National Chocolate Day celebrates an exceptional hero on October 28 whose stardom doesn’t seem to fade forever.
Presenting you three amazing qualities of a chocolate which makes it an all-time favourite of all!
It’s a Heartthrob
Liquid chocolate or the solid one, chocolates know how to win the hearts. Whether you have a crying child, first date with a girl, or annoyed partner or friend, chocolates are the all-time saviours.
It’s Multitalented
National Chocolate Day gives tribute to the one who is capable of being used in multiple ways.
It’s a Team Player
Have you seen the better one with team spirit?
Chocolates can be teamed up with shakes, cakes, desserts, ice creams, and what not? They are pro in lifting up both taste and the mood.
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Date of National Chocolate Day Observance
28th of October is the day when National Chocolate Day is observed. It falls before 13 days of Halloween.
History of National Chocolate Day
Liquid Chocolate
Do you know humans have been enjoying the liquid chocolate and for more than 2500 years? Thanks to Quetzalcoatl for discovering liquid chocolate! To your surprise, Aztecs found it so amazing that he addressed Quetzalcoatl as the god of wisdom.
This era of history will leave you wondering when you will get to know that cacao seeds or chocolate had not met the sugar yet. Yes, it all belonged to the “bitter chocolate days” only.
Chocolate Encounters Sweetness
During the 16th century, when Europe met the new avatar of chocolate which was sweet, there remained no doubt that it was going to become a new sensation.
It’s craze has never gone since then.
First Chocolate Confections
Who could have thought that Coenraad Van Houten — a Dutch chemist — will invent a brainy invention for separating the cacao from cocoa butter?! His hydraulic press produced the powder and became the first chocolate confection.
It led to make 1828 a year of new inventions for creating new chocolate creations.
Chocolate Companies Blossom
During the 19 century and 20th century’s beginning, many chocolate companies emerged. Many of them are sustaining till now.
Cadbury is also one of them which started its journey from England in 1868.
After around 25 years, Hershey purchased the equipments for processing chocolate. World’s Columbian exposition witnessed this whole in Chicago.
In the beginning, the company produced caramels that were coated with chocolate.
During 1860s, Nestlé emerged as worlds largest food conglomerates.
Invention of Milky Chocolate
In 1875, chocolate found its way to taste success in the market when below three people joined hands:
- Daniel Peter, a Swiss chocolatier
- M. Henri Nestlé
- A baby food manufacturer and inventor of the process of milk condensation
What we got out of the team was in the very popular company – Nestlé.
Hershey Park
When factory towns were in trend during 1907, Milton Hershey came up with indeed a pleasant gift for the man power behind the scene. He presented Hershey Park for the residents and workers to offer them a pleasurable environment.
It’s mean buildings incorporated a pavilion and bandstand, showcasing a platform for theatre productions and vaudeville.
Today’s Era
This is an era in which people are quite aware, motivated and encouraged for having a balanced weight and fit body. It has brought dark chocolate into limelight because of containing less sugar.
National Chocolate Day Celebration Ideas
Create Memories
A chocolate is not simply a food item to eat. When it comes between two friends or relatives, it witnesses the bond shaping stronger.
When it becomes a part of the meeting, it not only adds sweetness to the mouth and atmosphere, but also to the memories that are going to sustain for ever to cherish in the future.
Make New Friends
Where a chocolate is strong enough to become the reason of patch up and fixing the old relationship, it is equally powerful in making new friends too.
If you have been going gaga over someone and want to make him or her friend, take your first step with a chocolate and see how it adds sweetness to your life.
Go Social by Not Going to Social Networking Sites
It’s an old idea that you meet your friends or beloved ones, share chocolates with each other, click some good photographs for selfies, and share them on the social networking sites.
This day, try to go social in the real way. Meet those people who are not privileged and cannot buy chocolates themselves. Present them one or two and earn their smiles.
If you are thinking of targeting the children only, let me share a fact — elders also love to eat chocolates. So you can make their day as well. (Smiles)
Let Your Hands Prepare a Treat for You
If going out and meeting people is not exciting you much, you can celebrate the day in your home as well. How about trying a new dish out of chocolate that you have never tried before?
Target a recipe and search it on good YouTube channels in or you can simply Google them. Grab some courage and go for it.
You must have organised parties for others or joined bash in someone else’s home. Give treat to yourself this time at your own home and gather some memories with yourself this National Chocolate Day.
Why is National Chocolate Day Celebrated?
When it comes to the reasons behind following an event or observations, there remains regal history, great cause, or some futuristic approaches as the prime motivation for going.
But when it comes to mark National Chocolate Day, it’s sheer love for chocolate which inspires us to celebrate it.
Chocolates are never enough and one can keep going and going for eating them up and showing their love for them.
We observe National Chocolate Day by simply consuming the chocolate ourselves or share them with our beloved ones, it’s a joyful treat to relish.
Despite the fact that chocolate contains trans fat, some research studies suggest absolutely contradictory facts that find it beneficial for the health; know how!
Chocolate Helps in Weight Loss
As per a study, the participants, who consumed dark chocolate before the buffet, did consume 17% lesser calories.
Chocolate for Heart
American Heart Association suggests that if mixed the below three ingredients together, they help reducing LDL (low-density lipoprotein):
- Dark chocolate
- Raw almonds
- Cocoa
We all know that people who are overweight or obese, the particles of LDL are found in higher number in their blood. Perhaps that’s why LDL is also known as bad cholesterol. It plays a significant role in arteries’ clogging.
Significance of National Chocolate Day
Chocolate Reduces Stress
As per the study, chocolate can enhance your cognitive performance. Chocolate compounds allow comparatively lesser drained situation or mental fatigue.
Chocolate also provides antioxidants. Chocolate chemicals encounter the brain in a way that helps in releasing dopamine, endorphins, and serotonin. Thus a chocolate aids in lowering down the stress level.
Interesting Facts about Chocolate
World’s Best Dark Chocolate
Nearby the equator, Ivory Coast and Ghana Ecuador offer the best climate and circumstances for nurturing the cacao trees.
These places provide the ideal environment for producing chocolate. Undoubtedly, what we get from there is the world’s best chocolate production. Especially, when it comes to the dark chocolate, those regions are the best ones to look for.
Though child labour is a concern that has popped up out of it. As a sensible and responsible human, make a wise purchase when it comes to chocolate. Make sure the “fair trade chocolate” around you for making the cacao farming sustainable.
The Journey of Chocolate Preparation
Do you know chocolate also belong to the category of fermented foods?
Let’s dive into the process of chocolate making for knowing how it turns into the ready-product!
It Begins with Cacao Pods
After picking up the cacao pods, the fruit is cleaned for getting rid of the pithy white substance.
Fermentation of Cacao Beans
Once their drying process takes place, the cacao beans get ready for fermentation.
So they are fermented.
Cacao Mass
After the removal of their papery shell, we get to see the cacao nibs.
In the next step, chocolatiers grind the substance. This grinding process let us see the cocoa mass.
Our Beloved Chocolate
It is further separated into cocoa butter and cocoa solids.
For finally meet our chocolate, milk and sugar are added into them.
If aiming for the white chocolate, only cocoa butter is combined with the sugar in milk.
And you find it ready to win the heart!
