Health Benefits of Chocolates
It is one of the favourite time of the year for many of us and nobody needs no introduction to this decadent food item.
Whenever we hear the word ‘chocolate’, we always associate it with ‘eating’ and not ‘drinking’. But for about 90 percent of chocolate's long history, it was strictly a beverage, and sugar didn't have anything to do with it.
The terminology can be a little confusing, but most experts these days use the term "cacao" to refer to the plant or its beans before processing, while the term "chocolate" refers to anything made from the beans, she explained. "Cocoa" generally refers to chocolate in a powdered form, although it can also be a British form of "cacao."
Etymologists trace the origin of the word "chocolate" to the Aztec word "xocoatl," which referred to a bitter drink brewed from cacao beans. The Latin name for the cacao tree, Theobroma cacao, means "food of the gods."
Many modern historians have estimated that chocolate has been around for about 2000 years, but recent research suggests that it may be even older!
Origin
It's hard to pin down exactly when chocolate was born, but it's clear that it was cherished from the start. For several centuries in pre-modern Latin America, cacao beans were considered valuable enough to use as currency. One bean could be traded for tamale, while 100 beans could purchase a good turkey hen, according to a 16th-century Aztec document.
During the 17th century, chocolate was a fashionable drink throughout Europe, believed to have nutritious, medicinal and even aphrodisiac properties (it's rumoured that Casanova was especially fond of the stuff). But it remained largely a privilege of the rich until the invention of the steam engine made mass production possible in the late 1700s.
In 1828, a Dutch chemist found a way to make powdered chocolate by removing about half the natural fat (cacao butter) from chocolate liquor, pulverizing what remained and treating the mixture with alkaline salts to cut the bitter taste. His product became known as "Dutch cocoa," and it soon led to the creation of solid chocolate.
The creation of the first modern chocolate bar is credited to Joseph Fry, who in 1847 discovered that he could make a mouldable chocolate paste by adding melted cacao butter back into Dutch cocoa.
By 1868, a little company called Cadbury was marketing boxes of chocolate candies in England. Milk chocolate hit the market a few years later, pioneered by another name- Nestle.
Today, the long rows of chocolate squares sitting neatly on your store shelves are the end result of many steps that begin as a cacao pod, larger than the size of your hand.
Seeds (or beans) are extracted from the pod and fermented, dried, and roasted into what we recognize as cocoa beans. The shells of the bean are then separated from the meat, or cocoa nibs. The nibs are ground into liquid called chocolate liquor, and separated from the fatty portion, or cocoa butter. The liquor is further refined to produce the cocoa solids and chocolate that we eat. After removing the nibs, the cocoa bean is ground into cocoa powder that is used in baking or beverages.
Dark chocolate contains 50-90% cocoa solids, cocoa butter, and sugar, whereas milk chocolate contains anywhere from 10-50% cocoa solids, cocoa butter, milk in some form, and sugar. Though dark chocolate should not contain milk, there may be traces of milk from cross-contamination during processing, as the same machinery is often used to produce milk and dark chocolate. Lower quality chocolates may also add butter fat, vegetable oils, or artificial colours or flavours.
White chocolate does not contain any cocoa solids and is made simply of cocoa butter, sugar, and milk.
Chocolates unfortunately have got a lot of bad impression because of its high fat and sugar content. Its consumption has been associated with acne, obesity, high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, and diabetes. It has been cut off from diets and been associated with ‘cheat meals’. However, it shouldn’t always have to be a punishment to eat it.
If you feel guilty about indulging in chocolate every now and then, here are some excuses- why you should eat chocolates, especially Dark Chocolate:
- Cocoa is rich in plant chemicals called flavanols that may help to protect the heart. Dark chocolate contains up to 2-3 times more flavanol-rich cocoa solids than milk chocolate. Flavanols have been shown to support the production of nitric oxide (NO) in the endolethium (the inner cell lining of blood vessels) that helps to relax the blood vessels and improve blood flow, thereby lowering blood pressure. Flavanols in chocolate can increase insulin sensitivity in short term studies; in the long run this could reduce risk of diabetes. Observational studies support the benefits of cocoa flavanols.
The link between blood pressure and high cocoa intake was described in a study of the Kuna Indians, an isolated tribe who live on the Caribbean Coast of Panama.
Hypertension was extremely uncommon in this group, even among older ages, and even with a dietary salt intake that is greater than most Western populations. When the Kuna migrated to urban environments and changed their diets, their rates of high blood pressure increased. Notably, their traditional intake of cocoa as a beverage was very high, at more than five cups daily of either home-grown or Colombian cocoa powder rich in flavanols. The urinary levels of flavanols in the island-dwelling Kuna were significantly higher and their rates of death from heart disease, cancer, and diabetes significantly lower than their counterparts living in urban centres.
- Other observational studies suggest a link between high cocoa or chocolate intake of 6 grams daily (1-2 small squares) and a reduced risk of heart disease and mortality, possibly in part by reducing blood pressure and inflammation.
Dark chocolate is high in calories (150-170 calories per ounce) and can contribute to weight gain if eaten in excess. It also contains a moderate amount of saturated fat, which can negatively affect blood lipid levels, though it’s heart-protective effects from flavanols appear to outweigh the risk.
Additionally, they are rich in:
- Iron
- Copper
- Magnesium
- Zinc
- Phosphorus
- Flavanols
Dark chocolate contains several compounds that possess antioxidant properties. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals and prevent oxidative stress. Oxidative stress refers to the damage that excessive amounts of free radicals can inflict on cells and tissues in the body.
Oxidative stress contributes to the natural aging process. Over time, the effects of oxidative stress may also contribute to the development of a variety of diseases, such as: heart disease, diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, eye disease.
- Inflammation is part of the body’s natural immune response to germs and other harmful substances. However, chronic inflammation can damage cells and tissues and may increase the risk of some health conditions, including type 2 diabetes, arthritis, and certain types of cancer.
Dark chocolate contains compounds with anti-inflammatory properties that may help reduce inflammation in the body.
- Insulin resistance can cause abnormally high levels of blood glucose, which can lead to prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.
A 6-month study from 2018 examined the relationship between regular dark chocolate consumption and blood glucose levels among Hispanic individuals. The research findings suggest that eating 48 g of 70-percent dark chocolate each day may help lower fasting glucose levels and reduce insulin resistance.
If you do seek out chocolate as a source of cocoa flavanols, look for pure dark chocolate or dark chocolate with nuts, orange peel or other flavourings. Choosing dark chocolate and eating modest quantities may offer the greatest health benefits.
So, you do not have to restrict yourself from a little chocolate craving, just choose wisely!
