My Chocolate Fantasy

All of us have a favorite whether it’s white, dark or milk chocolate but is there a difference between these three types of chocolate?To start with white chocolate isn’t truly chocolate at all, in fact white chocolate is made from cocoa butter and sugar and zero cocoa liquor at all. Many individuals who like white chocolate over dark or milk cite it’s sweetness and creaminess as the reason why. Funnily enough the lack of cocoa liquor which causes this sweet sugary flavor is usually precisely why many chocolate connoisseurs believe that white chocolate shouldn’t be called chocolate in any way!Milk chocolate is the most often used chocolate in confectionary and cited by the majority of chocolate lovers being their favorite of the three types of chocolate.Dark chocolate manufactured from cocoa liquor, cocoa butter and sugar. The increased level of chocolate liquor in dark chocolate compared to milk chocolate is what causes the bitterness of the chocolate. As the amount of chocolate liquor used goes down the bitterness of the chocolate goes down also.What exactly is cocoa liquor? Cocoa liquor is the paste that is formed when cacao beans are ground so finely that they turn in to a thick hot paste. Beans are ground inside of a mill where they undergo a number of grinding stones which cause the beans to heat up and grind right down to the cocoa liquor. Cocoa liquor is very bitter much like the cacao beans themselves before they are merged with sugars and cocoa butter. A lot of people confuse cocoa liquor with cocoa liqueur; however cocoa liquor does not contain any alcoholic content and it is merely the product of ground cacao beans.What about cocoa butter? Cocoa butter is a fat that’s extracted within the cacao bean or from the cocoa liquor itself. Of all the components in the three varieties of chocolate one of the most important factor in determining what the end result is, is the utilization of cocoa liquor. When more cocoa liquor is utilized dark chocolate is produced, when less is employed milk chocolate results and when none will be used white chocolate is the name of the game!Other great chocolate sites to check out:how is chocolate made

Planning dark chocolate into your every day diet could help prevent heart diseases, according to a study realized by a team of Swiss researchers. The Swiss researchers say that the antioxidants from dark chocolate could prevent arterial plaque, making it less likely to travel and cause a stroke or heart attack. Additionally, procyanidins can trigger the production of nitric oxide, which helps keep arteries flexible and increases blood flow to the heart.

The research team came to this conclusion after testing on a group of 20 volunteers, which were smokers without health problems. The subjects were asked not to eat any types of aliments rich in antioxidants such as apples, onion and cabbage and after that were given 40 grams of different types of chocolate.

Two hours after consuming the chocolate, the echo-graph showed that dark chocolate, with at least 74% cocoa, significantly improved the blood flow. Additionally, ulterior tests showed that the risk of encountering blood accidents and blockages has been decreased to half of the initial risk. However, white chocolate did not achieve similar effects. The researches that performed the study say that dark chocolate contains a greater quantity of antioxidants to a gram than any other products known for their high content of antioxidants like red vine, green tea or blueberries.

Cocoa is rich in antioxidant flavonoids called flavonols, which include procyanidins, epicatechins, and catechins, explains Harold Schmitz, PhD. Studies have shown that people with high blood levels of flavonoids have lower risk of heart disease, lung cancer, prostate cancer, asthma, and type 2 diabetes. Studies show, that people who ate a diet rich in cocoa powder and dark chocolate had lower oxidation levels of bad LDL cholesterol, higher blood antioxidant levels, and higher levels of good HDL cholesterol.

Chocolate is indeed an aliment that has varied antioxidant elements in it. And eating just a few squares a day reduces your risk of hardening of arteries / or blockage. But we shouldn’t ignore that dark chocolate also contains fats and glucoses in huge quantities causing weight gain if excessively consumed.

The best thing to do is to adjust your chocolate portion to your actual weight and activity level, age and metabolism. If you are physically active throughout the day you probably can consume reasonable amounts of dark chocolate without ever fearing weight gain. Ask your doctor for advise if you have health problems or if you are not sure.

Recipe: Soothing Hot Chocolate
Fill a mug with 1 cup of 1% milk and microwave on medium until hot. Carefully remove, and then add two small squares of dark chocolate. Stir gently until the chocolate melts. Enjoy..

