A story behind delicious chocolate

February 27th, 2015

Who doesn’t like receiving chocolate gifts by post? We all love the flavours and texture of chocolate in various forms – whether they are shaped as bars, candies, in pastries or even in the form of sauce. People with a sweet tooth swear by chocolate and consider it the greatest creation of God. Even people who are not fond of sweets and candies occasionally crave a bite or lick of this yummy treat! But here are some fun facts related to chocolate that would make your tryst with the dark hero even more enjoyable!

About the name – Ever wondered how chocolate got its name? Well, most people believe that the word chocolate has its roots in the Aztec word “xocolatl” which means “bitter water”. If you were to bite into a bar of dark chocolate, you will realise why it was thus called. Cocoa beans, from which chocolate is made, are actually bitter. When you mix the extract with milk and sweeteners such as butter and sugar, you actually get the edible chocolate variants available in the market.

A source of energy – Surprised? Most people are only aware of protein shakes and fruits like bananas that are considered instant sources of energy. Studies have proven that if you were to consume just one chocolate chip, you will get enough energy to walk about 150 feet!

A stellar companion! – Russians and Americans have been two of the most active nations when it comes to exploring space, the galaxy and our neighbouring planets. Did you know that each time one of their spacecrafts took off, the astronauts had a small stash of chocolate with them?! It seems that whether you are on or off the planet, there are some cravings that just don’t change and chocolate is the most delicious of them all.

Mood enhancer – People, who consume chocolate have often mentioned on how happy and light they feel after consuming some amount of chocolate in any form – solid or liquid. This is not because chocolate rouses the mushy feelings within them! This is because consumption of chocolate is known to increase the supply of serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is the compound that is released by the brain which keeps us calm and happy!

When chocolate became blood – Well, this is not one of the fun facts but is a slightly bizarre one! Alfred Hitchcock, the famous movie director, used chocolate in a really unique manner. There is a scene in his movie “Psycho” wherein he used chocolate instead of coloured water or fake blood in a shower! That must have been one of the most tasty crime or thrilling scenes that was ever shot in the history of filmmaking!

Chocolate has and will always be a popular choice with children and adults alike. So the next time you have to gift something and are in a fix about what to gift, consider chocolates, especially the flavoured ones, and the chances that you will go wrong would be very slim indeed!