Chocolate Toothpaste
Since the turn of the millennia, studies have been conducted, debated, and replicated to test if Chocolate is more effective than fluoride in fighting tooth decay. While the jury is still out on this claim, companies have begun to create toothpaste infused with chocolate’s theobromine chemical in lieu of fluoride. As the nutrients have yet to be stripped from cacao nibs and raw chocolate, the prevention of tooth decay is most effective when using un-conched, non-roasted, and un-tempered cacao nibs as the base. Beyond theobromine, chocolate also contains the chemical CBH, which aids in preventing certain bacteria from turning starches and sugar into the acid that breaks down enamel.
Fertilizing the Garden Bed
Earth’s most vibrant ecosystem is the rainforest, and when in the rainforest, the ground beneath your feet is never clean. Littered with snails, worms, and miniature plants (dead or alive), the forest floor is a lively ecosystem that supports the iconic rainforest façade. What should come as no surprise then is cacao shells being used as a natural fertilizer and mulch for garden or house plants. The shells reduce water loss, add nitrogen to the soil, suppress weed growth, and attract worms to the flower bed, aiding in aeration.
Marriage sealer / Gift
Mayans used chocolate in a variety of important cultural ceremonies. From ritual offerings and ritual sacrifices to initiation rites, chocolate was a staple of their culture, gifted to them by the God Kulkukan. So it was only natural for Chocolate to be incorporated into the marriage ceremony, where those getting married would share the drink as a symbol of their consecration. In modern day China, chocolate has taken up an important -albeit less grandiose role- in the ritual of marriage.
Although chocolate has only recently found its way into Chinese culture, it's foreign origins and decadent appearance bestowed upon it by European sensibilities, has positioned chocolate as a status symbol worthy of being distributed at one of China's most important rituals; weddings. The bride and groom select a chocolate with a renowned brand name to give to their guests as they leave the banquet. To say that the presentation of the chocolate (it’s wrappings and decorative shape) is all that matters would be unfair, but the main component of the chocolate is the presentation. The more renowned and popular the brand of chocolate given, the higher the status and more sophisticated the newly married couple.
A Status Symbol
We have all encountered exuberantly priced wines, and then the people who drink them. The drink serves as a consumable status symbol; able to be bought at a price that correlates to its taste and appeals to the one doing the tasting. The taste matters, the taste makes a difference, but there would be no thousand dollar bottle of wine without those who wish to spend a thousand dollars on a bottle of wine. The high price makes the wine a repeatable occasion that gives one pleasure while simultaneously giving the air of sophistication and knowledge.
As the economies of middle eastern countries such as Qatar, the UAE, and Kuwait continue to expand, the demand for expensive artisan chocolates has grown. Gone is chocolate as merely a quick and cheap sweet snack. Instead, pure chocolate becomes a foreign delicacy. Just as an expensive wine of a particular name carries an air of prestige, a piece of high cacao percentage chocolate conveys distinguishment. By branding the chocolate, the chocolate becomes an event in which one can participate, an event that conveys status in even the simplest of tasks. While one is sure not to buy a thousand dollar piece of chocolate (for now), buying a piece of chocolate five times more expensive than a regular piece illustrates the superiority between this piece and another. The chocolate becomes just as distinguishing an act as ordering a nice bottle of Louis Latour Batard Montrachet. At ChocoVivo, our Experience the Journey Box, which is decadently presented, takes one on a journey, introducing and guiding you through our high-cacao percentage chocolate and chocolate covered products.
