The product of cocoa beans became known to Europeans after the discovery of America, but over the centuries they were able to spoil its preparation so much that the use of chocolate became a controversial concept. The Indians made a drink of fried beans with pepper, in which there was absolutely no sugar, although this civilization knew perfectly well about it. Is it possible to find good chocolate these days that will benefit the body? Let's try to figure it out together.
Material Content:
The composition and calorie content of the product
The most important thing in chocolate production is selected cocoa beans. They are delivered to enterprises in bags, sorted, screened out garbage, then fried. A specific roasting temperature is selected for each bean variety.
The fried beans are crushed to make a semi-finished grated cocoa, from which the oil is then squeezed and the powder is separated. For the production of chocolate, butter is mixed with grated cocoa, sugar is added and placed in a melanger mill, which grinds the mass.
Dark or dark chocolate is made from grated cocoa, powdered sugar and cocoa butter. The dairy treat also has grated cocoa, but milk powder has been added. Aerated chocolate is made using a vacuum.
The composition of these species is different.
Bitter or dark chocolate (100 g) includes the following components:
- proteins - 6 g;
- carbohydrates - 48 g;
- fats - 35 g;
- vitamins (B1, B2, E, PP, niacin);
- macro and microelements (K, Ca, Mg, Na, Ph, Fe).
In addition, 100 g of dark chocolate contains 539 kcal and almost half the daily norm of dietary fiber.
Milk chocolate is less useful, it has a slightly different composition:
- proteins - 10 g;
- carbohydrates - 50 g;
- fats - 35 g;
- vitamins (A, B1, B2, E, PP, retinol, niacin);
- macro and microelements (K, Ca, Mg, Na, Ph, Fe).
100 g of milk chocolate contains 554 kcal, cholesterol and a small amount of dietary fiber (about 6% of the daily intake). White chocolate does not contain grated cocoa, and to attribute it to chocolate products is incorrect.
What chocolate is good for health
To choose a quality chocolate bar, you need to study the composition on the label, the shorter it is, the better. According to nutritionists, the benefits of dark chocolate are higher than other types. It contains the maximum amount of alkaloids, dietary fiber and least carbohydrates.
Quality chocolate should have an expiration date on the packaging that is easy to read. It depends on the variety. Bitter chocolate is stored the longest; tiles with filling get spoiled faster. The average shelf life is from 3 months to 1 year.
The melting point of chocolate roughly corresponds to body temperature, so it can melt in your hands. The place of sale of chocolate bars and sweets should not be hot. If the sanitary rules are not followed, the product may lose its characteristic pleasant smell or be damaged by moths. Therefore, an important condition for the acquisition of quality chocolate is the appropriate conditions for its sale and storage.
Benefits for the human body
Experts estimate that chocolate respects 2/3 of humanity. It is believed that this product instantly improves mood and even treats depression. When used, a state of mild euphoria occurs. The beneficial properties of white chocolate do not provide such an effect.
Chocolate has a high calorie content, so you should not get involved in it. Nutritionists recommend eating no more than 20 g per day, evenly distributing the portion between meals.
A bar of dark chocolate (100 g) contains 1/3 of the daily norm of magnesium and iron, 1/5 of the norm of phosphorus.
Magnesium takes part in protein synthesis, supports the health of the nervous system, heart and blood vessels, its deficiency in the diet contributes to the development of hypertension.
Iron is found in proteins and enzymes of the human body, participates in the saturation of tissues with oxygen. Signs of a lack of this element are anemia, fatigue, gastritis.
Phosphorus is important for energy metabolism, promotes the mineralization of bone tissue and teeth, and maintains an acid-base balance. With a lack of this element, anemia and rickets develop.
Craft chocolate, which is made from high-quality elite cocoa beans, is especially useful. It contains 2 times more antioxidants than in tiles from the store.
People's advice:buckwheat: benefit and harm
For men
Chocolate helps you think. It is proved that it increases the level of concentration of attention, will help in solving difficult problems requiring reaction speed. Theobromine alkaloid contained in chocolate does not allow caffeine to affect pressure, and the effect of stimulating the brain remains.
Chocolate won the love of men for super-calorie content, it quickly satisfies hunger and replenishes strength when tired. In addition, athletes know that this product stimulates the muscles thanks to the epicatechin present in it. It helps to recover tissues under heavy load.
Interesting fact. Climbers who climbed Everest in the spring of 2015 fell under a barrage of stones. A volcanic eruption began, and they took refuge in a cave. They survived until help came, thanks to a supply of chocolate, which was among the products.
