Chocolate is more than just a snack to enjoy while binge-watching Netflix. A single piece of chocolate has so much history and uses behind it, you would be surprised by how powerful it is and how many interesting chocolate facts there are. Here are 10 surprising facts about chocolate you probably didn't know 1. It is a Powerful Mental Stimulant Chocolate has the power to widen blood vessels and can even help reduce blood pressure. Not to mention, it is very effective at keeping the main populous awake and focused for hours. A recent study at Northern Arizona University on the effective ability of chocolate to keep over 120 subjects awake. 2. White chocolate is not real chocolate. Believe it or not, white chocolate does not contain any chocolate liquor or cocoa solids like dark or milk chocolate. However, it does contain a small amount of cacao bean respectively. 3. Chocolate Was Used to Make Alcohol Around 1400 to 1100 B.C. civilization fermented cocoa beans to create alcoholic drinks. Discovered in Honduras, researchers have learned that it was first farmed for this purpose before it was eventually used to create the sweet dessert we eat in today’s modern culture 4. Chocolate Can Lower Body Fat Levels A study completed at the University of Granada discovered that this so-called common knowledge may, in fact, be wrong. In 2013, scientists studied almost 1500 teens and took note of any changes to their waist circumference, body mass index, and body mass percentage. The teenagers who regularly consumed chocolate in their diet had lower levels of fat in their abdomens and lower total body fat. 5. It Can Improve Your Memory A study conducted at Columbia University Medical Center may have proven that chocolate can improve your memory. In this experiment, participants were given a beverage that contained a high dose of cocoa flavanols. This is an antioxidant that is found naturally in chocolate. The participants were instructed to drink this beverage every day for three months while they had their memory tested. The group who consumed this drink had a 25% better performance than the control group. Brain scans that were taken during this study also found an increase in functionality of the part of the brain that helps new memories o form.
