Chocolate Facts

The microwave was invented after a researcher walked by a radar tube and a chocolate bar melted in his pocket.

Gold-wrapped chocolate coins commemorate St Nicholas who gave bags of gold coins to the poor.

Chocolate triggers the release of dopamine in your brain's reward system and contains compounds like theobromine and phenylethylamine that can improve mood and energy.

Research has shown that allowing chocolate to melt in your mouth produces brain and heart rate activity that is similar to—and even stronger than—that produced with passionate kissing.

Quality dark chocolate contains flavonoids that help reduce the risk of heart disease.

Chocolate contains significantly less caffeine than coffee, tea, and cola. A 1-ounce (28g) bar of milk chocolate contains about 6mg of caffeine, while an 8-ounce cup of brewed coffee contains 80-100mg, tea has 25-50mg, and a 12-ounce Coca-Cola has 34mg.

The universally popular Hershey bar was used overseas during World War II as currency.

The estimated number of M&M's sold each day in the United States is 200,000,000.

The first chocolate eggs were made in Germany in the 19th century and remain one of the most popular Easter candies today.

The largest box of chocolates weighed 1,690 kg (3,725 lbs) and was created by Thorntons and Russell Beck Studios in London, UK on April 2, 2008. This record stood for 15 years until Russell Stover created a 5,616 lb box in 2023.

Americans collectively eat about one hundred pounds of chocolate every second, consuming over 2.8 billion pounds annually.

A 1998 Harvard study of nearly 8,000 men found that those who ate chocolate 1-3 times per month lived almost a year longer than those who never ate it, likely due to antioxidant compounds called flavonoids.

Contrary to popular beliefs, chocolate does not cause acne.

Every second, Americans collectively eat one hundred pounds of chocolate, totaling approximately 2.8 billion pounds annually.

For people that are lactose intolerant, chocolate aids in helping milk digest easier.

Chocolate, sex, and laughter are all important for a healthy brain.

A one ounce milk chocolate bar has 6 mg of caffeine.

There are pills that make your farts smell like roses. There's also the 'Father Christmas Fart Pill', which makes them smell like chocolate.

The company that makes Nutella uses about 25% of the world's supply of hazelnuts.

The Aztecs were the first to serve chocolate as a drink. They also mixed it with hot chili pepper to make it really 'hot'.

There is a fruit by the name of Black Sapote or “chocolate pudding fruit” which tastes like chocolate pudding and is actually low fat and has about “4 times as much vitamin C as an orange”.

Chocolate was once considered medicine, prescribed by European doctors to treat angina and depression as late as the 19th century.

They're sold in over 170 countries. But bring a Kinder Surprise egg into the United States and customs will seize it. A toy inside a chocolate egg violates a 1938 federal law. Border agents confiscated over 60,000 in one year. The original Kinder Surprise remains contraband.