Chocolate facts

Chocolate and cocoa powder are made from cocoa beans coming from the cacao tree or cocoa tree, its official name Theobroma cacao (Mayan: kakaw, Nahuatl: Cacahuatl). It is a small (4–8 m or 15–26 ft tall) evergreen tree in the family Sterculiaceae (alternatively Malvaceae). It is native to the deep tropical region of the Americas. Its seeds are used to make cocoa powder and chocolate. To learn how to make chocolate like the traditional Mexicans, read more here.

Cocoa trees and bushes require a constant climate. They cannot cope with storms or too much heat from the sun. They like Humid air, damp soil and a temperature above 20 degrees.

Cocoa beans are rich, containing about 55 percent fat as well as proteins and starches. They are mild stimulants containing caffeine and theobromine. (Theobromine is used in medicine as a stimulant and a diuretic).

Chocolate is one of the most popular and most delicious types of foods.

It is one of the most popular gifts suitable for all occasions.

Chocolate has many health benefits for the circulatory system, brain stimulator, cough inhibitor, anticancer agent, anti-depression, tumors, premenstrual syndromes, plus many others.

Can be toxic to animals as capacity to metabolize theobromine is limited.

It is also a good energy source.

Produces a feel good feeling in the brain similar to that when in love.

Would you like to know more chocolate information? Bryn Kirk from Chocolate University Online has compiled a list of 100 facts. I have listed them here.

You may be asking ... who invented chocolate? What is its history? To find out read more here.

Return home from chocolate facts