Showing posts with label dark chocolate. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dark chocolate. Show all posts

Types Of Chocolates



Some of the benefits of milk chocolates are that it contains phosphate, which protects your teeth from decaying. They are also high in vitamins, vitamins like B1, B2, D and E. It also contains potassium and magnesium. Milk chocolates can also help boost the immune system because of the antioxidants it contains. These are the few benefits that milk chocolate has to offer, also it contains more sugar then cacao.

Dark chocolates also have strong benefits. It can help prevent heart diseases, dark chocolates contains flavonoids that can lower your blood pressure. It can also improve your mood where it stimulates the production of endorphins. Lastly dark chocolates can protect your skin because it contains flavonoids that will absorb UV light, it also helps increase blood flow to the skin and improves the skin's complexion and hydration. Dark chocolate contains the most cocoa out of all the chocolates.

White chocolate unfortunately is said to be the unhealthiest. It contains none of the antioxidants benefits of a real chocolate. White chocolate consist of milk with added coco butter and sugar, so technically it is not a chocolate at all.

Though dark chocolate have strong benefit, it also has some disadvantages. Firstly, they are high on calories with high fat and sugar. Furthermore, it contains some elements that are addictive such as caffeine, theobromine, and sugar which results in mood elevating. It also contains vasoactive amines that lead to migraine problems.

Semi-sweet chocolate is about 60 percent bitter chocolate and 40 percent chocolate. It contains Antioxidant Boost, all chocolates contains some cocoa, which contains a polyphenol group called flavanols. These flavanols act as antioxidants which can fight dangerous free radicals that damages cells. It also has reduced LDLS and raised HDLS. Lastly it also can cause mood alteration, where most people instantly feel better after eating semi-sweet chocolate, research has said that chocolate contains chemical compounds that acts on the brain way the same way falling in love does.

Chocolates could go well with many things as well. You can make mix them into ice creams, fondues, fruits, cake and many more. For people who want to lose weight, it is highly recommended to avoid chocolates, but at the same time it gives you energy. Chocolates at the end of the day have its pros and cons, some people love eating it and some people tend to avoid it. The truth is Chocolates make people happy.

By Sam Wall Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6719718

Can Chocolate Benefit Your Health?



By Marguerite Bonneville

If you're a fan of chocolate you're in good company. Chocolate is one of the most popular sweet-tasting treats in the world and has been for centuries. But part of the myth surrounding chocolate is that it tastes so good it must be bad for your health. Which gives it an air of the forbidden.

A beautifully wrapped box of chocolates has always been considered a very romantic gift. So if the special person in your life is a self-confessed chocoholic, you know one surefire way to please them on special occasions. But the surprising news from the scientific community is that this reputedly decadent treat actually has some health benefits, especially if you choose your chocolate wisely.

Is Chocolate A Health Food?

Chocolate contains over 300 chemicals, and has been the subject of a number of studies by universities and other scientific organizations. Here's a quick rundown of the results. We have no way of proving or disproving these claims so we offer them here as a stimulus for further research. If you're really interested in the subject, this may provide you with a starting point.

* Cacao, the source of chocolate, contains antibacterial agents that fight tooth decay. Of course, this is counteracted by the high sugar content of milk chocolate.

* The smell of chocolate may increase theta brain waves, resulting in relaxation.

* Chocolate contains phenyl ethylamine, a mild mood elevator.

* The cocoa butter in chocolate contains oleic acid, a mono-unsaturated fat which may raise good cholesterol.

* Drinking a cup of hot chocolate before meals may actually diminish appetite.

* Men who eat chocolate live a year longer than those who don't.

* The flavanoids in chocolate may help keep blood vessels elastic.

* Chocolate increases antioxidant levels in the blood.

* Mexican healers use chocolate to treat bronchitis and insect bites.

* The carbohydrates in chocolate raise serotonin levels in the brain, resulting in a sense of well-being.

What Chocolate Won't Do

There are many myths and half-truths about the effects of chocolate on the human body. Here are the latest findings on several of them.

* Studies show that chocolate is not a causative factor in acne.

* Cacao contains the stimulants caffeine and bromine, but in such small quantities that they don't cause nervous excitability.

* Chocolate is not addictive.

* Chocolate contains stearic acid, a neutral fat which doesn't raise bad cholesterol.

* Chocolate doesn't make you 'high'. You'd need to eat a huge quantity (about 25lbs at one sitting) to feel any noticeable effect.

But On The Negative Side...

1. Chocolate may trigger headaches in migraine sufferers.

2. Milk chocolate is high in calories, saturated fat and sugar.

What About Chocolate And Your Pets?

Chocolate is considered dangerous to animals because it contains a stimulant called theobromine, which they can't digest.

Dark chocolate and baking chocolate are even more dangerous because they contain higher concentrations of the substance. This applies whether chocolate is in candy bar form, or an ingredient in cake, cookies, puddings or ice cream.

If a pet becomes ill after eating chocolate, take it to the vet immediately.

Dark Chocolate Versus Milk Chocolate

Dark chocolate contains more cacao and less sugar than milk chocolate. It follows that any health benefits would be more pronounced in dark chocolate.

Dark chocolate is allowed on the popular Montaignac diet while milk chocolate is not.

