Chocolate lovers need not fear their little hobby. A group of scientists from Italy and the UK recently discovered that eating chocolate in moderation is beneficial to your health. New Discoveries in Chocolate Research
In the nearly 500 years of its history, no food has conquered all corners of the world and all types of people as quickly and decisively as chocolate. "You can't say no to chocolate, just as you can't say no to love," a beautiful actress proudly declared to the world in a movie. In that film, chocolate was described as a magical candy that could change one's destiny. If you doubt this magic is purely fictional, a scientific paper from the renowned British journal "Nature" might be more persuasive.
In the August 2003 issue of "Nature," a research team of Italian and British scientists reported their findings: eating a moderate amount of dark chocolate (chocolate without added cream, also known as bitter chocolate) can increase antioxidants in the blood and prevent heart disease. The researchers recruited 12 healthy volunteers for the experiment, including 7 women and 5 men, with an average age of 32.2 years and an average weight of 65.8 kg. All were non-smokers with normal blood lipid levels and did not use any medications or vitamin products during the trial. The 12 volunteers were divided into 3 groups: one group ate 100 grams of dark chocolate alone, another group ate 200 grams of milk chocolate (white chocolate), and the third group ate 100 grams of dark chocolate with 200 ml of whole milk. One hour later, their total plasma antioxidant capacity was measured. The results showed that the group that ate 100 grams of dark chocolate had an increase of nearly 20% in total plasma antioxidant capacity, while the groups that also consumed milk or ate milk chocolate showed no significant change. The researchers believe that the flavonoids in chocolate, particularly a substance called epicatechin, are the main reason for its antioxidant properties. The Sweet Legend of Chocolate
The raw ingredients of chocolate originally came from Latin America, where wild cacao trees grew lushly in the tropical rain forests, bearing fruit full of cacao beans. After being fermented for several days, these beans are washed, dried, roasted, crushed to remove the shells and germ, leaving the endosperm. The endosperm is either used entirely or the cocoa butter is pressed out, and finally, it is ground into a fine powder to become cocoa powder. The cocoa powder is then heated and dissolved, with sugar, milk powder (full-fat or skimmed), emulsifiers, and other ingredients added. After processes such as stirring, mixing, grinding, and refining, liquid chocolate is obtained. Through further steps of tempering, molding, and cooling, chocolate is produced.
More than 3,000 years ago, the Indians of Latin America began making drinks from cacao beans. After Columbus discovered the American continent, he brought cacao beans back to Spain for the first time in 1502. Subsequently, European colonists, while invading and plundering Latin America, also developed a great interest in cocoa. In 1516, Fernando Cortés, commander of the Spanish colonial army, wrote in a report to the King of Spain: "In the vast regions of Mexico, a type of cacao bean is produced. Anyone who drinks a cup of this beverage will be full of energy for a day's march." He also presented the king with a box of refined cocoa powder. The king held a grand banquet specifically to taste the cocoa, but all the attendees agreed that this "bitter water" was difficult to swallow.
In 1519, another Spanish adventurer, Hernán Cortés, drank a bitter beverage called "Xocoatyl" in the palace of the Aztec ruler Montezuma in Mexico. This was a mixed beverage made by stirring cacao beans with herbs, spices, corn, and other ingredients to create foam. In the Nahuatl language, "Xoco" means foam and "Atyl" means water. The English name "Chocolate" is derived from this. Later, Cortés brought this beverage back to Spain, where the Spanish discovered that adding sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon made it taste delicious. This was the first cocoa beverage recipe in Europe, and the Spanish cherished this recipe, keeping it secret for nearly a century. It wasn't until 1606 that an Italian named Carletti brought the secret recipe for making chocolate drinks to Italy, which then spread to France and England. By the mid-17th century, chocolate drinks were quite popular in France and England, though they were very expensive, and only the wealthy could afford them.
In 1765, Dr. John Hannon of Dorchester, Massachusetts, established the first factory to produce chocolate powder from cacao beans. In 1819, at the age of 23, Swiss Daniel Peter produced the first chocolate bar. From then on, chocolate was no longer just a drink but also became a candy and pastry. In 1828, Dutchman Coenraad van Houten removed the cocoa butter from the cocoa liquor, creating the first instant cocoa powder. At the same time, using cocoa powder and cocoa butter to make chocolate resulted in much better quality than using the cacao beans directly. Van Houten's invention completely changed the face of the cocoa and chocolate industry. Today, van Houten's method is still in use. In 1847, the British Fry family company added sugar and cocoa butter to cocoa powder and molded it into chocolate bars, creating the chocolate candy we eat today. Another breakthrough occurred in 1876, when Swiss Daniel Peter added milk to chocolate, creating the first solid milk chocolate, which became the prototype of modern chocolate. The Erotic Culture of Chocolate
Since its inception, chocolate has always been the world's finest dessert, especially popular in Europe and America. Countless people of all ages and genders enjoy it. What makes so many foodies flock to it?
