Is chocolate still a desirable birthday present?

Then, thanks to the mass production of cheap chocolates, it came into disrepute - but today it is once again considered a gift that brings people together.

Giving gifts for special occasions and to show affection and gratitude goes back to the very beginning of mankind. Food was often given as a gift, as it was much more valued in those days than today - plenty of food meant good social standing, as it indicated a skilled hunter who had no problem providing for his family or tribe. In the earliest civilisations, the most difficult-to-find foods, or those that were important for trade, were given as gifts of foodstuffs. Honey, olive oil and wine were thus valued in many places. In modern times, however, chocolate has become a common gift for birthdays, anniversaries and other celebrations.

Chocolate was once a special and precious gift, then fell into disrepute due to the mass production of cheap chocolates - but today it is once again seen as a gift that brings people together.

At a time when cocoa was precious and its production was modest, cocoa or chocolate was enjoyed mainly by wealthy adults. Why? Because it was quickly recognised that chocolate was energising and aphrodisiac. Even Napoleon is said to have carried a bar of chocolate with him at all times to refresh himself. Even in the first half of the twentieth century, children, especially in less well-off families, could only fantasise about chocolate. No wonder it so stirred their imagination and became an object of desire, as Roald Dahl has beautifully illustrated in his book ''Charlie and the Chocolate Factory''.

Today''s generation knows no scarcity. All of us who were born from the 1970s onwards could enjoy it almost without hindrance. It was always there as a birthday present, but we could also have enough of it on any normal day. And perhaps it was this abundance that brought chocolate into disrepute. Today, we often hear parents saying that we should not bring chocolates to our children. Are they right? Partly we can agree with them, partly we cannot.

Good chocolate is a good gift

The availability of chocolate coincides with the increased incidence of modern diseases of civilisation. Sugar in general is often blamed for children being more likely to be diabetic, overweight, with dental caries, hyperactive and, of course, addicted to sugar. Is this true? Absolutely! But we are talking about sweets and sugar in general, not chocolate. When chocolate was unfairly given a bad name a few years ago, research quickly began to put an end to it, proving time and time again that cocoa and good quality chocolate are healthy. So there''s no reason why chocolate can''t be a great birthday present for children and adults alike - but you need to choose chocolate that contains a high percentage of cocoa particles and a low percentage of other ingredients, and especially no sugar.

Good quality dark chocolates with lots of cocoa are still a great source of energy, and many an athlete will tell you that a bar of delicious chocolate is much better than any energy drink - it gives you a boost of energy and provides your body with healthy nutrients.

Don''t deprive your children of chocolate!

Some parents go too far in their desire for a healthy family life, and when they tell us that their child doesn''t eat chocolate, or remind you that your birthday present should be chocolate-free, it''s time to give them some facts. Quality chocolate is not unhealthy, quite the opposite. It''s great for calming us down, making us happy, feeding us well and something else - it helps us connect emotionally. Children who are not allowed to eat chocolate or nibble on cocoa nibs and cocoa beans are certainly deprived.

Adults love sweet gifts too

Would you like a gift for your birthday or any other occasion to help you to show your appreciation, just like the first tribes did with food gifts? In some areas, we humans are quite advanced; in others, we are no different from cavemen. We can still achieve a lot with flavours that delight the palate and gifts that melt velvety on the tongue. Quality chocolate can warm relationships and soften hearts, and it can help you win love. This is especially true for women - chocolate is proven to be much harder for them to resist than for men.