Chocolate is usually brown, sweet, food preparation of Theobroma cacao seeds roasted and ground, often flavored, as with vanila.The seeds of cacao tree have an intense bitter taste and must be fermented to develop the flavor.Chocolate is made in the form of a liquid, paste, or in a block, or used as the flovoring ingredient in other foods.Chocolate liquor is cocoa mass liquefied before being molded with or without other ingredients.It is processed into two components such as cocoa solids and cocoa butter.Cocoa solids are source of flavonoids, alkaloids such as theobromine, phenethylamine, and caffeine.The mold standard of European chocolate is better than in the US.Dutched chocolate is treated with an alkalizing agent to modify its color and give it the milder taste.Processing with alkali is called dutching.Dutching process causes the polyphenol or flavanol content is lost and reduces 60% antioxidant of cocoa or chocolate.So dutched chocolate is less good.Consumption of chocolate or cocoa powder is a natural or non alkali for maximum antioxidant.
Chocolate contains carbohydrate, dietary fiber, protein, fat, palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, phenylethylamine, riboflavin, vitamin B12, manganese, phosphorus, zinc, calcium, iron, selenium, and magnesium.
The Benefits of Chocolate
- Reduces the risk of cardiovascular problems
- Lowers the risk of heart disease
- Prevents cognitive decline
- Lowers cholesterol levels
- Improves blood pressure
- Keeps the brain healthy
- Lowers stroke
- Prevents memory decline in older people
- Preserves blood flow in the working areas of the brain
- Increases walking distance for people with peripheral artery disease
- Reduces or blocks damage to nerve pathways found in patients with Alzheimer's disease
- Helps patients with kidney failure to improve the blood function
- Protects against sun-induced damage
- Improves blood flow the skin
- Increases skin density and hydration
- Loses weight
- Reduces stress in expectant mothers
- Prevents the onset of diabetes and improves insulin sensitivity
- Restores flexibility to arteries
- Encourages brain to release feel-good endorphins
- Reduces the risk of cardiometabolic disorders
- Treats brain injuries such as concussion (dark chocolate)
Scientists at Harvard Medical School suggest drinking two cups of chocolate a day may help keep the brain healthy and prevent memory decline in older people.The researchers said that hot chocolate can help preserve bood flow in working areas of the brain.
A new study that tracks the impact of diet suggest eating up 100 grams of chocolate each day is linked to lower risks for heart disease and stroke.
According to Research published in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology said that consuming a cocoa product could help patients with kidney failure to improve their blood vessels function.
Dr.Mercola advises people to eat very dark chocolate with low sugar and low additives like milk because chocolate has more healthy fat and recommends only 7 grams of dark chocolate per day or 45 grams chocolate every single day for eight weeks resulted in improving cholesterol levels without a single bad side effect.
Researchers in Finland have found that chocolate consumption lowers the risk of suffering a stroke.
A Finish Study found chocolate reduced stress in expectant mothers, and that the babies of such mothers smiled more often than the offspring of non -chocolate- eating parents.
The Effects of Chocolate
- The consumption of large quantities of chocolate increase in activity to expend the associated calorie, can increase the risk of weight gain and possibly obesity.
- The use of chocolate or cocoa excessively can cause increase risk for kidney stones because chocolate and cocoa contain moderate to high amounts of oxalate.
- One study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, was carried out to identify the relationship between chocolate consumption and bone density in older women.
The Author conclude that "Older women who consume chocolate daily had lower bone density and strength."
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