For the romantics, there is Valentine’s Day, but for the hardcore chocolate lover there is Chocolate Day. On Feb. 9, cocoa consumers have an excuse to indulge in a little extra.
Is it actually a holiday? Well, only if you’re paying attention to Twitter, the chocolate industry, or your sweet tooth. But why not? Research suggests chocolate can be good for your heart and reduce blood pressure. It also gives a little endorphin zap to the brain with mood-enhancing Theobromine.
Historically cultivated and used by the Aztecs and Mayans, the cocoa bean didn’t enter the European or colonial American diet on a mass scale until the 1800s, when some of the first chocolate companies like Cadbury and Nestlé were started. Now, it’s a global product, and a sweet one at that.