What’s a Good Cup of Coffee?chocolate covered macadamia nuts
Quality, as you might think, begins with the plants plants genetic makeup is one of the most important taste determining factors. From there, maintaining a healthy plant is crucial ; a stressed or sickly plant will not produce top quality coffee.
Consequently, providing the plant with the proper nutrition, water and protection from pests and
illnesses is essential for high quality production.
Elevation is sometimes say to persuade the coffees taste significantly. Yet, I will plants grown at different elevations do taste different, it isn’t because of the altitude, per se.
Temperature has effects on a beans development, which translates into an assortment of tastes.
Temperature is relative to nearness to the equator, and that being closer produces warmer temperatures. However , higher elevations are cooler than lower ones. This is one reason why the same temperatures can be discovered in very different places on earth. As an example, Hawaii is farther away from the equator than most other coffee manufacturing areas. Does our coffee regions are at lower elevations than most other states.
Wet processing taste different from dry processing. How long the coffee is aged for roasting will also play a part. These differences are neither good nor bad, they’re just preferences.
The roaster develops the flavor personality and has the ability to make the coffee surprising. Once roasted, the coffee has a limited lifespan, and its quality will begin to decline.
Exposure to oxygen is a major culprit staling process. While the exposure can be minimize, the copy will naturally be great on its own. The age at which a roasted coffee is now not desirable depends, naturally, on the drinker. Particular drinkers can begin to notice staling in about two weeks.
At the existing talent there are fifteen other ways of brewing coffee. Each technique has effects on the taste in its own way.
6 factors produce a spread of unique tasting experiences :
- The water temperature
- The water pressure during extraction
- The materials that boxes are made of : plastic, metal, glass, and so on.
- The contact time between the coffee and water
- the type of filter
The continuing invention of gadgets and gadgets that serve, brew, store and celebrate coffee in the home implies that folks experienced coffee in an intimate, personal level. Coffee isn’t just something we consume, but like wine, something that is affecting us emotionally and intellectually.
Instead, it is part of our social and individual identity.
The infusion of coffee into our psychological framework is best epitomizied by the modern barista. ‘Barista’ is the Italian word for a bartender in an Italian-style bar. However , in English, a barista is the person making and serving the coffee, usually in a coffee-house. Like athletes, they devote immeasurable hours to improving their abilities. Some join the Barista Guild of America and take part in respected barista competitions.
It will continue to imbue our lives in unpredictable ways. chocolate covered macadamia nuts
To see what selections for Kona coffee that are available, the place I visit most often is www.Hawaii-Gourmet-Shopping.com. I have never been disappointed from the different Kona coffee’s I’ve attempted from www.Hawaii-Gourmet-Shopping.com, but then, I haven’t ever drank a cup of Hawaiian coffee I did not just love.

Women are crazy about chocolates. Going by the facts, 99 per cent women love chocolates. In order to maintain a toned and healthy body, often they have to give up eating chocolates.

According to researchers, dark chocolate contains natural antioxidants and anti-inflammatory molecules that cool off inflammation, help in weight reduction and reduce symptoms of fatigue. Women can substitute milk chocolates for dark chocolates that can improve the serotonin levels in the brain. Dark chocolate contains flavanols that deactivate free radicals and prevent clogging of arteries.

Although dark chocolates contains high fat and calories, but if taken in limited amount then it would not only aid in weight loss but also reduce the risk of heart disease, lower blood pressure and increase blood flow in the arteries.

The other benefits of dark chocolates are as given below:

Considering the countless benefits of dark chocolate, you can not only control your weight but can also relish your chocolate.

