On the seventh of July of each year, the world celebrates the International Chocolate Day, which is an annual celebration during which many festivals are held in many parts of the globe, in which large amounts of this dark-colored substance are eaten in most of its products.
According to the sitelive mintWorld Chocolate Day was launched in 2009 to celebrate the anniversary of the introduction of chocolate to Europe in the year 1550.
Before 1550, chocolate was mainly available in certain countries in South and Central America, such as Mexico.
However, foreign explorers wished to bring this “special gift” to the European continent.
According to the siteHistory dot comThe civilizations of the Olmecs and Aztecs in Central America used cocoa, the main material for making chocolate, for two main purposes, about four thousand years ago.
The first of them was to prepare a drink called “XOCOLATL”, which consisted of crushed cocoa beans mixed with water, hot pepper and a number of other spices. This resulted in a sacred drink described as “bad in taste” and that the peoples of those civilizations in Central America were drinking it in order to get closer to their gods. .
Cocoa seeds were also used as the main currency for trade and tax payments.
Chocolate.. a love of different arts, different stories.. and starting in Spain
There are conflicting information about the date of chocolate’s arrival in Europe, although it is agreed that the first country in the old continent that this “magic material” reached was Spain.
One story says that the famous Italian explorer, Christopher Columbus, found cocoa beans after intercepting a merchant ship before taking them and transporting them with him to Spain in the year 1502, according to the “History” website, which is concerned with various historical issues.
Another story says that the Spanish invader, Hernan Cortes, was so impressed with the cocoa drink prepared by the indigenous people that he became addicted to it, so he only transported the cocoa and the method of preparing it to his home country, where he kept the recipe until closely guarded and monitored.
A third story claims that monks gave King Philip II of Spain a handful of cocoa beans in 1544 that they had obtained from the Mayans of Guatemala.
Regardless of how chocolate got to Spain, the drink became so popular among the country’s population that the import of cocoa beans began in 1585.
Different types of chocolate spread all over the world
Other European countries, such as Italy and France, were able to obtain cocoa beans from Central America, after some of their adventurers learned how to prepare their drink.
As demand rose, chocolate mania quickly spread across Europe, with cocoa plantations that housed thousands of slaves.
But European tastes were not satisfied with the traditional Aztec chocolate drink recipe, so they decided to make their own types to be a hot drink containing sugar cane juice, cinnamon, spices and other flavors.
Soon, fashionable chocolate houses catering to the rich were popping up all over London, Amsterdam and other European cities.
Manufacture of cocoa food products that generate large profits for the companies that produce them
At the present time, Europe dominates the world’s chocolate market with a share of about 70 percent, although the main producer of cocoa is Africa, which produces more than two-thirds of that crop globally, and even the country of Côte d’Ivoire alone provides half of the continent’s production.
Importance of World Chocolate Day
International Chocolate Day carries an important meaning as it serves as a joyful reminder of the universal love and appreciation for one of the world’s most beloved foods.
According to the “Mint” website, celebrating this day transcends cultural boundaries and brings people together in a joyful celebration of chocolate.
Car model made of chocolate (archive)
According to a report by the site, chocolate symbolizes “joy, luxury and celebration, allowing us to escape into a world of sweetness and enjoy every delicious bite of it.”
How do you celebrate Chocolate Day?
Among the advice provided by “Life Mint” to enjoy the International Day of that food, is to “indulge in chocolate”, “as you should pamper yourself with a variety of it, whether it is your favorite piece of chocolate, or trying good flavors or eating it in the form of a hot drink.”
And the second advice, “Be creative in the kitchen”, by involving your family or friends in making chocolate desserts and pancakes, so that everyone can have a fun and delicious activity at the same time.
A four-meter-high chocolate statue of King Kong designed by artist Richard Orlinski
As for the third advice, it is called “The Chocolate Movie”, by watching beautiful cinematic works inspired by the “Happiness Maker”, such as “Charlie and The Chocolate Factory”, “Chocolat” or “Forrest Gump”, and during follow-up it is necessary to Have some sweets made with chocolate, according to the “Evening Standard” website.
