10 fun facts about chocolate for you to impress your fellow chocolate-lovers with

If you’ve been following our blogs so far, you might think you know a thing or two about chocolate. We’ve covered everything from how chocolate is made, to where does mint chocolate come from. If you’re confident in your knowledge, then why not take our chocolate quiz to really test yourself?

However, you might not know everything there is to learn about chocolate just yet. The cocoa bean always seems to be hiding a new bit of information up its sleeve that even we’ve never heard before. We’ve taken a look at 10 of the most surprising chocolate facts for you to digest – grab a cuppa and prepare to expand your cocoa knowledge.

Chocolate is the food of love

We all know that chocolate is the go-to treat for when you give a romantic gift, but did you know that there’s actually a science behind it? Chocolate contains a chemical called phenylethylamine, which releases “pleasure” endorphins in the brain. This evokes a feeling of happiness and joy – similar to how we feel when we fall in love.

The chemicals in chocolate act as a potent antidepressant for both males and females, which rises during moments of romance. So, next time you’re treating a loved one to some chocolate for a romantic evening in, remember that they’re not just feeling loved up because of the sweet treats they’ve received.

A chocolate scientist insured her taste buds for £1 million

As chocolatiers, we seriously love chocolate, and therefore value the ability of our taste buds to find out what works in our chocolate creations. One chocolate scientist in Britain took her adoration of chocolate very seriously, insuring her taste buds for a whopping £1 million!

Hayleigh Curtise, a chocolate scientist who works for Cadbury, had her palate priced at this eye-watering sum by a specialist insurer in London, in one of the first policies of this kind.

However, this came at a price – Curtise now has to say goodbye to spicy foods, sword swallowing and eating the notoriously poisonous fugu fish. Nevertheless, we’re pretty sure she’s happy to give up toxic fish in exchange for the protection of her prized taste buds.

Chocolate contains caffeine

Cup of hot chocolate first thing in the morning? This might be a bit much for some to handle (amateurs!), but chocolate actually contains caffeine, giving you a similar, early-morning buzz, helping you kickstart your day.

Most chocolate bars contain around 10 milligrams of caffeine per ounce, with dark chocolate containing the most amount of caffeine: 50g of dark chocolate has 19 milligrams of caffeine. Whilst this might be less than your average cup of tea or coffee, if you’re feeling groggy but don’t have time to wait for a brew, then why not grab a few squares of dark chocolate to suck on as you slowly wake up?

Chocolate was originally enjoyed as a savoury drink

The Mayans were the original cultivators of the cocoa bean, but they enjoyed it in a very different way. Cast your mind back to 1500 BC – the Mayans worshipped the cocoa bean and enjoyed it in liquid form mixed with cornmeal and chilli peppers. This drink would have been savoury and bitter – very unlike the sweet and creamy taste of the hot chocolate beverage we like to drink nowadays!

We hope you’ve enjoyed these little bites of cocoa information – of course, after all that reading, you must be hankering for a square of your favourite chocolate. Whether it’s white, dark or milk, we think you deserve a treat: you’ve earned it.

Chocolate nearly killed Napoleon

Napoleon was a great lover of chocolate but, according to legend, this was almost his fatal flaw. According to English and American newspapers, Napoleon narrowly missed an appointment with the grim reaper when he was served a chocolate beverage, poisoned by his abandoned lover.

The rumours report that Pauline Riotti, Napoleon’s former mistress, was left with a child but no financial aid after Napoleon abandoned her. Riotti saw her chance to seek revenge when Napoleon visited the monastery she was working in, poisoning a mug of his morning chocolate drink. Unfortunately for Riotti, a cook had seen this take place and sent a warning message to Napoleon. Riotti was forced to drink the same beverage she had poisoned, and she died within a few hours.

Whilst this makes for an interesting read, it’s also important to remember that this story came from Western sources, who were at war with Napoleon at the time – this tale of tragedy could have easily been simply a piece of propaganda, designed to make this leader seem cruel and heartless.

