Fun Facts You Don't Know About Chocolate

Coolest Chocolate Trivia You Need to Know

Sure, chocolate may be your favorite sweet treat. But did you know it used to be used as currency and Europeans are the world's truest chocolate lovers?

There are tons of hidden facts about chocolate that just make it oh-so sweeter. If you want to learn more about the world's favorite dessert, check out these fun facts below:

1. The Word 'Chocolate' Comes From the Aztec Word 'Xocolatl'

According to Godiva, the word "chocolate" actually roots back to the Aztec word "xocolatl," which means "bitter water." The chocolate company states that due to lack of sugar in Central America during these times, chocolate had a very different taste to what we know today.

2. Chocolate Was a Form of Currency in the Mayan Times

According to Smithsonian.com, cacao beans, which are the beans used to make chocolate, were so sought after during the Mayan and Aztec times that it was used as a form of payment. Research from the publication also states that some people would go as far as making counterfeit beans with clay.

3. Dark Chocolate is One of the Best Anti-Inflammatory Foods

It's actually been proven in a Louisiana State University study to assist in insulin resistance and inflammation relief.

4. Europe Accounts for More Than Half of the World's Chocolate Consumption

Europeans are the world's truest chocolate lovers. Research from Forbes shows that the largest chocolate-consuming countries are Switzerland, Germany, and Ireland.

5. The World's Biggest Chocolate Bar Weighed Approximately 12,770 Pounds

The Guinness World Record for the largest chocolate bar in the world was set by Thorntons PLC in the United Kingdom on September 07, 2011, and weighed 5792.50 kg (about 12,770 lbs).

6. The Chocolate Chip Cookie Was Invented by Accident

Ruth Graves Wakefield invented the cookie by accident during the 1930's while preparing food for guests at the Toll House Inn in Whitman, Massachusetts. She was trying to make a batch of Butter Drop Do cookies, but instead the chocolate chips in the batter stayed intact and the iconic cookie was born.

7. The Scientific Name for the Tree that Chocolate Comes From Means 'Food of the Gods'

Even scientist Linnaeus was a big fan of chocolate. He named the cacao tree "Theobroma cacao," which literally translates to "cacao, food of the Gods" in 1753, according to Cornell University.

8. It Takes About a Year for a Cocoa Tree to Produce Enough Beans to Make 10 Hershey Bars

There's a lot of work that goes into making a Hershey's chocolate bar. According to the book And Then God Made Chocolate! by Sherry-Marie Perguson, each cacao tree only produces enough beans to make 10 regular-sized Hershey's bars a year.

9. Soldiers During the Revolutionary War Were Sometimes Paid in Chocolate

During the Revolutionary War, some soldiers were fighting for freedom in exchange for chocolate. According to research done by the chocolate and candy company Mars, International, since chocolate didn't spoil, it was used as a ration during the ar.

10. Chocolate Creates a Greater Mental High Than Kissing Does

According to the BBC, research found that chocolate can actually stimulate your brain and releases more endorphins in the brain than kissing does. It was also shown to increase your heart rate faster than kissing as well. Researchers believe that this is caused by chocolate's concentration of phenylethylamine, a compound that increases endorphin production in the brain.

11. Hershey's Makes 70 Million Kisses a Day

America's favorite chocolate brand produces millions of those bite-sized chocolates we all love daily. They are all made by machine at Hershey's factory in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

12. Hershey's Kisses got their Name from the Sound the Machine Makes

If you always wondered where the name of these tiny chocolate treats came from, it has nothing to do with actual kissing. It actually got its name from the sound that the chocolate makes when coming out of a machine during the manufacturing process.

13. The Inventor of the Chocolate Chip Cookie Sold the Recipe to Nestle in Exchange for a Lifetime Supply of Chocolate]

Ruth Wakefield, a.k.a. "the mother of chocolate chip cookies," sold her now-famous recipe to Nestle, but she didn't receive any money for it. Instead, all she wanted was a lifetime supply of chocolate, which is a deal I'm sure we'd all take.

14. There are Actually Four Different Types of Chocolate: Dark, Milk, White, and Blond

Most people think that there are only three main types of chocolate, but that's not necessarily true. Blond chocolate, named after its striking color, was actually made by accident by pastry chef Frédéric Bau, according to the chocolate's founding company, Valrhona.

15.  White Chocolate Technically Isn't Chocolate

White chocolate contains cocoa butter, but doesn't contain any cocoa powder or cocoa solids that give regular milk and dark chocolate its color and flavor. Since cocoa butter doesn't actually taste good on its own, it's mixed with milk fat, vanilla, and sugar for a sweeter flavor.

16. The First Chocolate Bar was Invented in 1847 by Joseph Fry

According to the History Channel, the world's first chocolate bar dates all the way back to 1847. It was created by Joseph Fry with the help of his son, and they made it with cocoa butter, cocoa powder, and sugar.

17. The Chocolate Industry is Worth Over $75 Billion Per Year Globally

The History Channel also noted that the chocolate industry bloomed into one of the most successful businesses in the world. Each year, the chocolate industry makes over $75 billion in sales around the world.

18. The Most Valuable Chocolate Bar in the World Sold for $687

This Cadbury chocolate bar had a much pricier tag than usual, and for good reason. At the time of being sold in 2001, this bar of chocolate was 100 years old and went on Captain Robert Scott's first Discovery expedition to the Antarctic, according to Guinness World Records.

19. Chocolate Milk is an Effective Post-Workout Recovery Drink

A study published by Medicine and Sports Science found that chocolate milk can actually help athletes recover faster after exercise. The study noted that this could be due to the drink's high protein and carb ratio. It's so beneficial after exercising that it's actually one of the 16 Post-Workout Snacks Fitness Experts Swear By.

20. The Brussels Airport is the Biggest Chocolate Seller in the World

The airport's website reports that they are the biggest seller of chocolate around the globe. They sell about 800 tons of Belgian chocolate per year.

Source: Eatthis.com