Monday, November 06, 2006

All About Chocolates

Over 2000 years ago the Aztec and Mayan cultures discovered the Cacao beans. This is the source from which yummy chocolates are made.

The cacao plants grows in hot regions. This plant is a shady plant and often is found growing under the coconut, lemon, banana trees. The tree has very tender fragile branches and hence the flowers and the bean pods develop directly on the trunk. The flowers are half white in color. The fruit resembles a cucumber.

The beans taken from the plant are fermented, roasted and then made into a drink. This beverage made was special and was served only to the royals. Columbus brought them to Spain from America during his last trip to America. The credit of sweetening the drink goes to the Spaniards. This recipe was kept a secret for many years. Later on the secret leaked gradually and spread across the world.

Only in the early 1800s the solid chocolates were prepared. The original Cadbury chocolate was made by and English doctor named Sir Hans Sloane. Chocolates where introduced in India by the Japanese. The Biggest Chocolate bar was made in Austria in a Chocolate Festival, it measured 5m*2m in size and about 2000 kgs in weight.
Chocolates can lift up your mood. Serotonin in released in the brain on consumption of chocolate that makes one feel good. Consumption of chocolate is effective in relieving cough. However, consumption of chocolates can cause dental problems due to the sugar content. Hence proper care has to be taken.

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