Chocolate: Chocolate as a Health Food?

Kamis, 27 September 2007

Chocolate as a Health Food?

Nothing beats a good piece of chocolate. It’s rich, smooth, creamy and makes us feel good, until the guilt sets in. Chocolate’s mood-enhancing qualities are an obvious reason why it is so strongly associated with Valentine’s Day, as a gift for lovers and loved ones.

Chocolate's Dark Secret

There’s no getting around the fact that chocolate is a high fat food. But there is growing evidence that, in small quantities, some kinds of chocolate may actually be good for you. Dark chocolate is naturally rich in flavonoids (or more specifically, flavanols, a sub-class of these antioxidants). These compounds are thought to lower blood pressure and help protect against heart disease—among other things. Recent studies conducted both in the U.S. and Europe seem to support chocolate’s beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system, encouraging at least one chocolate manufacturer—Mars—to develop a proprietary method of processing cocoa beans, aimed specifically at preserving flavonoid content.

Traditional roasting and fermentation methods are thought to destroy up to three-quarters of these compounds. Mars now puts its Cocoapro trademark on some of its products, indicating the use of this method.

What about the Fat?

It’s still hard to think of chocolate as a health food. Part of the allure is the guilty pleasure of eating it. But before we raid the candy store, it’s worth remembering that chocolate is not a low calorie food. A serving size of Dove dark chocolate (40 grams) contains 210 calories and 13 grams of fat, 8 of which are saturated, although some of this saturated fat is in the form of stearic acid, which is converted by the liver into a “healthier” monounsaturated fat.

Cocoa Powder

Cocoa powder, which is low fat, would surely be a healthier way to get both our chocolate fix and our dose of flavanols. Alkalizing cocoa (or Dutch processing) produces a milder flavor and darker color but destroys most of the flavonoids. Since flavanol-rich cocoa is naturally bitter, Mars has worked hard to make it palatable. It sells a flavanol-rich series of snack bars and small chocolate bars. CocoaVia snack bars are available online and also in stores such as Target, Walgreens, and Fred Meyer. CocoaVia bars have been shown in one small study to actively lower total and LDL (bad) cholesterol in those with elevated cholesterol levels, bolstering Mars' claim that its flavanol-rich snack bars are heart healthy. With all the work that Mars seems to be doing, we will likely see a drinkable high-flavanol cocoa powder at some point, which would offer chocoholics a healthy, low-fat alternative to high-fat chocolate bars.

In the meantime, we should probably allow ourselves an occasional ounce of dark chocolate, and savor it. Our hearts might thank us.

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Best Cocoa Butter

Cocoa Butter

Details

Cocoa Butter
(Theobroma Cacao)

From the Mexican word ?cacauati? (cacao) and Greek word ?theobroma? (food of the Gods)?

Cocoa trees generally grow in Central and South America and produce a brown fruit with about three dozen long seeds (cocoa beans). Only after roasting and rolling the cocoa beans does the taste of the cocoa appear.

Because of the caffeine naturally found in cocoa, the seeds have a diuretic and stimulant effect.

This is a yellowish-white solid body butter with a chocolate-like taste and odor derived from the cacao bean with a softness rating of 10. It is used in confectionery products, suppositories and pharmaceuticals, soaps and cosmetics.

Cocoa Butter is a yellowish vegetable fat most often used to soften and lubricate the skin. Although a solid at room temperature, Cocoa Butter melts on contact with the skin. That's why it?s often used in lip balms and skin creams.

Cocoa Butter is a super emollient made during the manufacture of cocoa and chocolate. It comes in two forms, natural and deodorized. The natural Cocoa Butter has retained its chocolate scent , while the deodorized Cocoa Butter has much fainter aroma.

Today pregnant women across the world smooth Cocoa Butter on their bellies to help prevent and minimize stretch marks.

Although used to make hard soaps, too much Cocoa Butter will cause a soap to crack. Only about 15 percent Cocoa Butter (total fats and oils) should be used.

Cocoa Butter is not recommended for oily skin.
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Price: $3.95

History of Probo's Chocolate

Our truly raw organic cocoa butter is an excellent moisturizer and has a wonderful texture. Cocoa butter also has antioxidant properties due to tocopherols as well as certain polyphenols that suppress free radicals and soothe skin irritation. As with our other butters, our cocoa butter is produced without any harsh chemicals and has not been refined in any way. Our cacao butter has NEVER been heated above 112 degrees F at anytime of the pressing. Therefore, it retains all its natural healing and preventative properties. In addition, it has a lovely natural chocolate mocha scent which goes well with our raw cocoa powder and in deserts.

