“Chocolate comes from cocoa, which is a tree. That makes it a plant. Chocolate is salad”

Chocolate lovers apply a logic that has been printed on many T-shirts:
 
“Chocolate comes from cocoa, which is a tree. That makes it a plant. Therefore, chocolate counts as a salad.”
 
There are many slight variations in the wording. “Don’t forget that chocolate comes from a bean which grows on a plant which means it’s either veg or salad” was cited on Twitter on March 16, 2009. “Chocolate comes from a plant, so that’s just salad by another name” was cited on Twitter on June 29, 2011. “Chocolate comes from cocoa, which comes from a tree. That makes a plant. Therefore chocolate counts as salad. End” was cited on Twitter on August 14, 2013. The chocolate joke went viral in August 2013.
 
“Beer comes from hops. Hops are plants. Beer is salad” is a similar saying.
 
   
Twitter
Daniel Rafferty
‏@Deusx69
@Andyqsmith don’t forget that chocolate comes from a bean which grows on a plant which means it’s either veg or salad - there’s another 1!
4:06 PM - 16 Mar 2009
 
Twitter
Martin A. Brooks
‏@mart_brooks
@stefness chocolate comes from a plant, so that’s just salad by another name.
8:36 AM - 29 Jun 2011
 
Twitter
Emil Caillaux
‏@emilcDC
@Chelsea_Fagan Chocolate comes from a bean which comes from a plant OKAY CHOCOLATE IS A SALAD
4:04 PM - 12 Aug 2013
 
Twitter
Makhmoor Shakir
‏@Makhmoorshakir
Chocolate comes from cocoa, which comes from a tree. That makes a plant. Therefore chocolate counts as salad. End
5:05 AM - 14 Aug 2013
 
Twitter
Kariangela
‏@Kariiangelaa
@taylormomsen If chocolate comes from cacao and cacao comes from a tree and it comes from a plant… chocolate is a salad? 😉 #GoingToHell
11:13 AM - 16 Aug 2013
 
Twitter
Lau.
‏@LiveWith1Dreams
@NiallOfficial @zaynmalik The chocolate comes from a cocoa, which comes from a tree. That make it a plant. Therefore chocolate is a salad :D
1:07 PM - 16 Aug 2013
 
Twitter
Audrey wellfordॐ
‏@awelfey
Chocolate comes from coca.. Which comes out of a tree.. Soooo that makes it a plant. Basically chocolate is a salad #ya
9:25 PM - 22 Aug 2013
 
Google Books
Your Best Life (eBook):
Quick and Healthy Family Fare
By John Berry and Michael Mol
Vereeniging, South Africa: Christian Art Publishers
2015
Pg. 75:
You may have heard it said: “Chocolate comes from cacao, which is a tree. That makes it a plant, so chocolate is salad!” Salad may be a bit of a stretch, but there is a lot of evidence that certain types of chocolate could be good for you (you’re welcome!).
 
Google Books
Smiling Within
By Swamini Krishnamrita Prana
San Ramon, CA: Mata Amritanandamayi Center
2015
Pg. 159:
The mind tricks us by justifying everything with its own twisted logic. It will tell us things like:
 
Chocolate comes from cocoa, which is a tree.
That makes it a plant. Therefore, chocolate is salad!
 
Google Books
Death of a Chocolate Cheater:
A Food Festival Mystery
By Penny Pike
New York, NY: Obsidian
2015
Pg. ?:
Jake took second—five hundred dollars and a gift certificate for the local gourmet chocolate store, and Monet won third place—a bottle of chocolate wine and a Tshirt that read: “Chocolate Comes from a Plant, Which Makes It a Salad.”