10 things you never knew about chocolate
10. The Aztecs drunk it
Chocolate was originally a cold drink whisked from cocoa
beans by the Aztecs - and women were not allowed to drink it.
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9. It was more valuable than gold
When Cortes conquered the Aztecs in 1520, he found
that cocoa beans were prized higher than gold.
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8. It was named in the 17th century
The word 'chocolate' was first recorded in English use in 1604.
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7. It helped found the British Museum
The British Museum owes its very existence to chocolate.
It was based on the personal collection of Hans Soane,
who invented milk chocolate.
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6. Chocolate bar an English invention
The bar of chocolate was invented by JS Fry and Sons
of Bristol in 1847.
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5. Expensive egg
Last year's most expensive chocolate egg was encrusted
with more than 100 diamonds and made for La Maison du
Chocolat with a £50,000 prize tag.
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4. Royal approval
On New Year's Day 1900, Queen Victoria sent 100,000
boxes of chocolates as a personal gift to soldiers fighting
in the Boer War.
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3. Brits can't get enough of it
The average person living in the UK - man, woman or child -
spends over £1 a week on chocolate.
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2. The King loved it!
The last food Elvis Presley ate comprised four scoops of
ice cream and six chocolate chip cookies.
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1. Egg-cellent selection
Woolworths is this year selling 170 varieties of chocolate
Easter egg.