Believe it or not, dark chocolate is a Superfood. For many of us, this is a dream come true. Interesting many people have reported that once they think of chocolate as a food that’s beneficial to their health, even though they still love and enjoy it, because it’s no longer “forbidden,” for some reason they’re less tempted to over-indulge. Let’s not forget that chocolate (dark or otherwise) even though it’s a Superfood, is still high in calories and if you eat too much of it you risk gaining weight. When you do indulge in chocolate and you’re looking for a health benefit, choose dark chocolate. Milk chocolate or white chocolate (the latter isn’t even real chocolate) won’t do. While both contain some of the beneficial polyphenols (though in lower amounts than dark chocolate), preliminary data suggest that the presence of milk in the chocolate somehow mitigates the effectiveness of the polyphenols. Dark chocolate seems to contribute to lowering blood pressure, increasing blood flow, and ultimately contributing to a healthy heart. Chocolate is about 30 percent fat, 5 percent protein, 61 percent carbohydrate, and 3 percent moisture and minerals. The magic in the mix as far as health benefits are concerned is the polyphenols, specifically the flavonols.Flavonols are plant compounds with potent antioxidant properties. Cocoa beans, along with red wine, tea, cranberries, and other fruits, contain large amounts of flavonols. Research is now suggesting that the flavonols in chocolate are responsible for the ability to maintain healthy blood pressure, promote blood flow, and promote heart health.A physician and researcher at Brigham Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Dr. Norman K. Hollenberg, observed that the Kuna Indians, the indigenous residents of the San Bias Islands of Panama, rarely develop high blood pressure even as they aged. Studies indicated that neither their salt intake nor obesity was a factor in this seeming immunity. Moreover, when the islanders moved to the mainland, their incidence of hypertension soared to typical levels seen in non-natives, so their protection from hypertension was probably not due to genetics. Hollenberg noticed one aspect of native culture that might play a role: The San Bias Island Kuna routinely drank about five cups of locally grown, minimally processed, high-flavonol cocoa each day. He gave his study subjects cocoa with either high or low amounts of flavonol. Those who drank the high-flavonol cocoa had more nitric oxide activity than those drinking the low-flavonol cocoa. The connection between the ability of the nitric oxide to relax the blood vessels and improve circulation and thus prevent hypertension seemed obvious. Hollenberg is continuing his investigation. He recently completed a pilot study that found that subjects who drank a cup of high-flavonol cocoa had a resulting increased flow of blood to the brain that averaged 33 percent.Research also suggests that atherosclerosis begins and progresses as a gradual inflammatory process. It normally involves years of chronic injury to the lining of the blood vessels. As the lining-or endothelial cells-is damaged, atherosclerotic plaques, or fatty deposits, are formed on the walls of the blood vessels. These plaques both impede the flow of blood and can rupture, leading to a blood clot which could precipitate a heart attack or stroke.Chocolate seems to ward off such problems. The polyphenols in chocolate relax the smooth muscle of the blood vessels. In addition, it seems that these polyphenols also inhibit the clotting of the blood. In a 2001 study, volunteer subjects were given a commercial chocolate bar (Dove Dark) containing 148 mg of flavonol. The end result was that the volunteers showed reduced levels of inflammation and beneficial delays in blood clotting at two and six hours after ingesting the chocolate.Ordinarily, foods that are high in fat would never make it to Superfood status. Chocolate is the rare exception for a variety of reasons. While chocolate is approximately 30 percent fat, the fat in it, known as cocoa butter, is approximately 35 percent oleic acid and 35 ,percent stearic acid. Oleic acid is a monounsaturated fat that has been shown to have a slight cholesterol-lowering effect. Stearic acid is a saturated fat, but it does not raise blood cholesterol levels. At least two studies have shown that chocolate consumption doesn’t raise blood cholesterol in humans. Indeed, in one three-week trial, forty-five healthy volunteers were given 75 grams of either white chocolate, dark chocolate, or dark chocolate enriched with polyphenols daily. As you might guess, since white chocolate has no chocolate liquor and isn’t real chocolate, it had no effect, but the dark chocolate increased HDL (“good” cholesterol) by 9 percent and the enriched chocolate increased HDL by 14 percent. As higher HDLs are known to decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease, the argument for including chocolate in your diet is strong.

We often face situation where we have to give gifts to people around us. Choosing the right gift is an important decision because the gift determines whether the purpose for which we are giving the gift will be served or not. One of the best ways of pleasing people and getting across a message at the same time is giving chocolate. Few people can honestly say that they do not like it.Although chocolate is loved so widely, few people make good use of it and opt to choose to items of stationary as gifts while trying to make an impression on others. Stationary items, pens, and other generic gifts fail to cut any ice these days because they have been used ad infinitum ad nauseam. This is usually because most people do not know that personalized gift like chocolate hearts, squares, and roses are actually available.To get customized chocolate squares you have to get in touch with the manufacturers. If you go to their websites you will be able place orders from the comfort of your home or office. All you have to do is choose the right design from the catalogs and then place your order. If you wish to have a logo or picture embossed on the square, you may send the design to the manufacturer and the chocolate square will be made with the logo. Usually it takes about ten days or so to get personalized pieces, so it may be a good idea to plan in advance.These chocolate squares can be used to attract traffic in trade fairs were everyone vies for the attention of customers, because of the novelty of giving a gift that can actually be eaten. If you can emboss a few memorable words on the gifts, then you may be sure that they will not forget your treat in the middle of a busy day.These are also great ways to let your employees know how much you appreciate their efforts. Often employees feel that their employers forget about their existence, if they are regularly given small personalized gifts, they feel loved. Giving small gifts to your students will also remind them that you love them in spite of being strict with them. If you think that chocolate is a bad gift because it leads to obesity, you must remember that research has revealed that dark chocolate enhances insulin sensitivity when consumed in moderation.So show the people around how much you love them by giving out chocolate squares.

