Chocolate is one of those food items which is enjoyed by each and every age group and gender. And to honour this rich, brown liquid stream of goodness, every year on July 7 ‘World Chocolate Day’ also known as ‘International Chocolate Day’ is celebrated.
People on this day celebrate by gifting their loved ones this perfect mood enhancer. But, here’s a unique fact about it! The day is celebrated in different countries on different days. Ghana, which happens to be the second-largest producer of Cocoa celebrates it on February 14 while in the US, October 28 is marked for chocolate day. The day was however first introduced in Europe in the 1950s and and started being celebrated every year.
According to legends, chocolate came into existence in 450 BC. It first originated in Mesoamerica where fermented beverages were created out of the beans from inside the cacao pods. The Aztecs believed that cacao seeds were the gift of Quetzalcoatl, who, according to a legend, was cast away by the other gods for sharing chocolate with humans.
The word ‘chocolate’ is of Spanish origins and was derived from the classical Nahuatl word xocol tl. It was originally prepared as a drink and was believed to be an aphrodisiac that gave a drinker strength. The seeds once had so much value that they were used as a form of currency. Interesting isn’t it?
Chocolates were first brought to Europe in the 16th century and July 7, 1550, was the day when chocolates were brought to the continent.
Stay healthy and keep eating chocolates. A very happy World chocolate day to you and your family!
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