For women
The benefits of chocolate for women are most noticeable in the emotional sphere.This product helps maintain a good mood, creates a feeling of joy, satisfaction with life and inspiration. It reveals the best female sides, emphasizes individuality and prolongs youth.
It is proved that daily consumption of 30 g of dark chocolate reduces the level of bad cholesterol in the blood, which leads to the formation of atherosclerotic plaques and blood clots.
For the baby’s body
Chocolate is useful for children as an excellent source of energy, so necessary for activity and growth. He will help in the education that accompanies the child daily in kindergarten and school. Self-esteem and the future of the baby depend on the effectiveness of the educational process.
Chocolate creates a feeling of joy in the child, parents often buy this delicacy to encourage success, on weekends and holidays. Therefore, a bar of chocolate is becoming a kind of tradition - a wish for good luck and prosperity in life.
Chocolate in reasonable doses improves the child’s health - increases hemoglobin, strengthens bones and teeth, reduces intracranial pressure, strengthens the immune system, improves the cardiovascular system.
Scope of sweets
Marketers and manufacturers with might and main enjoy the people's love for chocolate. It is put in a wide variety of products - yogurts, curds, dairy desserts, smoothies, cakes, butter. They even release slimming products with chocolate.
Dark chocolate improves mood, normalizes appetite. A person really begins to eat less after eating a small amount of this dessert. Chocolate wraps are very popular in beauty salons.
In cooking
To be called chocolate, a confectionery product must contain at least 35% cocoa products, including 18% cocoa butter and 14% dry, non-fat residue. In milk chocolate, respectively, milk is added.
For the manufacture of chocolate icing for cakes, cocoa powder or bitter dark chocolate is used. Baking is popular when cocoa is added to the dough or cream.
Culinary specialists have come up with many wonderful chocolate desserts:
- ice cream;
- cookies and cakes;
- Cakes
- marshmallows, marshmallows, chocolate coated marmalade;
- dried apricots, prunes, nuts in chocolate;
- pancakes;
- chocolate lard;
- sweets with various fillings, bars, dragees.
In cosmetology
In many beauty salons, customers are fooled by telling how chocolate acts on the body during body wraps. Promise rapid burning of fat, release of toxins and excess water, weight loss. Hopes for a quick transformation are not justified, then why this procedure does not lose popularity?
During the wrapping, the whole body is coated with a special chocolate paste, then wrapped with a film and covered with a blanket. After an hour and a half, the chocolate is washed off. The skin becomes velvet, moisturized, smells nice, that's all. And to lose weight, you will have to go to the gym and follow a diet.
When losing weight
Those who want to lose weight should not eat a lot of this high-calorie product. But women came up with a chocolate diet to get around the strict ban. They say that on such a diet Uma Thurman successfully dumped extra pounds.
In fact, such a "diet" when losing weight causes the body great harm. There is a huge load on the pancreas, the risk of developing type 2 diabetes is increased.
Chocolate during pregnancy and lactation
Health benefits and harms during pregnancy should be carefully weighed. Chocolate is useful for pregnant women in small doses, not more than 20 g per day. Contraindications can be diseases: diabetes, joint problems, gout and urolithiasis. You need to eat chocolate in the morning, before dinner, so that in the evening there are no problems with falling asleep.
During lactation, it is better to abstain from chocolate. It can cause allergic reactions in the baby, lead to overexcitation and colic.
Possible harm and contraindications
Many chocolate factories are currently operating on the brink of profitability due to lower demand and higher costs. Quality control is of great importance, because the prices for cocoa beans are growing every year. First, let's see why cheap chocolate is bad for everyone, without exception.
Manufacturers that produce products on low-quality cocoa raw materials have a great temptation to add vegetable fats, sweeteners, food additives, chemical dyes to sweets. In an inexpensive chocolate bar there is a lot of soy, contains hydro fats, palm oil.
Cheap chocolate has chitin, which can cause severe allergies. These are particles of tropical cockroaches. They come to the factory with cocoa beans, and when grinding raw materials, they get into chocolate. Chocolate is officially allowed to contain up to 4% of insect particles.
Two main dangers come from cheap chocolate - allergies of varying severity and gastrointestinal problems. High-quality bitter chocolate, useful for healthy people, can be harmful for diabetes, urolithiasis, gout, and some other diseases.
Chocolate is a unique product that can bring great benefits to the body only with a reasonable choice and moderate consumption.
