18 photos that show how obsessed the world is with chocolate
Talia Lakritz
- Chocolate takes many forms around the world, from the raw bean to delicate truffles.
- Some countries drink it, others eat it, and some use it as a mask.
Is there such a thing as too much chocolate?
Just kidding, of course there isn't.
However, chocolate is more than just a delicious dessert. Research has shown that eating it releases dopamine, a feel-good neurotransmitter, and reduces stress. It can also improve your memory. No wonder it's so popular across the world.
Here's how chocolate is made, eaten, and otherwise consumed in 18 different countries.
About 1.8 million tons of cocoa are produced in the Ivory Coast every year.
Two-thirds of the world's cocoa comes from West Africa.
To make chocolate, fermented and dried cocoa beans are roasted, winnowed, and ground into a thick brown liquid that is mixed with milk and sugar.
Chocolate makers at the Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert in central Brussels work with dried cocoa pods.
From there, the possibilities are endless.
Organic chocolate can be found at Marana chocolate factory in Lima, Peru.
Minimal, a bean-to-bar chocolate manufacturer in Tokyo, oversees every aspect of chocolate production.
From sourcing the beans to making chocolate bars in-house, they do everything themselves.
Chocolates are often prepared by hand, like at Nahua Chocolate Factory in Costa Rica.
Chocolate is tempered on marble countertops to keep it glossy.
And at Big Bang Candy Lab in Brazil.
Chocolates made by hand have an added special touch.
Handmade chocolates from Lebanon are both sweet and adorable.
At a Patchi factory in Siblin village, south of Beirut, chocolate bars come with bonus chocolate bears.
In this factory in Uruguay, workers form chocolate truffles using round molds.
The truffles are made at La Muchacha de los Chocolates Handicraft Factory in Montevideo, Uruguay.
Molds also come in the shape of famous Parisian landmarks.
Visitors to France can eat the Eiffel Tower as well as see it.
The Chocolat bar in Madrid, Spain, serves rich hot chocolate.
It's often served with a side of churros.
Salzburger Mozartkugel pralines are known around the world.
The treats originated in Austria.
Pakistan's chocolate ice cream is a cool, refreshing treat at any time of year.
An ice cream vendor in Peshawar, Pakistan, loads up cones with soft serve.
Candy-coated M&M's and chocolate bars are a popular snack in the United States.
They can be found at virtually any convenience store across the country.
Mars Bars are a favorite in Singapore.
Mars Bars contain caramel and nougat, similar to an American Milky Way.
At natural health and beauty clinics in Mexico, chocolate is used in beauty treatments.
Beauty therapists apply face masks made from chocolate at a spa in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico.
Chocolate facials are also popular at the Mansion de Chocolate Hotel in Nicaragua.
Who wouldn't want a rejuvenating facial that also tastes delicious?
A chocolate massage in the Czech Republic? Yes, please.
Chocolate massages are offered at an aromatherapy salon in Prague.
In every shape, flavor, and size, chocolate makes the world a bit sweeter.
Switzerland is known for its chocolate. The factory shop of Swiss chocolate manufacturer Aeschbach Chocolatier AG offers plenty of ways to enjoy it.
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