Chocolate

Summary

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Chocolate Stats

• There are three kinds of chocolate: dark, milk, and white.
• Chocolate melts just below body temperature so it is pleasant to eat.
• Chocolate comes from the beans of cacao trees, which grow in warm climates.
• There are three kinds of cacao trees: Forastero, Criollo, and Trinitario.

The History of Chocolate

• The ancient Mayan culture believed cacao had medicinal value and used chocolate drinks in religious ceremonies.
• The Aztec civilization used cacao beans as money.
• In the 16th century, the Spanish came to Mexico and Central America and took the beans back to Spain and added sugar.

Making Chocolate
The cacao beans must go through many steps before becoming chocolate.

• Fermenting
• Drying
• Roasting and Winnowing
• Grinding and Processing
• Rolling
• Conching
• Tempering
• Molding

Chocolate’s Effects on the Body

• The sugar and other chemicals in chocolate release endorphins in the body that make a person feel happy and content.
• Chocolate contains antioxidants which may help fight some diseases, like heart disease.
• The sugar and fat found in most chocolate bars, however, can be unhealthy.
• Some animals cannot process the chemicals found in chocolate. Dogs, horses, cats, birds, and small rodents can die from eating chocolate.

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