World Chocolate Day - 7 July - FitFunFusion.com

Table of Contents

Intro
Dark Chocolate is Healthy
3 Great Reasons to Eat Chocolate
History – World Chocolate Day
The Top Cocoa Producing Countries in the World
Which is the Chocolate Capital of the World?
Which Country Consumes Most Chocolate?
How to celebrate World Chocolate Day
Will Rising Cocoa Prices Trigger a Chocolate Crisis?
Gallery
Sources

Intro

Have you had some chocolate today? July 7 is World Chocolate Day🍫🍪. The annual global celebration of chocolate calls for indulging in delightful chocolate treats. Chocolate not only tastes good but it is healthy and could do wonders for your overall heart health.

Eating chocolate releases endorphins, the feel-good chemicals in your body that make you feel happy.
WebMD

Dark Chocolate is Healthy

Antioxidants present in dark chocolates can help lower blood pressure and is good for your cardiovascular health.
While some like white chocolate more than its dark counterpart, it must be noted that white chocolate isn’t really chocolate. It doesn’t contain cocoa particles and is just a mixture of sugar, vanilla, and cocoa butter.
Chocolate is hailed as a heavenly fruit and the tree it is sourced from has an interesting name that suggests its reputation even in ancient times. In Greek, the tree is called Theobroma cacao which translates to ‘food for the gods’ in English.
Eating chocolate releases endorphins, the feel-good chemicals in your body that make you feel happy.
It takes up to 400 cocoa beans just to make roughly 500 grams of chocolate. On average, a cocoa pod contains 40 cocoa beans.

3 Great Reasons to Eat Chocolate

History – World Chocolate Day

The history of chocolate can be traced to the ancient Mayans, and even earlier to the ancient Olmecs of southern Mexico. The word chocolate may conjure up images of sweet candy bars and luscious truffles, but the chocolate of today is little like the chocolate of the past. Throughout much of history, chocolate was a revered but bitter beverage, not a sweet, edible treat. Each year, the 7th of July is celebrated as the day chocolate first entered Europe in 1550.

The U.S. National Confectioners Association lists four primary chocolate holidays on their calendar, Chocolate Day (July 7), two National Chocolate Days (October 28 and December 28) and International Chocolate Day (September 13), in addition to variants such as National Milk Chocolate Day, National White Chocolate Day, and National Cocoa Day.

The Top Cocoa Producing Countries in the World

The Ivory Coast and Ghana are by far the two largest producers of cocoa, accounting for more than 50 percent of the world´s cocoa.

Ivory Coast
Ghana
Indonesia
Nigeria
Ecuador
Cameroon
Brazil
Sierra Leone
Peru
Dominican Republic

Which is the Chocolate Capital of the World?

Belgium’s capital may be known as the Capital of Europe (European Union), but it is also, at least as far as most chocolate aficionados are concerned, the ‘Chocolate Capital of the World’! Brussels houses more chocolatiers per square foot than any other city in the world.

Which Country Consumes Most Chocolate?

Switzerland is the leading country in chocolate consumption per capita, with citizens eating nearly nine kilos of the sweet stuff in a year. World renowned for the chocolate they produce, it seems the Swiss themselves can’t get enough of the treat.

How to celebrate World Chocolate Day

Spread the word

Happiness is best when shared. One great way to celebrate World Chocolate Day is to spread the word to friends and family.

Go Out and Enjoy

Order a mocha latte or a hot chocolate in the morning, grab a handful of candies at lunch, sip on a chocolate cocktail in the afternoon or enjoy a hefty scoop of chocolate ice cream.

Make Treats at Home

Making chocolate treats is a great way to get the whole family involved in World Chocolate Day. Post the finished products to share your family’s love with your friends.

Sweeten Someone’s Day

Surprise everyone at the office with a batch of chocolate chip cookies or send a box of fine chocolates and flowers to your loved ones. People who aren’t aware of World Chocolate Day will be thrilled to celebrate with you. Make sharing chocolate on July 7 a yearly tradition.

Will Rising Cocoa Prices Trigger a Chocolate Crisis?

Cocoa prices are rising due to a global supply shortage, chronic underinvestment in cocoa farms and investor speculation.
Chocolate brands are grappling with the impact of higher cocoa costs, and this is resulting in price hikes and shrinkflation (when a product’s size or quantity is reduced while its price remains the same or increases slightly).