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August 2006 Edition
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10 Amazing Facts About Chocolate | Comments
By Elli Potrelli
Chocolate is relaxing. It’s calming. It soothes our nerves and
makes us feel good. And we often think of it as a sinful
indulgence. But it doesn’t have to be. If you choose your
chocolate wisely, you can enjoy it without the guilty feelings
we normally associate with it.
What Are the Healthy Aspects of Chocolate?
By eating small amounts of the right chocolate, you will enjoy
the many health aspects of chocolate. Chocolate contains high
levels of potassium and magnesium, as well as vitamins B1, B2,
D and E. If that’s not reason enough to reach for a daily dose
of chocolate, consider that it can also lower blood pressure
and prevent arteries from hardening, therefore protecting the
heart.
Has Chocolate Been Wrongly Accused?
For the most part, chocolate has been wrongly accused. New
studies are finding that common beliefs about the effects of
chocolate are not true after all. While we used to associate
chocolate with acne, researchers have now dismissed a possible
link between the two. While some people avoided chocolate
because of the caffeine level associated with it, we now know
that a small serving only contains as much caffeine as a cup of
decaffeinated coffee. Does chocolate really cause migraines?
Well, only if consumed in large amounts. Again, moderation
plays a big role here.
So before you reach for a Hershey bar or a Snicker’s, consider
that the chocolate you eat should contain 70% cocoa. This can
be found specifically in dark chocolates. You should invest in
a quality dark chocolate and eat it in small amounts every day
to see the health benefits. Make sure you enjoy each bite and
let it melt in your mouth. It will have the same effect as the
recommended single glass of wine per day.
What Kind of Chocolate Offers The Most Health Aspects?
True cocoa is the best chocolate to eat for health reasons. Not
only will it satisfy your sweet tooth, but it will also provide
health aspects beyond what many of us dreamed possible. The
recommendation is to eat two small squares of chocolate per
day. We’re not talking about a typical candy bar here. Dark
chocolate contains higher levels of cocoa and lower level of
milk and sugar.
Choosing Wisely
The best varieties of chocolate are more expensive and are dark
or bittersweet. Good chocolate should only have a few
ingredients on the contents label. In addition, you can buy
organic chocolate or make your own homemade chocolate with a
cocoa base.
Healthy Chocolate Snacks
There are some easy ways to get in your daily dose of
heart-healthy chocolate. Try a steamy cup of hot cocoa, fruit
dipped in dark chocolate, chocolate covered almonds or eat the
squares of chocolate by themselves.
Chocolate in Moderation
Hearing that chocolate has health aspects does not mean we can
load up our grocery carts with chocolate bars though. It is
important to adhere to the daily-recommended dose since it is
high in calories. Moderation is a key factor here. Balance your
caloric intake with a variety of other heart-healthy foods and
reach for the dark chocolate as a cure for your sweet tooth
sparingly.
About the Author: The latest work of Elli can be found at:
http://www.chocolatelisting.com/
Source: http://www.isnare.com
By Richard Davies
Chocolate is made from beans derived from the cacao tree. These
beans are very bitter, so the cocoa solidifies and the cocoa butter
has sugar added to it, along with some other ingredients in
order to make the chocolate that is available to the general
public.
Chocolate is particularly popular at certain times of the year,
such as Easter, Valentines Day and Christmas. As such, chocolate
shaped gifts are popular. Hearts for Valentines day and cute
bunnies at Easter are too high up on the gift selection list.
Here are 10 interesting facts about chocolate:
- Chocolate is lower in caffeine than tea, coffee and coca
cola. A one ounce bar of chocolate contains about 6mg of
caffeine, whereas a five ounce cup of regular coffee contains
over 40mg.
- Chocolate was regarded as an aphrodisiac by Aztec Indians.
- Chocolate contains antioxidants which may help prevent
cancer and heart disease.
- Chocolate is the favorite flavor in the United States Of
America.
- The shelf life of a bar of chocolate is approximately one
year.
- In 1842 Cadbury's in England created the worlds first
chocolate bar.
- The Swiss eat the most chocolate. The average person eats
19lbs a year.
- Chocolate contain theobromine, which is a mild relative of
caffeine and magnesium. This chemical is found in some
tranquilizers. Because coffee also contains caffeine, it both
picks you up and calms you down.
- It is widely believed that chocolate consumption releases a
chemical into your body very similar to what is produced when
you are in love.
- Chocolate manufacturers use 20% of the worlds peanuts and
40% of the worlds almonds.
Chocolate is mildly addictive, but a bar now and again is not
going to hurt. With all those great antioxidants it contains,
it may even help you live longer. After all, as the saying
goes, “A little of what you fancy does you good”.
About the Author: Article by Richard Davies of
http://www.chocolateorg.com covering a wide variety of
information on chocolate.
Source: http://www.isnare.com
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