By: Surjit Singh Flora
July 7 is World Chocolate Day. Chocolate is something that almost everyone is crazy about. Whether it is to give a gift, to improve one’s mood or to eat such confectionery, chocolate comes first. First celebrated on July 7, 1550, in Europe, the event then spread all over the world.
Chocolate is made from the fruit of the cocoa tree, which was discovered 2,000 years ago in the rainforests of the United States. It is made from the seeds in the fruit of this tree. In the past, chocolate was only made in Central America, especially Mexico. When Spain annexed Mexico in 1528, the king took home with him large quantities of cocoa beans and chocolate-making machines. In a short time, chocolate became the fashionable drink of the Spanish rich.
In the early days, chocolate tasted a bit bitter and pungent. To replace it, its cold coffee was made from a mixture of honey, vanilla and sugar. Sir Hans Sloan, a doctor, prepared it and made it drinkable—hence “Cadbury Milk Chocolate”.
Chocolate gives your heart some relief. Its natural chemicals improve the moods. The tryptophan present in it, as well as affects the level of endorphins in the brain, makes us feel happy. It is good for the heart. Eating dark chocolate daily greatly reduces the risk of heart disease.
So much for the savoury side. On the sour side, chocolate is a risk of weight gain and diabetes. A 44-gramme bar contains 235 calories, 13g of fat and 221g of sugar.
Excessive consumption of chocolate causes weight gain. The sugar in it has no nutritional value and raises the blood sugar level, also increasing the risk of diabetes.
If you are trying to lose weight, you should avoid chocolate. Too much sugar also causes tooth decay.
There is no historical significance of World Chocolate Day other than the fact that Europe started manufacturing the confectionery on that day.
But this special sweet chocolate day, Boris Johnson’s day got really sour as he had to resign as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