First is the unique inherent flavor of chocolate. After fermentation, drying, and roasting, the cacao beans produce a rich and unique aroma, which is the essence of chocolate's flavor. Cocoa contains theobromine and caffeine, which bring a pleasant bitterness; the tannins in cocoa have a light astringency; and cocoa also contains a small amount of organic acids, while cocoa butter provides a rich and smooth texture. The bitterness, astringency, and acidity of cocoa, combined with the smoothness of cocoa butter, are blended with ingredients like sugar, milk powder, milk fat, malt, lecithin, and vanillin. Through exquisite processing, chocolate not only retains the unique taste of cocoa but also becomes more harmonious, pleasant, and delicious. A well-made chocolate is delicate and smooth, leaving a lingering fragrance on the lips, teeth, and tongue, making you savor the aftertaste endlessly.
Chocolate not only has a wonderful taste but is also favored for the special culture it represents. Abroad, chocolate is known as "love chocolate" and, paired with roses, is the best gift for Valentine's Day. Giving a fine box of chocolate to friends and family on festive or happy occasions is like giving them a heartfelt warmth. This deep affection reflects a person's taste and sincerity.
Just as the Chinese have a tea culture, foreigners have their own chocolate culture. On the streets of various European cities, you can find a chocolate shop every few steps. The owner, dressed in traditional costume, uses old-fashioned grinders to make all kinds of chocolates and chocolate drinks. On the banks of the Rhine in Cologne, Germany, there is also the world's only chocolate museum—the Imhoff Chocolate Museum. There, you can get a detailed understanding of the history and production of chocolate, and the fresh chocolate produced by the museum's small-scale machines allows you to indulge your palate. The French also love chocolate, with many old shops in Paris and Lyon specializing in handmade chocolate. And Paris, this city of gastronomy, also leads the way in the development of chocolate, just as it does in the culinary field. Currently, Switzerland has the highest per capita chocolate consumption in the world, with each person eating 10 kilograms of chocolate per year. Even in Japan, the average person eats 1 kilogram of chocolate per year. Currently, China's chocolate production capacity exceeds 100,000 tons, but the actual output is less than 60,000 tons, with a per capita annual consumption of less than 50 grams, less than 1% of the average consumption level in Western countries. A Healthy Sweet Treat
Chocolate is a delicious food, but it can cause fear for many people. For a long time in the past, due to its high fat and high calorie content, chocolate was listed as a major culprit causing obesity, high blood pressure, and heart disease. In fact, this is a complete misunderstanding of chocolate.
The main components of chocolate are fat and sugar, and eating too much of it can certainly lead to weight gain. However, chocolate is not the main cause of obesity. Switzerland is the country with the highest chocolate consumption, with each person eating 10 kilograms of chocolate per year, yet its obesity rate is one of the lowest in the world.
With so much fat in chocolate, does it cause clogged arteries and lead to heart disease? 60% of the fat in chocolate is saturated fat, and while you do consume it when you eat chocolate, it's not very harmful. A study by Harvard University found that women who ate chocolate three to four times a week were less likely to develop heart disease than those who rarely ate it. Researchers at Pennsylvania State University conducted an experiment where 42 healthy men consumed 46 grams of milk chocolate daily for 20 days. The tests found that chocolate had no effect on total blood cholesterol or LDL levels but significantly increased HDL levels, which are beneficial to the cardiovascular system.
Is the sugar in chocolate harmful to the human body? In excess, it is indeed harmful, but the glycemic index of the sugar that raises blood pressure is very low in chocolate, about the same as that in oatmeal. What about the caffeine in chocolate? A whole bar of dark chocolate contains 10 to 30 milligrams of caffeine, while a cup of coffee contains 100 milligrams.
In people's daily diets, the body's demand for macronutrients—protein, fat, and carbohydrates—is large, as they provide energy and maintain the normal function of various body tissues. According to the Recommended Dietary Intakes (RDI) for Chinese residents, the recommended daily intake of macronutrients for a normal person is: 10-15% of total energy for protein, approximately 75-90 grams; 20-30% for fat; and 55-65% for carbohydrates, with a minimum intake of 50 grams per day. A 44-gram bar of dark chocolate contains 1.85 grams of protein, 13.2 grams of fat, and 27.76 grams of carbohydrates. Furthermore, among the 20 major elements that make up 4-5% of the body's weight, the daily requirements for calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, and sodium are all over 100 milligrams. A 44-gram bar of dark chocolate contains 14.08 mg of calcium, 58.08 mg of phosphorus, 50.6 mg of magnesium, 160.60 mg of potassium, and 4.84 mg of sodium. Therefore, chocolate can supplement the body's daily needs for various nutrients.
The cocoa powder used to make chocolate contains an antioxidant called "flavanols," which are believed to have health benefits such as preventing heart disease and cancer. Although this substance is also found in red wine, fruits, vegetables, and tea, new research from scientists shows that the antioxidant in dark chocolate is more potent. For example, the antioxidant content in dark chocolate is three times that in milk chocolate and four times that in a cup of black tea. The darker the chocolate, the more cocoa powder it contains, the higher the antioxidant content, and thus the more effective it is, although its taste is somewhat bitter.
Despite these magical effects, "water can float a boat, but it can also capsize it," and excessive consumption can have certain adverse health effects. Therefore, doctors do not recommend that people eat more chocolate for health reasons.