Chocolate was originally a cold drink whisked from cocoa beans by the Aztecs - and women were not allowed to drink it.

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9. It was more valuable than gold

When Cortes conquered the Aztecs in 1520, he found that cocoa beans were prized higher than gold.

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8. It was named in the 17th century

The word 'chocolate' was first recorded in English use in 1604.

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7. It helped found the British Museum

The British Museum owes its very existence to chocolate. It was based on the personal collection of Hans Soane, who invented milk chocolate.

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6. Chocolate bar an English invention

The bar of chocolate was invented by JS Fry and Sons of Bristol in 1847.

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5. Expensive egg

Last year's most expensive chocolate egg was encrusted with more than 100 diamonds and made for La Maison du Chocolat with a £50,000 prize tag.

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4. Royal approval

On New Year's Day 1900, Queen Victoria sent 100,000 boxes of chocolates as a personal gift to soldiers fighting in the Boer War.

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3. Brits can't get enough of it

The average person living in the UK - man, woman or child - spends over £1 a week on chocolate.

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2. The King loved it!

The last food Elvis Presley ate comprised four scoops of ice cream and six chocolate chip cookies.

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1. Egg-cellent selection

Woolworths is this year selling 170 varieties of chocolate Easter egg.