June 2021

​International chocolate day, some call it world chocolate day, is a day to remember every year.  Tell Google, Siri, Alexa, and every other AI to set an annual reminder.  Observed on July 7th, international chocolate day is a day to celebrate one of life’s most precious foods.  How did we come upon this glorious day to exist? Well, according to historians, this is the day that chocolate was introduced to Europe.   Spanish explorers, Hernan Cortes in particular, discovered it when visiting the Americas.  Chocolate was already present in Mexico, Central, and South America.  Throughout time, they added different ingredients, particularly sugar, making it much more acceptable throughout Europe. Most believe chocolate is an unhealthy dessert that should be consumed in moderation.  It is true that everything should be consumed in moderation. However, chocolate has many healthy attributes.  Chocolate is packed with antioxidants, especially dark chocolate. It also possesses flavonoids, helps your heart and helps memory, and also acts as an anti-inflammatory.   Before going out and snack attacking this great food, remember everything in moderation.  A few nice cubes or squares per day, with or without the green stuff (that’s up to you), is all you need.  Just think of today as the day you started enjoying this rich and flavorful food more often than binge eating it, and thank me later.