Fun Facts about Candy

  • Fairy Floss was the original name of the cotton candy. It was invented by William Morrison.
  • In the United States, National Cotton Candy Day is celebrated on November 7th.
  • Americans over 18 years of age consume 65 percent of the candy which is produced each year.
  • About 65 percent of American candy brands have introduced before more than 50 years.
  • The Snickers candy bar, which was introduced in 1929 by Frank and Ethel Mars, was named after the family horse.
  • For Valentine's Day more than 36 million heart-shaped boxes of chocolate are sold
  • In the 1800's physicians commonly advised their broken-hearted patients to eat chocolate to calm their pining.
  • The ancient Aztecs believed that chocolate was an aphrodisiac. Chocolate contains phenyl ethylamine (PEA), a natural substance that is said to stimulate the same reaction in the body as falling in love.
  • During the 1849 Gold Rush, Dombringo Ghirardelli from Italy began making chocolate in San Francisco. His factory still stands at Ghirardelli Square.
  • Daniel Peter and Henri Nestle created milk chocolate in 1875.
  • In 1871, at the age of 19, Milton Hershey setup his confectionary shop in Philadelphia.
  • A one-ounce piece of milk chocolate and a cup of decaffeinated coffee contain the same amount of caffeine.
  • Some candies, such as lollipops, candy canes, gummy bears, gum drops, licorice twist and sour balls are free of fat and cholesterol, making them a healthier treat than many people realize.
  • 2.8 billion pounds of chocolate are consumed in America each year, which is over 11 pounds per person.
  • Americans consume an average of 22 pounds of candy each year (equally candy and chocolate). That's far less than most Europeans eat.
  • The U.S. produce more chocolate than any other country in the world but the Swiss consume the most, followed closely by the United Kingdom.
  • The melting point of cocoa butter is just below the body temperature, which is why chocolate melts when you put it in your mouth.
  • Chocolate can be lethal to dogs. Chocolate's toxicity is caused by Theo bromine, an ingredient that stimulates the cardiac muscle and the central nervous system. For a 10-lb puppy about two ounces of milk chocolate can be poisonous.
  • More than $7 billion a year are spent on chocolate.
  • Sixty million chocolate Easter bunnies are produced each year.
  • Americans eat 25 pounds of candy, per person, per year. The people of Denmark eat more 36 pounds of candy per person, per year.
  • A lollipop, which was invented by George Smith in 1908, was named after Lolly Pop, a racing horse.
  • White chocolate is classified as sugar confectionery instead of chocolate because it contains no cocoa solids.
  • According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Franssons of Sweden made the world's largest lollipop weighted 4.759.1 pounds for a festival on July 27, 2003.