5 sweet facts about chocolate
Being one of the world's favorite foods, chocolate has been around for more than 2,000 years and played an important part in human history. If you like this iconic treat, read this article to find out if there are some chocolate facts you're still unaware of.
#1 Besides its roots in Mesoamerica, most cocoa is now produced in Africa
Today, cocoa trees are most actively cultivated in Côte d'Ivoire. The country now accounts for about 43% of the world's cocoa supply. Ghana and Indonesia are the next largest suppliers.
#2 The history of chocolate consumption may have begun as early as 4,000 years ago
There is evidence that civilizations living in modern-day Mexico invented a bitter chocolate drink around 1900 BC. Later cultures, like the Mayans, Olmecs and Aztecs, praised chocolate's qualities and considered it a mystical food.
Chocolate is loved by many people, which can't be said about the weird foods from this article – check it out to see the strangest dishes from around the globe.
#3 White chocolate is technically not chocolate
White chocolate doesn't contain cocoa solids, so in the strict sense it's not chocolate. Anyway, that's not likely to bother white chocolate fans.
#4 Dark chocolate is a wonderful source of antioxidants and other beneficial compounds
Quality dark chocolate has a lot of health benefits: it's full of minerals and soluble fiber. Many of cocoa beans compounds function as antioxidants. Anyway, even dark chocolate (more than 70% cocoa) should be consumed in moderation due to its high caloric content.
#5 Cocoa plants are most likely to become extinct in the next several decades!
More and more cocoa plants are becoming victims of climate change. According to some predictions, the increase in temperatures will shrink the possible growing areas of cacao by year 2050. Today, scientists try to modify cacao plants' DNA to increase their chances of survival in higher temperatures.
Did you enjoy these chocolate facts? Which one surprised you the most?
Have you ever heard that...
- pistachio nuts can spontaneously combust;
- mushrooms and insects have more in common than you think;
- your coffee drinking habits are defined by your genes?
Learn more about these and other crazy food facts in this article.
Have more fun with us: read educational articles, take fun trivia quizzes and answer trivia questions.
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