If a complete stranger came up to you in the street and said they had a natural food that could add years to your life, strengthen your immune system, and help you to feel more positive and contented, what would you say?

You would probably be very sceptical! And I wouldn’t blame you. If you’re like me, you’ve probably heard it all before. You’ve heard all the over-hyped and over-inflated claims, so would probably walk on past congratulating yourself that you hadn’t fallen for yet another scam!

Well, I’m that stranger and I definitely don’t want you to walk on past! I’m here to tell you that that food really exists and is available to you right now. I’m also here to tell you that the health claims made about it are true, and are backed up by solid scientific research. Somewhat surprisingly, the product I am talking about is – Chocolate!

We tend to view chocolate as a tasty, but basically unhealthy, sweet. We eat it when we are feeling low, give it to our partners on Valentine’s Day, and have it as a reward for something well done. But there is always that sense of guilt after we have consumed it – always that feeling that it is not really good for us.

And this is probably true! Most candy bars and chocolate foods found in shops are high in refined white sugar, milk fats, and hydrogenated oils-ingredients that replace the naturally occurring nutrients found in pure chocolate.

Scientists are rediscovering what the ancient Mayans and Aztecs knew centuries ago – that chocolate can be very good for you. It may have been cultivated for over two thousand years, but it is only in the last five years or so that we are really beginning to understand the truth behind the health benefits of chocolate.

It seems that chocolate may be as near to being a complete food as we can get – it is perhaps not surprising that the Ancient Mayans referred to it as “The Food Of The Gods”.

It’s important to remember that what makes chocolate healthy is the chocolate itself! Most modern chocolate confectionary is so processed that its natural goodness is destroyed. In the same way that overcooked vegetables are nutritional waste grounds, so is processed chocolate. So, when we are talking chocolate, we mean dark chocolate that has been processed in a way that preserves its natural goodness.

Chocolate works in many ways to preserve and promote our health. One of its most powerful contributions is in the antioxidants it provides to our body.

The cells of our body are constantly under attack from free-radicals. These have always been around and our body is well equipped to deal with the damage they cause – but the many pollutants and toxins found in our modern world mean that we are facing them in numbers never experienced before.

Free radicals are chemical structures that like to steal electrons from the healthy cells in our body. When an iron post is left unpainted it oxidises – it rusts! That is effectively what free-radicals do to the cells of our body – they corrupt healthy cells and leave disease and degeneration in their wake.

The traditional answer to combating free-radicals is to make sure we eat foods high in antioxidants – if you ever wondered where the five portions of fruit and vegetables a day comes from, then this is it. What is now being understood is that chocolate has one of the highest levels of antioxidants of any naturally occurring food.

Simply eating healthy chocolate may be one of the most effective ways of adding antioxidants to our diet. It will massively boost our body’s ability to prevent free radical damage and the many illnesses that are associated with it. Science is still in its infancy in learning about the power of antioxidants, but it seems that the levels of antioxidants in our bodies are one of the best indicators of how long, and how healthily, we will live.

You might want to think about that last sentence! Take the time to read it again – very slowly.

We may be living longer but our old age is usually far from healthy. It has been estimated that over 80% of elderly people have one chronic illness and more than 50% have at least two. Many of these chronic illnesses may be preventable by adding foods high in antioxidants. The more we can eat foods which promote health and fight disease the better – and at the top of the list of such foods is healthy dark chocolate!

Unfortunately this “food” message doesn’t always go down well with the powerful drug companies! They are not into “Health Cure” but “Health Care”! They make their money from managing our “dis-ease” not curing it! So, do not be surprised if the claims made by supporters of healthy chocolate are rubbished in the news – when this happens it should cause you to be more confident in the product. Someone is clearly worried!

So, there you have it. Chocolate is the functional food par excellence. If you believe in being pro-active with your own health, then eating healthy chocolate is one of the simplest, tastiest, and most effective things you can do!

