweet liquid became known in the 16th century thanks to Hernan Cortes. Having conquered the Mayan lands, Spanish soldiers forced the Indian leaders to discover the secret of making a wonderful drink. After this, the cruel conquistador ordered the destruction of the priests who kept the secret of the recipe.
Russia learned about overseas goodies during the reign of Catherine II. Venezuelan revolutionary Francisco de Miranda brought sweet food to the country, who enjoyed the favor of the imperial court.
Hard chocolate appeared on the world market only in the 19th century. In 1828, a chemist from the Netherlands, Konrad van Guten, created a hydraulic press that extracts oil from beans.The work of the Dutchman was completed in 20 years by the Englishman Joseph Fry. J.S. Fry & Sons released the first dark chocolate bar.
Favorite food by many became the reason for the invention of the microwave. In the middle of the last century, American scientist Percy Spencer tested his radar equipment. During the tests, the engineer revealed that under the influence of magnetic waves, the sweet bar in his pocket was half melted. The scientist registered a patent for a new device in October 1945.
The subtleties of chocolate production
Fragrant sweetness is extracted from the fruits of cocoa trees. Each fruit contains 40-60 seeds, which are dried, fried, crushed and subjected to heat treatment. To produce 450 grams of dainty tiles, 400 beans are required.
The world is on the verge of a chocolate shortage! The reason is a disease that leads to the death of whole cocoa tree plantations in Latin America. Fortunately, the disease has not yet spread to African countries, which account for 65% of the global bean supply.
Chocolate for medicinal purposes
For medicinal purposes, sweet food began to be used in Spain. In 1618, in his treatise, the doctor Marradon described several ways to use cocoa in medicine - in particular, in the treatment of diseases of the upper respiratory tract. However, healing properties are attributed only to dark varieties. Adding milk reduces all beneficial qualities to nothing. And in many white tiles loved by many, cocoa powder is completely absent.
Regular consumption of dark chocolate strengthens the walls of blood vessels and normalizes blood pressure. This conclusion was reached by physicians from Germany, who had been monitoring the health status of a group of 19,357 study participants for eight years. According to doctors, its beneficial effect on cocoa is due to zinc, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus and plant pigments flavonoids.
The caffeine and alkaloid theobromine contained in cocoa beans have a moderately pronounced psychostimulating effect. The results of studies conducted by scientists from the United States in the early 2000s, showed that the use of dark chocolate has a beneficial effect on sleep, gives vigor and helps maintain good mood.
Women love fragrant dessert not only for its amazing taste. Cocoa is a source of antioxidants (procyanidins, catechins and flavonoids). These substances protect the epidermis from the oxidizing effect of free radicals and slow down the aging process of the skin: loss of elasticity, the appearance of wrinkles and age spots. Today, cosmetic brands use the beneficial properties of cocoa in the manufacture of creams and masks.
Chocolate and Celebrities
Interesting facts about chocolate are also associated with famous historical figures. The Duchess of Angouleme, Maria Theresa of France, adored this dish and even hired a maid, responsible only for its preparation. The courtiers said that the Dauphin had only two passions - a bittersweet delicacy and a king.
Cardinal Richelieu's doctor advised his patient to take hot chocolate against ailments.The crafty doctor secretly mixed medicine into the drink. Having recovered, His Eminence proclaimed sweetness the best medical tool.
A connoisseur of Goethe's dark delicacies, setting off on a trip to Switzerland, always took dishes with him to prepare his favorite drink. At that time, the popularity of a delicious dessert had not yet reached the Alpine foothills. The German poet did not trust the staff of local hotels and preferred to cook the adorable potion himself.
Chocolate records
In September 2011, the largest chocolate bar hit the pages of the Guinness Book of Records. The idea of creating a tidbit came to the mind of marketers of the English producer of sweets Thorntons, who celebrated his 100th anniversary. The grand creation weighed 5,792.5 kg and had the shape of a square measuring 4x4 m.
The heaviest truffle is also listed in the Guinness Book of Records. Dessert weighing 802 kg, diameter 50 cm and a height of 1 m was prepared in Italian Rimini in January 2012. To create a sweet giant took 1,000 kg of chocolate mass and 200 liters of cream.
The highest chocolate figure - a 10-meter Christmas tree - appeared in December 2010 thanks to Patrick Roger. It took the French chocolatier more than a month to make an appetizing sculpture weighing 4,000 kg.
The most expensive chocolate product was the truffle, created in 2015 by pastry chef from the USA Alain Roby. A two-kilogram dessert stuffed with aromatic ganache, the culinary maestro covered with edible 24-carat gold dust. The cost of an exclusive delicacy was $ 3,000.
A theme park is dedicated to chocolate! In 2010, a real sweet kingdom with an area of 20 thousand m² was opened in Beijing.
Pavilions, a fragment of the Great Wall of China, terracotta warriors, items of furniture and clothing - all objects and decorations are made of sweet material.
Despite all the positive qualities of chocolate, doctors warn against excessive consumption of a tempting dessert (more than 25 g per day). This is especially true for dairy varieties. Refusing dainties is for diabetics, people with gastrointestinal diseases and overweight.
