Facts About Chocolate And Cocoa Beans

Cocoa powder tree
Chocolate is made of cocoa powder, and cocoa powder is made from the seeds of Theobroma cacao tree (translation: the food of the gods), which naturally grows in the rain forests of the Amazon. It is an evergreen tree, with reddish and yellow flowers, that is, if it grows in the wild, about twenty meters high and live to 150 years, while trees are grown on plantations high 5-10 meters.

Criollo and Forastero
There are two basic types of cocoa: Criollo and Forastero. Criollo is better. From this type is made less than 15% of world production of chocolate. Forastero cocoa is slightly lower quality and of this cocoa is doing most of the chocolate in the world.

Ancient Maya
Chocolate has a long history, which dates back to the ancient Maya. Fact us that they first used the fruit of the tree Theobroma cacao for first class, delicious beverage – cocoa. It was a thick liquid rich flavor. They cook and grind the fruits of cocoa and then the mixture in water mixed with soy, vanilla and chilli. It is available only to the chosen and considered the food of the gods.

First chocolate house

The first chocolate house was opened in London in 1657, and its aftermath, and many others. Guests were wealthier citizens, who drank a glass of hot and often bitter choc-drink. By 1800, the surface of hot cocoa floating thick layer of cocoa butter, and foods made from chocolate were difficult to digest.

Dark chocolate
As is darker, that’s it represented more cocoa and less other ingredients. Often, on the packaging of chocolate can be found information about the percentage of cocoa. Chocolates with over 70% cocoa are dark chocolates.

Caffeine and over 300 ingredients

The fact is that it contains theobromine and low levels of caffeine that give a mild stimulating effect. Dark chocolate also contains potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, sodium, and iron. It contains over 300 ingredients and to make them better tasted, eat slowly, enjoy the smell and taste.

Cosmetic products
Cocoa butter is obtained by crushing roasted berry of cocoa. Besides being used in the manufacture of chocolate, it is also used in the production of a large number of cosmetic products including massage oils and cosmetics for the face. Melt a little above the average temperature of the skin, which is easily absorbed into the skin.

The most expensive chocolate

Richart Chocolates are on the market since 1925. It has dozens of stores in Europe, the US and Japan, and in each of dozens of kinds of desserts among which are difficult to choose just one. In an exclusive packaging in the shape of safe, Petits Richart comes 112 small candies heavy at 4 grams. The price is 850 USD.

Truffle La Madeline

Extravagant truffle La Madeline costs 250 dollars. It is a dark choco-truffle filled with black French truffle. You can buy only if you make earlier order. Made of Valrhonine chocolate with 70% cocoa, melted with creamy ganache thst contain oil of truffles. In it puts a dark truffle and then sprinkled cocoa powder.

DeLafée chocolate

For those who like their chocolate shine, there is always a DeLafée, specially prepared with fine cocoa beans and pieces of edible 24-karat gold, which is in every bar inserted by hand. In it are still sugar, coconut oil, cocoa butter, milk powder and vanilla.

Swiss and chocolate

Swiss hold the record in consumption; the average person eats about 10 kg per year. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that chocolate has benefits for the heart, such as the effect of lowering blood pressure. The Swiss have a minimum of recorded cases of heart attack in Europe. During life, in the whole world the average person consumes about 160 kg.

Tooth decay?
One of the misconceptions is that chocolate causes tooth decay. The lack of hygiene causes tooth decay, but actually a substance in it even slow down tooth decay.

Day of chocolate

There are a few dates, and one of them is and 13 September, which is celebrated as the International Day of chocolate, and is celebrated on the birthday of Milton Hershey, founder of one of the largest choco-factory in the world.

Chocolate as currency

The history of chocolate begins with the Maya. To them cacoa was so valuable that it was used as currency. About how much it was worth, the fact that you have for ten fruits of cocoa could get a rabbit, a hundred – to buy a slave.

Biggest

The biggest ever made weighing six tons. In September 2011, one store with sweets makes a chocolate that weighed less than six tons! The goal of producers was that chocolate tour the England to teach children how to eat wisely.