Why are we so obsessed with chocolate?

Around this time of year, all everyone seems to think about is chocolate. A box of heart-shaped chocolate for Valentine’s, a chocolate egg for Easter, and if you are lucky, some leftover Christmas chocolates. But where does this obsession with chocolatey treats come from?

Chocolate is not only tasty but also has an addictive feel. When you have a piece of milk or white chocolate, it triggers the ‘sweet taste receptors’ in your brain

We have been consuming chocolate for centuries, dating back to the Mayans and Aztecs, where cacao beans were used as currency and offerings to the gods. The first form of chocolate was not a bar, but rather a drink. Cacao beans were ground with maize and water, then flavoured with spices to create a beverage almost resembling the hot chocolate that we know and love today. In the 19th century, advancements in technology made it much easier to grind cacao beans with machinery, which led to the company Fry & Sons creating the first-ever chocolate bar. From there, chocolate became ever increasingly more popular among the public, with the emergence of well-loved brands such as Cadbury’s.

Chocolate is not only tasty but also has an addictive feel. When you have a piece of milk or white chocolate, it triggers the ‘sweet taste receptors’ in your brain leading to a dopamine release into your system. This dopamine release causes our brain to associate chocolate with positive emotions, encouraging you to keep returning for more. In addition, dark chocolate holds many nutritional benefits. It contains antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties, which are beneficial for your general health.

It doesn’t appear that our obsession with chocolate is going to diminish anytime soon. The chocolate industry generates around £5 billion per year in the UK and is expected to continue growing.  However, a recent global cocoa shortage has threatened the ability to meet demands. Approximately 75% of the world’s cocoa originates from West Africa; however, this region has been significantly affected by the consequences of climate change, weather, and disease, limiting the availability of cocoa. Consequently, an average kilogram of chocolate is now 13.5% more expensive than last year. But does this mean we will no longer be able to buy our favourite chocolate bars? Celine Pannuti, head of European Staples and Beverages at J.P. Morgan, states that “Pricing has yet to pick up meaningfully, but we expect this to accelerate … in 2025,” highlighting that while we can still purchase chocolate, you may soon notice a slight increase in the prices of your favourite chocolate.

Tony’s Chocolonely aims to ‘end all forms of exploitation in the cocoa industry’ and sources their produce from farmers directly

Regarding favourite chocolate, there is no doubt that there is controversy over which is the best. The most popular chocolate bar sold in the UK in 2024 was unsurprisingly Cadbury’s Dairy Milk, followed closely by Maltesers and Galaxy chocolate. Although these popular brands still take the top spot, sustainable brands such as Tony’s Chocolonely have seen the largest growth with a 40.5% increase. Tony’s Chocolonely aims to ‘end all forms of exploitation in the cocoa industry’ and sources their produce from farmers directly.  It is amazing to see brands that are actively aiming to create sustainable products are starting to achieve greater recognition, whilst still producing extremely tasty chocolate.

However, one of the best things about chocolate is its versatility in dessert recipes. No matter what type of chocolate you prefer, there is a variety of recipes available to create an incredibly chocolatey dessert. One of my personal favourites is a classic chocolate cake, completely covered with a rich ganache icing. BBC goodFood provides a fantastic recipe for an indulgent chocolate cake that is sure to fulfil all your chocolate cravings. If you prefer a biscuit to a cake, try these triple chocolate cookies from Jane’s Patisserie, where you can create gooey, triple chocolate NYC-style cookies.

Chocolate has always been a worldwide favourite, and most likely always will be; however, when reaching for your usual favourites, try something new. Whether that be grabbing a sustainable chocolate bar from Tony’s Chocolonely, directly supporting cocoa farmers in West Africa, or even baking a chocolate cake from scratch and trying out some new delicious chocolatey recipes. Endless possibilities are waiting to be explored with chocolate.