Confectionaries

Popularity of Confectionaries

We have all, at one stage in our lives walked into a Post Office, bought a few stamps, turned to leave and go about business. But as we turn, we see a stack of chocolates, candies and other sweet things near the cash point. We simply cannot resist buying one. Why not!? They are cheap, small and won’t do anything to our perpetual diet!

So that is how creators of confectionary get their business. Because members of the pubic, especially those with small children, cannot resist temptation.

The reason why people cannot resist chocolate is mainly because of our sweet teeth. Or sweet part of the tongue would be the correct way of putting it.



As you can see, the sweet chemo receptors (taste buds) are at the front of the tongue so anything sweet would be the first thing we taste, therefore, we would remember the sweet tastes and enjoy them more.

What many people do not know is that bitter chocolate contains two-fifths sugar to make it even slightly palatable. Imagine how much sugar there must be in everyday milk, white and ‘sweet’ chocolate!

Chocolate is manufactured from cocoa beans, which Columbus first brought to Europe from the New World. At first, it was a drink which was sweet and refreshing when Columbus and also Cortez were exploring America. When it was introduced to Europe, it immediately made a big hit in Switzerland and Spain and France, although most French regarded it as evil.

In 1657, a Frenchman, taking the taste over the Channel and introducing it to the British, opened the first chocolate shop in London. However, it was not a chocolate shop to begin with, it was a Coffee shop. Coffee contains caffeine, an addictive, yet mild drug. Have you wondered why something containing an addictive substance (cocoa) has not yet had a society created for it? Why is there no Chocoholics Anonymous? This is probably because chocolate is so powerful and so sweet that there is nobody who wants to permanently give it up.

However, for Christians, it is a perfectly valid item of food or drink that can be given up for Lent. Pope Pius V tasted the chocolate drink but didn’t like it so he said that “This drink shall not break the fast”, thus saying that it must be given up for Lent.

Other traditional sweets were found by accident. One kitchen boy had spilt almonds over the floor. The head chef, in the process of trying to punish him, also spilt hot, molten sugar over them. So because the important guest was waiting for dessert, they had to serve up the sugary almonds. The guest liked it so much, probably because it was covered in sugar that it came to be called a praline.

Finally, chocolate is advertised as a sensual food that is so delicious that people get cravings for it and all sorts of feuds and arguments start over chocolate. Granted, chocolate is extremely tasty, but exaggeration can sell anything. It is obvious that chocolate is popular with children as it is sweet but people catch the hidden message unconsciously that chocolate, when eaten slowly, makes you feel good about yourself. Incidentally, chocolate, maybe fore the same reason of feeling happy, cheerful and ‘better’, is the solution for being too close to a Dementor!

Sources: http://biology.clc.uc.edu/courses/bio105/nervous.htm

http://www.info-galaxy.com/Chocolate/index.html

Well done WL - 50 points.