National Hot Chocolate Day

Hot chocolate, also known as hot cocoa, is a beverage made of melted chocolate, hot milk and sugar. Chocolate was an integral part of Aztec culture, and it is said that they were the first to drink a chocolate beverage. However, they drank it cold. Interestingly enough, in the olden days hot chocolate was also used to treat certain kinds of stomach ailments.

Five Fun Facts:

1. The word Chocolate comes from the Aztec word xocolatl, meaning bitter water.
2. Chocolate is rich in magnesium and iron.
3. Chocolate syrup was used in the famous shower scene to represent blood, in Hitchcock’s thrilled Psycho.
4. Cocoa beans were used as currency by the Mayans and Aztecs – perhaps giving rise to the question, does money grow on trees?
5. Napolean carried chocolate with him during his military campaigns for a high energy snack.

Five Hot Chocolate Recipes:

1. Spicy Hot Cocoa with Kahlua - It’s the perfect warm drink for a cold night. It’s worth adding to your bag of tricks. You get the goodness of calcium with the comfort of chocolate, plus the added zing of spices: hot, spicy, sweet and comforting — all in one sip!
2. Coffee Chococcino - just as good as getting it from your local coffee place without paying the fancy prices.
3. Triple Hot Chocolate- this triple threat chocolate treat is so smooth and such a treat on a cold night.
4. Orange Hot Chocolate- The orange adds a delicious tang to this hot chocolate.
5. Spiced Hot Chocolate – the spices give this hot beverage a little extra kick!

Click for more Hot Chocolate Recipes.

Nutritional Information for one cup of homemade hot chocolate:

Calories:   192
Fat: 6  g
Carbohydrates:  27 g
Cholesterol: 20  mg
Sodium:  110 mg
Protein:  9 g
Sugars: 24 g
Calcium:  285 mg