Chocolate was nearly used as a weapon against Churchill

Historic papers have recently revealed that Hitler planned to use chocolate as a weapon against Churchill during the second world war. The weapon would have allegedly taken the form of a bomb: explosive devices would have been coated in a thin layer of dark chocolate, and then packaged in fancy paper.

These bars were branded as Peter’s Chocolate, and secret agents were instructed to place them into the dining room used by the War Cabinet during the war. Luckily, British spies uncovered the plan and notified the cabinet, foiling Hitler’s plan.

Cocoa can help fight tooth decay

Despite chocolate having a reputation as being bad for your teeth, cocoa can actually help fight your tooth decay. Cocoa solids – the ingredient that gives chocolate that rich, deep flavour – is derived from the cocoa bean, which is actually very bitter and low in sugar.

According to studies, dark chocolate contains polyphenols, a chemical which fights the overgrowth of bacteria and other organisms in the mouth. These chemicals can prevent some sugars from turning to acid, which causes tooth decay and cavities.

Dark chocolate is also high in flavanols, a compound which has been shown to slow down tooth decay. Antioxidants are also present in dark chocolate, which also helps preserve oral hygiene – having higher levels of flavanols in your saliva has been shown to help fight gum disease.

Of course, the benefits of dark chocolate for oral hygiene can only be enjoyed if you’re consuming a dark which is low in sugar: we suggest a chocolate which is high in cocoa, such as our 100% Dark Chocolate to enjoy chocolate in a way which is kind to your teeth.

However, if the bitter, savoury notes of a high cocoa dark are too much for you, then why not try our revolutionary Supermilk chocolate? Low in sugar, but sweetened with milk, this is the perfect compromise for those who want a slightly sweeter and lighter option, whilst enjoying the depth of cocoa.

Chocolate can be used as a cough treatment

This chocolate fact came as a surprise – whilst we know that dark chocolate can be good for you, we weren’t aware of its medicinal properties. However, Professor Alyn Morice, head of cardiovascular and respiratory studies at the University of Hull has stated that “chocolate can calm coughs”.

Morice isn’t the only one to praise the medicinal benefits of chocolate – researchers at London’s Imperial College revealed that theobromine, an alkaloid in cocoa, is better at suppressing a cough than cough medicines.

But how is this possible? Well, researchers argue it’s because cocoa contains demulcent properties, which soothes inflammation and irritation within the throat. As it’s stickier and thicker than cough syrup, it forms a better coating to protect the nerve endings in the throat, which would normally trigger the urge to cough.

However, the effectiveness of the chocolate depends on the type you eat: drinking hot chocolate wouldn’t work, as it isn’t in contact with the throat long enough to form a protective coating. Moreover, eating milk or white chocolate probably isn’t the best way to cure a sore throat, as the cocoa levels within the chocolate are too low for you to see any benefits from consuming it. We suggest slowly sucking on a high cocoa dark chocolate for maximum comfort. 

Chocolate can be snorted

We have to admit, we’re not a fan of this chocolate fact. To us, the best way to enjoy all the qualities of chocolate is by tasting and smelling it – snorting it seems a bit pointless, and simply a waste of good cocoa.

However, the notion of snorting chocolate has spread across Europe and the US in the form of Coco Loko, a new product which is being advertised as a stimulant and a stress reducer. Coco Loko takes the form of a powder, and it is available to buy both online and in shops, finding itself commonly in tobacco stores.

The product is mainly made from raw cocoa powder and ingredients such as taurine and guarana, which are commonly found in energy drinks.

Whilst this product is legal to buy, there has been some speculation surrounding the safety of snorting it: Dr. Ryan Stanton, an emergency physician in Lexington has stated that snorting chocolate can be harmful to both the nasal passage and the lungs. We think we’ll stick to simply eating our chocolate, thanks.