World Chocolate Day

Fun Chocolate Facts for World Chocolate Day 7th July

World Chocolate Day falls on the 7th July. Although, if we had it our way, every day would be World Chocolate Day! As history has it, in the year 1550, July 7th was the day that chocolate was first introduced to Europe. To celebrate World Chocolate Day, here are seven fun chocolate facts:

1. Chocolate Money in Mayan Times The Mayans are believed to be the first to discover chocolate and, in Mayan times, your favourite chocolate bar may have been worth it’s weight in gold!

Like many early civilisations, ancient Maya would barter and trade goods instead of using coins as money. However, it’s recently been discovered that the Mayan civilisation started to use Cacao Beans as a form of currency.

2. Chocolate is Good for Your Health Hooray – chocolate can be good for your health! It is generally believed that the darker the chocolate, the greater the health benefits. Recent studies have shown that dark chocolate could prove to be good for helping boost our immune system, reducing inflammation and increasing brain activity! This is all thanks to being full of antioxidants, such as flavonoids, catechins, and polyphenol antioxidants. 6 If you ask us, it sounds like the perfect reason to treat yourself to a night of relaxation and recovery by enjoying some chocolate whilst you soak in a Chocolate Fudge Cake infused bubble bath… after all, it’s good for your health!

3. Chocolate is Mouth-Meltingly Tasty Have you ever wondered why chocolate is so mouth-meltingly tasty? Chocolate melts at just below human blood temperature, which is why it is so mouth-meltingly satisfying. Milk chocolate has higher levels of cocoa butter so is more likely to melt in your hand whilst dark chocolate will melt in your mouth! Not a fan of messy, melting chocolate in the Summer? Get your chocolate fix with our Chocolate Fudge Cake bath & body care treats instead.

4. Say it with Chocolate Belgium are famous for their delicious chocolates. So, it shouldn’t be a surprise to find out that, in 2013, Belgium issued over 500,000 postage stamps which smelled of cocoa and were coated in a varnish to look like chocolate.

The stamps even had a special glue that tasted like chocolate when licked!

If only chocolate scented and flavoured stamps where a common thing, you’d definitely catch us writing a lot more love letters and sending snail mail to all our pen pals instead of texting!

5. Power Up with Chocolate Just like reports that chocolate is good for your health, it could also help you focus, sharpen memory and protect your brain from ageing. A study conducted by University of Nottingham researchers in 2012 found eating dark chocolate can boost blood flow to certain areas of the brain. This chocolate-fueled boost directly leads to increase performance in tasks and general alertness.

6. Chocolate Grows on Trees Money might not grow on trees, but chocolate does! Each cacoa tree can produce 2,500 beans with approximately 3.8 millions of cacao beans growing a year. With such a high demand existing for chocolate, it’s important to help protect the environment by doing your bit to support cocoa suppliers who follow sustainable practices! 7. The First Ever Chocolate Bar was UK- Made We’re proud of our British roots and we were equally proud to discover that the first ever chocolate bar (as we know it!) was made in Bristol.

The first solid chocolate bar was produced by Fry’s in 1847 and the chocolate bar market has grown tremendously since then. Almost 200 years later and chocolate is still one of the most-loved sweet treats in the UK!

WHATS ON THIS WEEK

Friday 1st July

ABBA Tribute

Description: Take A Chance On Us... Abba Tribute Will Be At This Venue For 1 Night Only Of Abba Madness.t. Doors Open At 7Pm. Show Starts 8Pm . Tickets £15 A Licenced Bar Will Be Provided

Venue: Tropicana Marine Parade Weston-super-Mare BS23 1BE

Johnny Edgar

Description: Solo act performing soulful originals and some great covers done the Edgar way. With a bit of Hillbilly-Britpop. Free Entry

Venue: The Rising Sun 21 Ashton Road BS3 2EA Bristol Saturday 2nd July

Vassall Centre Fayre

Description: Vassall Centre are holding their annual community Summer Fayre. There will be live music, hot food, cakes, Stalls, activities for children, puppet show, a fire engine, bouncy castle and more

