Chocolate for Daily Life

Chocolate

Chocolate is the name for food which is processed from cocoa beans. Chocolate is produced from cocoa (Theobroma cacao), which is expected to grow initially in the northern Amazon region to Central America. Maybe down to Chiapas, the southernmost part of Mexico. Chocolate is also a luxury item during the Meso-American Colombia, in their culture of the Maya, Toltec, and Aztec cocoa beans (cacao bean) is often used as currency. As an example of Aztec Indians using the system to calculate where a chicken turkey for a hundred cocoa beans and one avocado for three cocoa beans.

Taste of chocolate is still difficult to define. In the book "Emperors of Chocolate", Joel Glenn Brenner describes recent research about the taste. According to taste chocolate is created from a mixture of 1200 kinds of substances, without a sense that clearly dominant. Some of the substances that it feels very uncomfortable when standing alone. Therefore, until now, nothing artificial chocolate flavor.

Psychological effects that occur when enjoying the chocolate due to cocoa fat melt is located slightly below the normal human body temperature. As an illustration, if you eat a piece of chocolate, the fat of the chocolate will melt in the mouth. Melting of fat cocoa creates a feeling of a typical soft mouth, recent research by the BBC indicated that melting chocolate in the mouth increases brain activity and heartbeat that is stronger than the activity resulting from kissing mouth to mouth, and also will feel four times as long even after the activity It stops.

Chocolate contains alkaloids such as theobromine, fenetilamina, and anandamida, which have physiological effects to the body. The contents are much associated with the level of serotonin in the brain. According to scientists chocolate is eaten in normal amounts regularly can reduce blood pressure. Dark chocolate lately a lot to get a promotion because of health benefits when consumed in moderation, including anti oksidannya content that may reduce the formation of free radicals in the body.

Seven good reasons for eating chocolate (quoted from Allwomenstalk):

1. Reduce stress

Chocolate may help you handle stress. Scientists have shown that eating small amounts of dark chocolate for two weeks can reduce cortisol and catecholamines, hormones that increase feelings of distress.

2. Good for the heart

Studies in 2008 in Italy and in 2007 in Japan have shown that eating small amounts of dark chocolate every day can help reduce the inflammation that often causes heart disease. How much exactly "small number"? The researchers said that to get the benefits of chocolate for heart, someone just needs to eat 7 grams of dark chocolate every day, equivalent to a few small bites.

3. Stabilize blood pressure

According to a study in Germany, eat a little dark chocolate every day can help reduce systolic and diastolic blood pressure you, each one a few points. Just one or two small bites of dark chocolate, because if too much weight and your blood pressure rose.

4. Reduce bad cholesterol

We know, having high cholesterol can cause heart disease. Dark chocolate is ready to reduce bad cholesterol called low-density lipoprotein (LDL) to good cholesterol called high-density lipoprotein (HDL) may increase.

5. Increase blood flow to the brain

Our brains need a lot of oxygen to function properly, and dark chocolate contains chemicals that help increase blood flow, and thus, increasing oxygen to the brain. This is good for memory, alertness, and other brain functions.

6. There are options for people with diabetes

If you are diabetic, and want to get the benefits of chocolate, there are options for you. One way to enjoy the dark chocolate without worrying about blood sugar rises is to sugar-free chocolate. Sugar substitutes are used in dark chocolate your digestive system are absorbed very slowly, making it safe for diabetics. But remember, to get the benefits of dark chocolate, you should only eat very small portions.

7. Improve your mood

Dark chocolate full of mood-enhancing hormones, namely phenylethylamine and serotonin. The taste and sensation of chocolate that melted in the mouth also can improve mood.

The case which often occurs in chocolate products chocolate flavor that is fraud that often occurs because cocoa is a relatively expensive material compared to sugar or vegetable oil. Both these materials are often used to replace cocoa. Premium Chocolate, on the other hand, typically contains about 50-70% cocoa solids. Because they contain less sugar and maybe also a little vegetable oil, this thick chocolate contains fewer calories than chocolate products in general.

Cocoa fat is often replaced by cheaper oil, such as lecithin from soy or palm oil. In addition to about the price, with the second chocolate coating material is made easier. Comparison of cocoa solids (non-fat component in the milled seed) also tend to be low. In the chocolate bars, for example, about 20% of candy it is filled chocolates. Is worth when chocolate lovers often "protest" because of the chocolate to blame for problems actually caused by excessive sugar consumption.