10 Surprising Facts About Chocolate for World Chocolate Day

Chocolate, beloved worldwide for thousands of years, holds many surprising stories behind each piece. On World Chocolate Day, here are ten intriguing facts about this popular treat. Originally, the Maya and Aztecs consumed cacao as a bitter, unsweetened drink, sometimes spiced with chili, long before it became the sweet chocolate we know today. Cacao beans were so valuable to these civilizations that they served as currency. Chocolate uniquely melts just below body temperature, which is why it dissolves in the mouth rather than the hand. The scent of chocolate has been found to promote theta brain waves, associated with relaxation.

White chocolate sparks debate since it contains cocoa butter but no cocoa solids, leading some to argue it is not true chocolate. M&M's were invented to provide soldiers with chocolate that wouldn’t melt in their hands. During World War II, an Italian confectioner created Nutella by mixing hazelnuts with scarce chocolate, resulting in the now globally popular spread. Chocolate contains theobromine, which is toxic to dogs as they cannot metabolize it, sometimes causing fatal poisoning.

The chocolate chip cookie recipe was sold to Nestlé in exchange for a lifetime supply of chocolate, marking one of the sweetest deals in history. Finally, moderate consumption of dark chocolate may benefit heart health and reduce cardiovascular disease risk, according to research.