Summer Without The City

Description: A guided tour of the derelict upper floor of Ashton Court Mansion hosted by the Friends of Ashton Court Mansion. Tours: £6 per person, Booking required Exhibition: Free, No Booking required

Venue :Vassell Centre Gill Ave Bristol BS16 2QQ

Bristol Pride Dog Show

Description: Paws up for Pride! Start practising those wags, brushing those coats and working on your tricks, because this year the Pride Dog Show is back! Show starts at 12.30pm

Venue: Castle Park Broad Weir Bristol BS1 3XB Venue: Ashton Court Mansion Ashton Court Estate, Long Ashton BS41 9JN Bristol

American Car Rally

Description: View over 100 American Cars on display around the WWII Airfield Control Tower in the grounds of The Helicopter Museum.

Venue: Helicopter Museum Locking Moor Rd Weston-super-Mare BS24 8PP

Johnny Cash Roadshow

Description: Award winning front man Clive John dedicates this year to a 50 th anniversary tour of the legendary San Quentin State Prison recordingswhich was televised on Granada Television on February 24th 1969, and later released on June 4 of that same year.

Venue Playhouse Weston 126-130 High Street BS23 1HP Weston Super Mare

Superworm Trail

Description: Join Superworm and friends on their brand-new adventure at Westonbirt Arboretum. Discover the small but mighty creatures in the much-loved story and learn about the everyday heroic feats of minibeasts in the forest.

Venue: Westonbirt Arboretum Westonbirt Tetbury GL8 8QS

Nikki Sutton Duo

Description: Delicious helpings of Jazz standards from Nikki Sutton & Terry Murray, with sides of contemporary tunes with a Jazz feel, at one of the loveliest pubs in town, the Eldon House in Clifton.

Venue :The Eldon House 6 Lower Clifton Hill Bristol BS8 1BT

White Bear Comedy Club

Description: The White Bear Comedy Club, New Material night, hosted by Harry Allmark and Alex Stevens it runs every Wednesday night at The Room Above Theatre, kicking off at 8pm.

The Play That Goes Wrong

Description: Mischief’s multi award-winning international smash hit comedy The Play That Goes Wrong is returning following its previous sell-out successes!

Venue: Bristol Hippodrome St Augustine’s Parade Bristol BS1 4UZ

WBCB Summer Concert

Description: West Bristol Concert Band are pleased to announce their summer concert, including guest performances from the Fly-By choir! Please join us at 7.30pm

Venue: St Mary’s Church, Shirehampton Venue: The Room Above 133 St. Michael’s Hill BS2 8BS Bristol

MAGIC NIGHT

Description: A night of Magic at one of Bristol’s great venues.

Venue: The Bristol Fringe 32 Princess Victoria Street BS8 4BZ Bristol

Saltford Festival Jazz Night

Description: We plan to give plenty of notice about what we believe will be the most popular events as part of the Saltford Festival. Traditionally one event that falls into the popular category is our Jazz Night. This year we welcome the return to Saltford Hall of Hannah Wedlock and the Blue Notes. Doors open at 6.45pm for a 7.30pm start. Tickets are just £15 and can be obtained via www.tickettailor.com/ events/scaevents or Saltford Community PO/Library. See less

Tuesday 5th July Thursday 7th July

Bristol Pride Comedy Night

Description: We bring you a special night of laughter with amazing names making waves in the comedy circuit. We are incredibly excited to be bringing this amazing line-up of acts to Bristol to celebrate proudly with you. visit: https:// www.arnolfini.org.uk/visit/ access

Venue: Arnolfini 16 Narrow Quay BS1 4QA Bristol

Reignwolf live

Description: Live Nation Presents: Reignwolf Tuesday 5 July 20226:30PM-10PM

Venue: Thekla Bristol The Grove BS1 4RB Bristol Venue: Saltford Hall Wedmore Road Saltford Bristol BS31 3BY