As for the latest suggestion, it bears the name “Chocolate Potluck”, and it encourages co-workers to bring their favorite types of chocolate to share with everyone during a break or lunch time, and to result in a friendly communication method that encourages good relations in the work environment.
Many health benefits
In her interview with Al-Hurra website, Ola Sanjak, a clinical nutrition researcher, confirms that dark chocolate has many health benefits, as she says: “It contains many powerful antioxidants, and the most beneficial in it is a flavonoid compound that helps fight infections in the body and protect cells.” “.
She added, “Studies have shown that the antioxidants in dark chocolate lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of thrombosis, and increase the health of blood circulation to the heart, and thus reduce the risk of heart disease.”
And she added, “Antioxidants, especially flavonoids, enhance the strength of the immune system, which reduces oxidative stress and reduces disease.”
For diabetics, Sanjak says: “The flavonoids enhance and support the cells and make them receive insulin better.”
Different types of chocolate spread all over the world
She also pointed out that this substance has a positive effect on brain function, adding: “Some research indicated that flavonoids increase blood flow to the brain, which helps to strengthen memory and make reaction time better, not to mention improving visual and spatial awareness.”
Also, those antioxidants found in dark chocolate help enhance athletic performance, explaining that “eating it increases the compound (nitric oxide) in the blood, which supports blood circulation and reduces oxygen consumption, which allows you to continue to perform physical exercises for a longer time.”
Dark chocolate also helps, according to Sanjak, to reduce stress by lowering levels of stress hormones (cortisol), adding: “Thus relieving stress is beneficial for the heart because it reduces the acceleration of its pulse and protects it from some diseases.”
On the other hand, the researcher believes that it is necessary to eat a product that does not contain less than 70 percent cocoa, explaining: “There are many products rich in sugar and fat, and therefore the ingredients must be read before purchasing them in order to make sure to choose the healthy and appropriate ones.”
Sanjak advises those suffering from GERD to avoid certain foods that open the stomach valve, such as chocolate, so that their condition does not worsen through increased acidity and reflux, noting that not all people of this type are vulnerable to being negatively affected by eating that food.
She said that some people may get a headache from eating chocolate, stressing that this may also vary from person to person.
And she concluded by saying: “Every food has its harms and benefits, and therefore the advantages and disadvantages of each food must be known, and with regard to chocolate, we advise moderation, by not overeating it, or preventing it completely, because deprivation may later cause a great deal of overeating.”
She concluded by saying, “The important thing is to choose healthy foods and eat them in reasonable quantities.”
Combine chocolate with other sources
For her part, see internal medicine specialist, d. Judgment Munad, that patients with obesity and diabetes who like to eat chocolate should reduce their intake of daily quantities and control food rations, pointing out that it is possible to eat a small piece of high-quality dark chocolate instead of large quantities of regular chocolate that contains substances other than sugar that may not be appropriate for their health status.
In her interview with Al-Hurra, Munad stressed the need to pay attention to the nutritional composition, saying that it is preferable to choose dark chocolate with a high percentage of cocoa (70% or more), as it contains less sugar and saturated fats and more antioxidants.
She advised combining chocolate with other sources of protein and fiber, such as healthy nuts such as almonds and walnuts, in order to help reduce the rate of sugar absorption in the blood and increase the sense of satiety.
Chocolate is very popular among children
The doctor also warned of the need to maintain exercise because regular physical activity helps burn excess calories and improve the health of the digestive system.
She also stressed the need for a general balance of the diet, stressing that research advises that it is recommended to eat a balanced diet that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy proteins and healthy fats, and thus avoid food rich in empty calories and saturated fats.
And she considered that it is possible to enjoy the chocolate flavor without overeating it by dividing the share of chocolate into small pieces and eating it slowly to enjoy it longer, but at the same time she stressed the need to consult a specialist doctor before making any changes in the diet because health needs differ from person to another.
2023-07-07 10:35:26
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