Although it might seem like the best selling candy bars from makers such as Hershey, Nestle Candy and Mars Candy have been around forever, it was actually not until 1876 that milk chocolate was even invented. Not long after this propitious year, however, all sorts of candy makers started producing mass quantities of their own creations. It started with Nestle Candy in 1879, then Hershey in 1900 and Mars Candy in 1911.

By the 1920s most of the best selling candy bars from these major names were being produced in the thousands. The demand increased even more as a result of Hershey sending candy bars to the brave soldiers fighting overseas in World War I and World War II. After the wars ended the boys who came home from overseas had developed a taste for these sweet treats and demanded more of the same milky chocolate they had grown to love.

The best selling candy bars from makers like Nestle Candy and Mars Candy are being consumed on a larger scale than ever before. In fact, studies have revealed that approximately 2.8 billion pounds of chocolate candy bars are consumed by the American public each and every year. And while it would be grossly unhealthy to live on chocolate alone, new health information reveals that a moderate amount of chocolate on a regular basis is actually beneficial to human health. Most medical experts agree, however, that dark chocolate rather than milk chocolate or white chocolate is able to provide these positive health properties.

Candy bars are not only a part of the American landscape; they are part of people's lives all over the world. A candy bar can brighten your day when you are feeling down and put a smile on your face for no reason other than the sweet taste and the happy childhood memories it brings back each and every time.