You can wish someone on July 7th as Chocolate Day, which is celebrated world wide. The experience of eating chocolate results in ‘feel-good’ neurotransmitter Dopamine.
Table of contents:
- The Chocolate Day: A Sweet starting
- History behind chocolate Day
- Cocoa to Chocolate
- Best way to eat chocolate
- Benefits of chocolate
- Chocolate: A surprise to gift someone
- Conclusion
The chocolate Day: A sweet starting
The chocolate Day is celebrated on July 7th every year with varieties of chocolates such as Brown, White, Milky, Fruit, Dark chocolate, Brownies and many more. Whenever someone has to give party, he/she brings chocolates, wafers and chocolate’s ball, chocolate cake and many dessert made of chocolate. Chocolate is a first preference as a gift to someone, whom we have to please. A day starting with chocolate gives smile whole day with nutrition.
History behind chocolate Day
The making of first chocolate bar is accredited to Joseph Fry, who noticed in 1847, that he could make a mouldable Chocolate paste by adding melted cocoa butter back into Dutch Cocoa. During 1868, a company by the name Cadbury was marketing boxes of chocolate candies in England.
Earlier, it is to be said that July 7th, 1550 was the day when chocolate was first introduced to the people of Europe. It was used as currency earlier by Mexican and Aztec people.
Cocoa to Chocolate in simple four steps
There are few steps to convert cocoa to chocolate form:-
1: Harvesting cocoa
2: Fermentation of cocoa seeds
3: Drying the cocoa seeds
4: Roasting process
5: Grinding the Cocoa Nibs
6: Heating process
Harvesting of cocoa:
Firstly, the right cocoa beans are selected from the forests. Cocoa comes from the tropical evergreen cocoa trees, which are situated in the areas of Central and South America, West Africa and Southeast Asia. 30% of the World’s Cocoa is grown in Africa- mainly Ivory Coast.
Furthermore, the Cocoa beans grow in pods, they are the size of a football. When the pods are ready to ripe up then the seeds from pods are extracted carefully from it so that the seeds are not destroyed.
Fermentation of cocoa seeds:
Secondly, the Cocoa seeds have to be fermented, with this process the Cocoa beans turn brown. They are placed in a heated big bowls and covered with some banana leaves- this is done when climate is right for Cocoa beans to be fermented. Then it is stirred so that every Cocoa beans turns brown. This process may take five or eight days to be completed.
Drying the Cocoa seeds:
After the fermentation process, drying process takes place. There is a need to dry the Cocoa beans.
Workers put the fermented beans into suns exposure to dry. The time takes almost a week and the dried seeds are about the half of the original weight.
Roasting Process:
The dried beans which are brown in colour are ready to roast. The Cocoa beans are roasted properly and it helps to increase the flavour of the beans and colour of the beans changes to dark brown which is needed. After that, winnowing of cocoa beans start in which the outer covering of beans is removed and inner Cocoa Nibs are extracted.
Grinding the Cocoa Nibs:
Grind the Cocoa Nibs and liquid form is generated which is generally called as unsweetened chocolate. The Cocoa liquor is mixed with Cocoa butter and sugar. And placed to the frame of chocolate which desired to the company.
Heating Process :
Now, there is a need to heat up the cocoa mixture and after the heating, your chocolate is ready to pack to serve.
Best way to eat the chocolate:
We are eagerly to eat chocolate when we see it but do we know the right way to eat the chocolate. The chocolate are solid in form but their melting point is about 86 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit- below your body temperature. So we should not chew the chocolate rather simply take it in mouth and slowly it will melt in mouth, which will help to protect our teeth from bacteria as well.
Benefits of chocolate:
Cocoa is a source of flavonoids and alkaloids such as theobromine, Phenethylamine, and Caffeine. These acts as stimulants to the central nervous system.
Antioxidants properties of chocolate may help protect your heart against diseases.
It reduces stress and improves your memory.
It releases a feel- good neurotransmitter Dopamine; your body makes it and your nervous system uses it to send messages between nerve cells.
It may also protect your skin from the sun exposure.
It is very nutritious and healthy.
It may improve blood flow and lower blood pressure.
Chocolate: a surprise gift to someone:
A chocolate gift is very beneficial gift to near and dear which also take care of health as nutrition but regulate the circulation of the body so Chocolate is a best gift to give someone on World Chocolate Day.
Conclusion:
Whatever be the reason of festival there is a need of sweets, so give your friends and family chocolates with their favourite flavour and spread happiness on this World Chocolate Day and capture some special moments of the Day.
Writing credits – Monika Panwar