You'll need to do a little research if you have any health concerns about eating chocolate. But with products like gluten-free and sugar-free brands finding their way onto supermarket shelves, you're sure to find some form of chocolate you can enjoy with a clear conscience.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/13062



Fri's most expensive chocolate in the world



After diamonds, chocolate is the best friend of every woman. Maybe you will make it a "cheap friendship", but not the administration. Premium chocolates made ​​by the top chocolate with excellent ingredients and a price that goes with it all. The chocolate may not be as expensive diamonds, but they are not eternal. Payments you, evaluate yourself.


Chocopologie

Chocolate dessert is the most expensive in the world. It is a real company Knipschildt, and a pound costs $ 2600. Made of 70 percent Valrhona chocolate and heavy cream and 24 hours soaked in pure vanilla and truffle oil. Cocoa powder is added manually.

Noka

Noka true best dark chocolate, thanks to the selection of the best cocoa from plantations in Venezuela, Côte d'Ivoire, Trinidad and Ecuador. It consists of 75% cocoa and other ingredients such as cocoa butter, etc. What is special about this chocolate is that it does not add any additives or vanilla flavor. The taste is 100% authentic. Products is Noka Vintages Collection, and costs $ 854 for a pound.

DeLafée

For those who prefer to eat chocolate gold DeLafée is the right choice. Instead of real chocolate with hazelnuts or almonds, for every ball manually add the right edible 24-carat gold. Among the other ingredients in chocolate has sugar, coconut oil, cocoa butter, milk powder and vanilla. Delfee first Swiss chocolate and a pound costs $ 504.

Richart

Richart chocolate is perhaps the fourth most expensive chocolate in the world, but is made from 70% Criollo cocoa from Venezuela, which are considered the best quality cocoa for chocolate in the world. Cocoa beans are finely divided so as to give a unique taste of chocolate. Richart chocolate is added to most types of almonds, blackberries, strawberries and lots of exotic spices. Richart is produced in France, for $ 120 you get a pound of chocolate.

Godiva G

The famous Belgian chocolate Godiva, recently presented a "G" collection. Chocolates are made from different ingredients, such as a mixture with 100% cocoa butter, Tasmanian honey and Mexican hot chocolate. Godiva G Collection is the cheapest. It cost "only" $ 177 for a pound.



Is Chocolate That Healthy?



It is great news that research has found a food that lowers blood pressure and is healthy for the heart and maybe more. The problem is that the chocolate Americans consume most is not the kind that was studied. The more popular kinds of chocolate have little or no positive effect on your health. Only certain chocolate may be healthy.

Dark chocolate is the chocolate that was found to have positive effects on blood pressure. Participants, either given dark, milk, or white chocolate every day were evaluated in different studies. It turns out that dark chocolate contains important antioxidants called phenols. These natural compounds from the cocoa bean are known to increase nitric oxide, reduce platelet aggregation, and inhibit oxidation of LDL cholesterol. Cocoa can decrease blood pressure, reduce cholesterol, and increase your insulin sensitivity. Milk and white chocolate are low in these antioxidants and do not have the same effect.

The problem is how chocolate is processed in this country. White chocolate, regardless of where you get it, actually contains no cocoa at all and is made only from cocoa butter; just the fat from the cocoa beans. It also contains no phenols. Most of the other chocolate we eat is made with "dutched" cocoa. The cocoa beans are treated with an alkaline solution to make them dark in color and reduce the natural bitterness from the plant. But it also reduces almost 90% of the phenols and most of its healthy benefits. The other problem is that when made into milk chocolate, the milk seems to prevent the phenols from being absorbed and, thus, negating any possible benefit from the chocolate.

The best chocolate for your health appears to be dark chocolate. In the European studies done, participants ate 100gm of chocolate a day (100 grams equals approx. 3.5 ounces). This is the equivalent to 2 1/2 regular size Hershey's bars. It also added about 550 calories to their diet. They were instructed to substitute this amount of calories from other foods they normally ate each day. You would have to do the same or forego its healthy benefits by increasing your waistline. European chocolate in general is healthier than that found in America due to the fact that it is less processed than ours and contains more of the heart healthy antioxidants. Dark chocolate is an acquired taste for most Americans since it is much more bitter than its milky counterpart.

So why is this research being touted as the 'best medical news in ages'? It appears to be one more way we look to justify the unhealthy diets we follow. When people hear that chocolate is now healthy, they don't hear any of the other restrictions involved, and don't want to. In fact, most people wouldn't want to change to a more bitter tasting chocolate and also cut out over 500 calories from their diets as they did in the studies. Our diets already have enough sweets and this type of news only fuels the diabetic and obesity epidemics. This kind of medical news will only make most people add extra calories to their diets and increase their health problems.

These studies do look promising but there still is no information on how long these benefits last, how many phenols need to be eaten or how often. Stick with the darkest chocolate, if you must, and balance out your calories. Until we have more information, chocolate should remain a treat and not a treatment.

Gerald Meyer is a registered pharmacist and provides advice on the many weight loss programs available today. More information on the benefits of green tea and its antioxidant powers can be found at http://www.natural-weight-loss-programs.com/greentea.htm . Free trials of green tea patches and instant beverages are available while supplies last. Find out the benefit of green tea for yourself today. And, learn more about the new superfood – the amazon super berry – acai. Acai may be the most nutritious and powerful food in the world. MonaVie is the next generation of health food.

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