Why Is The Chocolate Important For The UK People - Research Proposal Example

Why is the chocolate important for the UK people Contents Why is the chocolate important for the UK people 1 Student Name 1 INTRODUCTION (452) 2 HISTORY OF CHOCOLATE 3 METHODOLOGY (87) 4 DATA AND ANALYSIS (918) 4 CONCLUSIONS (204) 10 BIBLIOGRAPHY 11 INTRODUCTION (452) Chocolate, with its irresistible smell and magical taste, has mesmerized the whole world. There is hardly a person who does not like chocolate and those very few rarities that do turn up once in a while, are looked upon with pity for missing out on the world’s most wonderful food. It is beyond just food; a treat for some, an addiction for others, chocolate brings with it sentiments, nostalgia, pleasure and comfort. According to a research published in 2009, chocolate rates as the second highest addiction in the U.K after coffee (Telegraph, 2009) spending over £3.5billion a year on chocolate consumption which equates to £57 per person (Rayner, 2010). Although Chocolate today is an indispensable part of British life, being well knitted into the culture and lifestyles of the modern people, its origins have little to do with European lifestyle. Cocoa was introduced to Europe only during the 16th century by the Spanish and from then onwards it has been modified into many different forms, adapted to many traditions and customs to celebrate the unique taste of the sweet addiction. HISTORY OF CHOCOLATE History tells that Chocolate started off as a drink, to which the Mayans added chili, vanilla and spices and had it cold. This means chocolate lovers actually date back to pre-historic era and yet the reason why chocolate is loved so much is still not clearly evident. The ecstasy of the sensual drink led to its becoming a drink of divinity for the Aztecs with their emperor quoting claiming it as: “The divine drink which builds up resistance and fights fatigue.  A cup of this precious drink permits a man to walk for a whole day without food”.  Chocolate truly has divine roots!” (DIVINE, 2011). Cocoa beans were used as currency between the Meso-American Empires to reflect the value associated with them. Spanish conquerors were introduced to the beverage during their invasion of the Central American continent, bringing it back to Europe where, with the combination other imports and the presence of an aristocracy wanting to try out expensive treats from all over the world (NORTON, 2006). By the 18th century Quaker families, trying to replace alcohol addiction by chocolate, to eradicate the greater sin, started investing in the chocolate industry, resulting in producers like Cadbury, Rowntree’s and Fry’s, whose innovative techniques have brought out numerable different types, of the sweet in an even greater variety of shapes and sizes. To find out what exactly keeps the trend of chocolate-lovers from growing old, we have conducted a survey which attempts to deduce the greatest force involved in chocolate consumption. Also this report shall further investigate the different ways in which chocolate has become a lifestyle in the United Kingdom. METHODOLOGY (87) The survey conducted was on sample of people of both genders, ranging between the age groups of 18-25 and over 50. The people were asked several questions regarding their consumption of chocolate and how they associated with it. This included how often they consumed chocolate, what occasions did chocolate as a present signify for them and what chocolate means to them. Their answers were then compared and analyzed to conclude which age group or gender is affected most by the phenomena of ‘choc-holism’ and what causes it. DATA AND ANALYSIS (918) The secret to the origin of Britain sweet tooth, especially regarding chocolate, lies behind the history of the Empire and its role and putting to use the various discoveries they were making in the colonies. The adoption, marketing and improved production of commodities like sugar, tobacco, caffeine, tea and chocolate is a commendable aspect of the history of Europe. In the example of chocolate we see the factor of taste rather than society or superiority of culture, which expanded the demand for the ingredient from lower to upper class, from the natives to the invaders. (NORTON, 2006) The arrival of such diverse spices, drinks and food, promoted the growth of a food culture which invited creativity and innovation to make the foreign goods fit into the daily lives of the people, creating a demand for the supply. (Rayner, 2010). Thus the Europeans, specifically the British became the largest consumers of the goods themselves, often exhausting the natural and labour resources of the countries of origin. First and foremost, the group identified for the survey was categorized into age groups. Fig 1 indicates the participants ages as well as genders. A size of the age groups is diminishing with the increase of age, based on the assumption of higher frequency of chocolate consumption among the younger generation due to lifestyle and health. The participants were then questioned regarding the frequency with which they have chocolate. Fig 2 reflects that ten out of the 28 participants eat chocolate every day, with almost half the age group of 18- 25. Very few i.e. 3 out of 28, participants regarded their chocolate consumption as occasional, indicating that with increase in age the frequency decreased from everyday to once a week, and rarely even less than that. Furthermore, the type of chocolate the people of U.K prefer is also different from the rest of the world. According to Albert & Cidell in ‘Chocolate Consumption, Manufacturing and Quality in Western Europe and United States’, chocolate is considered as “serious” food for the Europeans, preferring pure chocolate bars over the mixed candy-bar or wafer based variety of the American brands. Also, based on the survey results (Fig 3), it is evident that a larger percentage enjoy highly caffeinated dark chocolate better