A medical study reported that dark chocolate improves the function of blood vessels, thus confirming the results of previous studies on the medicinal benefits of cocoa on the cardiovascular system.
The researchers from Yale Center for Prevention Research – for the passed six weeks – study the impact of non-sweetened dark chocolate with 39 people, men and women were divided into three groups.
The group took the first day of this 227 grams of unsweetened dark chocolate, while the second addressed the dark chocolate, pancakes and the third was given a substitute.
The doctors during the study period by a special measuring the basic ability of the artery in the arm to relax to allow blood to flow more, before and after consumption of the quota assigned to each group.
Found for the two groups, which Consume cocoa can arm artery’s ability to relax improved significantly by 4.2% in those who ate dark chocolate is sweetened, and by 5.1% in those on qualities of desalinated water.
As for the group, which has been given an alternative appeared that the ability of the artery to relax eased by 8.0%.
It is known that cocoa is rich in anti-oxidant (Flavonoiid) help dilate the arteries. This article also found in fruits, vegetables and red wine.
A study of physician Diane Baker, a professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore published last November, confirmed that eating a few small squares of dark chocolate every day have the effect of aspirin in reducing blood clotting and reduce the risk of clogged arteries, is responsible for many heart attacks

source from:http://freewoman2010.blogspot.com/2009/10/dark-chocolate-improves-function-of.html

When compared and contrasted alongside many of the other selections in chocolate that resides beyond the mere limits of milk chocolate, or those selections with other added ingredients, dark chocolate really has more gusto than the rest of its’ cousins in the chocolate world. Though somewhat bittersweet at first, dark chocolate can definitely be one of the better members of the interrelated chocolate family, and becoming a valuable enticement for a lot of taste buds to share in pleasure of enjoying.

Remember that dark chocolate with at least 70% pure chocolate is good for your health as long as you don’t abuse it of course.

With its seemingly endless strength of taste, dark chocolate has won over many a diehard critic, and although a very popular savor, dark chocolate is still a close second to such chocolate varieties as milk chocolate or even the very well-like versions of chocolate bar that includes varieties of other added ingredients like rice and peanuts to the mixture.

It is nearly as if there could be a lack of respect for the bittersweet enjoyment in the feeling and taste of dark chocolate, and there is little if any other kinds of chocolate which do such a marvelous job of keeping people coming back for more. However, there are times where the bitterness of the dark chocolate is a little awesome for the those who have almost no tolerance for the strong essences of dark chocolate, and there is much to enjoy for those that can’t see it any other way than to prefer dark chocolate overall and creating quite a stir.

Whatever type of chocolate you decide to adopt just make sure of the quality of the ingredients. You could always stick with the most popular and well know quality brands. If you are not sure which one they are you just have to ask around and you will surely find quite a few chocolate lovers that will be more than happy to give you some pertinent advice to guide you. So relax and grab a nice piece of chocolate while enjoying the moment.

What I like to do when I feel the urge is to put some soft music on, lay my feet on the coffee table, pick a good book and let the minutes slowly become hours while I indulge myself in a sinful chocolate frenzy. I often hear the phone ring in a far away land. Too bad there is nobody home during those few peaceful moments…

It’s that time of year when giving and indulging in the sweetness of sweets (especially with your sweetie) is seen as perfectly acceptable.
But, new research shows that there are more reasons than ever to NOT avoid or deny your chocolate cravings all year long.
According to some studies done in Italy, dark chocolate has many of the same benefits as vitamin C helping the body use insulin more effectively and lower blood pressure.
The research examined two out of three chocolate varieties, dark chocolate and white chocolate. Dark chocolate is made up of cocoa solids and sugar but no milk solids (prevalent in milk chocolate) and white chocolate, although referred to as chocolate had no cocoa solids, but instead is made of cocoa butter (the fat in chocolate), mil solids and sugar.
According to the study, participants who enjoyed 100 grams of dark chocolate daily for 15 days had reduced blood pressure and become more sensitive to insulin than they were prior to the “experiment”.
Researchers believe that the benefits of dark chocolate are because of the flavonoids it contains, which are associated with the ability to lower the risk of heart disease and some cancers. However, white chocolate exhibited no effect on patients since it is free of cocoa solids, where the flavonoids are found.
So what does this mean for you and me? Is it time to replace the celery and carrot platters with chocolate samplers and related goodies? Is it time to switch from “an apple a day” to “a chocolate bar a day”? The answer to this is probably a big “no”. Nonetheless, knowing this little tidbit and what other discoveries it may lead to in the future sure won’t inhibit a healthy person from treating themselves to the oh-so-desirable rich goodness of a nice piece of dark chocolate on occasion.