The fat that occurs naturally in cocoa beans, gives chocolate its distinctive smoothness and "melt-in-the-mouth" texture. Research has shown that cocoa butter, despite its high saturated fat content, does not raise blood cholesterol levels as do other saturated fats. This is due to its high stearic acid content. Stearic acid, one of the principal fatty acids in cocoa butter, has been found to be used in the body differently, in that it may reduce levels of cholesterol in the blood.

What can I do with raw organic cocoa butter?

- Use it in place of coconut oil.
- Make chocolate candies and bars.
- Create creamy chocolate ice cream.
- Sprinkle it on top of your salad.
- Mix it with raw cocoa powder and dip berries in it.
- Combine it with raw agave nectar or honey for chocolate syrup.
- Make chocolate pudding by blending it with cocoa powder & avocado.
- Add it to your super foods (goji, maca, etc.) for an extra nutrient boost.
- Massage it into your skin.
- And much more!

World’s Most Expensive Chocolates

Chocolate may be an aphrodisiac, but it is also a $$$moneymaker!

(according to Forbes Magazine)

You might enjoy knowing what Forbes Magazine considers to be the world’s most expensive and most likely, least affordable chocolates. Forbes featured a fascinating article on the poshest brands...ones that likely sprinkle gold dust into their cocoa…well, lots of it! So before you think of purchasing you might better find your gold so that you can afford to pursue a pound, or merely a trifle…(or should I say truffle)!

To find out more about truly decadent chocolate bling for your sweetheart click here:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11281256/

Knipschilt Chocolates certainly leads the bunch, when it comes to price. Featured top of the list by Forbes Magazine, it’s the CROWN JEWEL CONFECTION of the world: a striking $2600 per pound.

Obviously, this is the one special Truffle truly fit for Royalty...

Fritz Knipschildt, from Denmark, and Maitre Chocolatier, of Knipschildt Chocolatier (founded in 1999 and awarded top honors as one of 3 best chocolatiers in the world by Gourmet Magazine) created the 42-gram (1.5 ounce) gem of a confection. This ultra sweet indulgence is handcrafted using a dark, classic ganache.

The ganache is made using French Valrhona Chocolate blended with fresh cream that has been infused for 24 hours with the flavor of vanilla pods and pure Italian truffle oil.

The ganache is then shaped around a French Perigord Truffle, known also as French black truffle (this truffle alone costs up to $1,000 per pound-454 grams). Next it is dipped in a 70% cocao-rich French Valrhona dark chocolate, and is finally dusted in cocoa powder.

What really makes the "Madeleine" Truffle so exquisite is the time and energy that goes into it. The ganache, for example, must be whipped repeatedly to make it as soft and silky as possible, and then it must be chilled so that it’s easier to work with. It's a long and painstaking process, and for all its intensive labor…undoubtedly a labor of love…is revealed a flavor that is so ultimately tantalizing, each savory moment upon the palate, is worthy of every dime.

Each delicate truffle is ultimately packaged as if it were a jewel, placed within a silver jewelry box. Before which, the truffle is placed inside of a pouch similar to the ones diamonds are transported in. This pouch is, set inside its silver home, nestled comfortably within red satin, tied in edible sugar pearls, and adorned with a ribbon.

Added to each exquisite gift: a personal note from Fritz himself, that includes a number to let the buyer know that he is the proud owner of a limited edition jewel of a chocolate truffle.

Madeleine truffles are very, very special and cannot be ordered over the counter. To order one of these extravagant confections they must be special ordered about 2 weeks ahead of time.

Moving right along…

For a much less decadent, but still mightily expensive option (and also on Forbes most expensive list), the very upscale cacao beans used by fine chocolate artisan Chuao Chocolatier would still take a hefty bank roll to purchase.

The Cost: $79.00 per pound

Chuao Chocolatier, named after the cacao-producing region of Chuao, Venezuela, uses European techniques to make their Venezuelan chocolate. Only fresh ingredients are used, and absolutely no preservatives are allowed in these handmade chocolates. These chocolates are single origin in nature, in that they reflect the specific and very delicate nuances of the region where the bean is grown. This is because no beans from any other region are blended in to homogenize the flavor.

Despite the over-the-top prices for these specialty (special order) truffles within the Forbes featured lines, any of these high quality brands also feature unbelievable collections of tasteful, sophisticated and mighty succulent chocolates to give the one you care for… affordably.