that milder white or milk chocolates. Among the participants, Dark chocolate is believed to be healthier than the milky or white, probably because researches have proved that it may help in de-stressing as well as overcoming depression by producing serotonin and endorphins making us feel happier and Phenylethylamine giving us pleasure. The presence of flavinoids, which decrease the chances of cardiac diseases, abundance of antioxidants, energy and caffeine as brain stimulant to keep us active, make chocolate an ideal food item for the everyday (Crandell, 2007). The next survey question i.e. ( Fig 4) the significance of chocolate for you, further strengthens the notion that the people of U.K have not limited their favorite food to only occasions and presents, rather chocolate has become a lifestyle choice. With advertisements, sponsored researches, market analysis and delicious innovative recipes, chocolate producers worldwide are aiming to give chocolate lovers even better reasons to love it and take it up as a healthy part of their diet. This phenomenon has come about as a result of the strategies of the chocolate industry, associating chocolate with ideals from all walks of life. Emma Robertson clarifies it saying: “In the mythology of chocolate, the power relations of production and consumption are subsumed by a more attractive narrative of exotic peoples and their surroundings… chocolate seems to generate a particular type of history writing … one which delves into the realms of fantasy and romance (pp. 85–6).” (Robertson, 2008). “Not everybody is so sentimentaL. Over coffee and a good brownie I talk chocolate with Petra Barran, who runs Chocstar, a converted ice cream van that travels the country selling high-end chocolate products: brownies and sundaes, cup cakes and cream-laden drinks. As a kid, Petra was so obsessed with chocolate that she was taken to Cadbury World for her birthday, the companys chocolate-themed attraction. It was, she says, heaven. But, she tells me, she has moved on from that and now, at 34, only deals in the high-grade stuff.” "You definitely think the world is a good place when you work in a chocolate van," she says. "When people come up to me they have a look of wonder in their eyes. Even traffic wardens are nice to me." (Rayner, 2010) Over the years, Chocolates have come to be symbols of love, happiness, culture and tradition. To keep the cravings alive, the sensual effects of chocolate are also marketed along with their association with cultural values, traditions, festivities and sentimental moments of life. Their success is boasted by the apparently innate relation between events like Valentine’s Day and sentimental chocolate boxes, Easter and chocolate Easter eggs, Christmas and hot chocolate. (CIDELL, 2006). Our survey indicates that of these the most important is Valentine’s Day, followed by Christmas, Easter/ Birthdays and Father’s Day. Chocolate, with its unique effects on the nervous system has become the perfect present for all occasions, generating feelings of good will and contentment. The relation between chocolate and good will is reflected by Petra Barran, claiming: "You definitely think the world is a good place when you work in a chocolate van," she says. "When people come up to me they have a look of wonder in their eyes. Even traffic wardens are nice to me." (Rayner, 2010) CONCLUSIONS (204) In order to discover the trends that the British followed for chocolate consumption, it was necessary to identify the reasons that made people eat chocolate and investigate through history how these might have come to be. The United Kingdom being one of the top most consumers of the chocolate industry served as the target audience for the undiscovered magic ingredient. It is fortunate, that the discovery of cocoa fell to the Europeans who exploited it to its best and gave it the evolution it deserved uncovering its unique richness of attributes. The secret to the undying success of chocolate in the United Kingdom is endorsed in the romanticism around it, with its pleasing, soothing effects, its addictive qualities and its integration with the culture and traditions of the people of United Kingdom. It is the ability to relate to each and every individual, to be mixed and matched to suit every occasion, flavor, color and mood, which has led to such a high-end consumption of the sweet delight. The growing trends and further researches about its health benefits hint at chocolate replacing other antioxidant drinks like green tea, high energy snacks and even meals and alternative sources of energy without the compromise of taste. BIBLIOGRAPHY CIDELL, H. C. A. A. J. L., 2006. Chocolate Consumption, Manufacturing & Quality in Western Europe & United States. Geography, Vol 91(3), pp. 218-226. Crandell, K., 2007. Top Ten Scientific Reasons Why Chocolate Is The World’s Most Perfect Food. [Online] Available at: http://www.science20.com/science_mom/top_ten_scientific_reasons_that_chocolate_is_the_world_s_most_perfect_food [Accessed 18 April 2012]. DIVINE, 2011. History of Chocolate, Divine Chocolate. [Online] Available at: http://www.divinechocolate.com/about/resources/facts/history.aspx [Accessed 18 April 2012]. NORTON, M., 2006. Tasting Empire: Chocolate and the European Internalization of Mesoamerican Aesthetics. The American Historical Review, Vol III(No 3). Rayner, J., 2010. Why are Britons so sweet on chocolate?. [Online] Available at: http://m.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/apr/04/britain-chocolate-jay-rayner?cat=lifeandstyle&type=article [Accessed 18 April 2012]. Robertson, E., 2008. Chocolate, Women and Empire: a Social and Cultural History. Manchester: Manchester University Press. Telegraph, T., 2009. Facebook, coffee and chocolate most common British addiction. [Online] Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/4578542/Facebook-coffee-and-chocolate-most-common-British-addictions.html [Accessed 18 April 2012]. Read More