Just about anyone that isn't allergic to chocolate eats it. Not only does it come in thousands of different dishes, beverages, desserts, and candies, but it is also available almost anywhere you look. Candy stores, supermarkets, gas stations, convenience stores, schools, all carry it, and where they don't have a cash register they put in vending machines.
The general rule seems to be "Thou shall not live without chocolate." With the overabundance of this fine confection, don't you ever wonder why dark chocolate is so special? What has it got that creamy, sugary milk chocolate does not have? They are both delicious, and we all know that dairy products are good for you. And both contain cocoa butter, which is a saturated fat, which we are taught is a no-no.
The cacao tree produces the cocoa bean, which is full of naturally nutritious elements. All of these beans contain a good amount of antioxidants (called polyphenols)and flavanols. However, it appears that the darker the chocolate, the larger the concentration of these antioxidants; an amount that is equated to blueberries and green tea, as well as other berries, oranges, red grapes and soybeans. In fact, as much as 10% of each cocoa bean is antioxidants.
If that isn't enough to ease your chocolate eating guilt, consider that dark chocolate seems to help to keep your arteries plaque free and flowing, thus lowering the blood pressure, and lessening the chances of stroke and heart attack. It may also be effective in preventing blood clots.
We aren't the first to discover the amazing value of chocolate. As early as the 700s A.D., this magical bean was introduced by the Mayans to Mexico, where they were then cultivated by the Aztecs and the Toltecs. The Spanish then modified the bitter beverage of these peoples by adding sugar, vanilla, and other flavors to make it easier on the palate. They not only improved the beverage, but were also the first to form chocolate bars. These first bars were made from chocolate past, sugar, and plant gums...not nearly as good as we have them today.
It was the English who first added milk to chocolate. It helped to hold the sugar that was crumbling out of the very coarse bars. By adding cocoa butter, they then were able to improve the texture, giving it the creaminess that we love today. By the time of World War I the world was addicted to chocolate.
Obviously, chocolate needs to be eaten in moderation, as should all foods. But considering the fact that dark chocolate is lower in calories and contains flavanols and antioxidants, it is still a better snack or treat than most in that category. Add the stimulated endorphins and you know why dark chocolate is so special.
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