International Chocolate Day 2023: All You Need To Know About Different Types of Chocolates

International Chocolate Day 2023: International Chocolate Day is celebrated on September 13 annually. The day was established by the U.S. National Confectioners Association. It commemorates the birth of Milton S. Hershey. He was an American chocolatier, businessman, and philanthropist.

Chocolate first originated in Mesoamerica(now Mexico) around 450 B.C. The Nahuatl word "chocolatl," which means "hot water," and the Aztec word "xocoatl," which means "bitter water," are the roots of the English term "chocolate." The Olmecs started preparing chocolate from cocoa beans some 4,000 years ago. Chocolate was incorporated into Mayan civilization centuries later as a beverage and for capping off significant transactions. 

Even now, in the twenty-first century, people around the globe continue to love chocolate in a wide range of tantalizing flavours and forms. This article will tell you about the different types of chocolate. 

What is the difference between White and Dark Chocolate?

Types of Chocolates

Chocolate Liquor

Pure cocoa mass (cocoa paste) in solid or semi-solid form is known as chocolate liquor. It contains about equal amounts of cocoa butter and solid cocoa, just like the cocoa beans (nibs) from which it is made. The term "liquor" is not used to refer to a distilled, alcoholic substance, but rather to the word's ancient meaning of "liquid" or "fluid."

Dark Chocolate

Dark chocolate is a type of chocolate that just contains cocoa butter and solids, without the addition of milk or butter. Bitter chocolate or unsweetened chocolate is the term for dark chocolate. The product composition for dark chocolate may vary in every country and market. No credible research has been done on the potential health benefits of dark chocolate, such as those on blood pressure.

Milk Chocolate

There are three main types of chocolate white chocolate, milk chocolate, and dark chocolate. Cadbury is the leading brand of milk chocolate in the United Kingdom. The Hershey Company is the largest producer in the US. 

White Chocolate

White chocolate is often a confection produced without cocoa solids but with sugar, milk, and cocoa butter. Many of the ingredients included in milk, dark, and other chocolates are absent from this delicate ivory-coloured confection. Nestlé, a significant player in the Swiss chocolate market and owner of the Peter-Cailler-Kohler factory, introduced the white chocolate bar Milkybar (or Galak) in Europe in 1936. 

Ruby Chocolate

Ruby chocolate is a special kind of chocolate that is pinkish or purple in colour. It was founded by Barry Callebaut, a Belgian Swiss cocoa company, on 5 September 2017. It has a pink colour, and Barry Callebaut says it is a fourth natural type of chocolate. According to chocolate experts, some cacao pods are naturally pink or purple in colour, and thus Ruby chocolate is the fourth natural type of chocolate.

Raw Chocolate

Raw chocolate, or raw ground chocolate paste is chocolate which does not contain any additives like sugars. This fast-growing segment of the chocolate industry is known to have higher concentrations of some nutrients. Some studies have shown that raw chocolate includes many essential antioxidants, minerals, vitamins, protein, iron, and fibre.

Gianduja Chocolate

Gianduia or Gianduja chocolate was invented in Turin during Napoleon's regency. It is made by blending hazelnut butter with chocolate paste in both plain and milk versions. The age-old recipe is consumed in the form of bars or as a filling for chocolates. It tastes and resembles any other regular chocolate but is significantly softer due to the presence of hazelnut oil.

Vegan Chocolate

Like any other vegan product, vegan chocolate is made without any sort of animal product including milk and butter. The taste of vegan chocolate is similar to that of milk chocolate which is because of plant milk.

Organic Chocolate

Organic chocolate is a socially desirable product for some consumers, scaled around 2016. Many producers of organic chocolate source their ingredients from certified fair-trade cocoa farms and cooperatives. It is made with no chemical fertilizers or pesticides used in growing the cocoa beans producing the chocolate. 

Chocolate is a versatile cross-cultural delicacy enjoyed beyond the boundaries of class, age, gender, etc. It not only soothes our craving for sweets but also releases chemicals such as dopamine and opioids leaving a positive mark. This International Chocolate Day, do not forget to indulge in the flavour of your chocolate. Happy International Chocolate Day!!

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