Monthly Archives: January 2012
Austrian Students Develop Healthy Chocolate
January 31, 2012
Good news to every chocophile out there. Pretty soon, your favorite guilty pleasure will be way more pleasurable! Students of the University of Applied Sciences in Wels, Austria are currently working to develop a certain type of chocolate that does not only taste good but also packs a lot of nutritional benefits.
I know where you're getting at, and you may be right. Yes, it’s no surprise that chocolate has a lot of health advantages to offer, specifically because of the high antioxidant properties it contains. But this one is of different level, a higher one.
The students were able to come up with the special chocolate through a project in their course of organic and environmental technology. They were looking to bring the healthy apple back into the diet of Upper Austrians. The bitter-tasting and filled chocolate is made out of old, native apple varieties that are purified using apple brandy in oak barrels.
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Eat Chocolate, Prevent Bowel Cancer?
January 27, 2012
Recent research has shown that a daily cocoa fix cuts down your risk of having bowel cancer. This is one of the newest findings with regard to the nutritional benefits of cocoa beans.
Previous studies have shown that, indeed, chocolate packs a lot of health benefits. Of particular interest is all the potent antioxidants it contains which are known to combat those detrimental molecules called free radicals. Consumption of cocoa has also been associated with diabetes control, as well as keeping blood pressure and heart disease under control.
Dr. Maria Arribas of the Science and Technology Institute of Food and Nutrition in Spain led the most recent research along with her team. They conducted an experiment aiming to find out if the food could prevent rats from developing bowel cancer as they are exposed to tumor-inducing chemicals. Arribas said: "Foods like cocoa, which is rich in polyphenols, seem to play an important role in protecting against disease."
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Chocolate Tasting
January 26, 2012
Chocolate never fails to give an enjoyable experience, especially if you are enjoying quality chocolate. It provides rich and intricate flavors that vary from one chocolate to another.
Truth be told, the flavor components found in chocolate are more than those of red wine. You get the full experience in eating chocolate if you savor it by eating slowly. Every type of chocolate offers a different set of flavor profiles.
We know all too well that chocolate is derived from cacao beans, like wine comes from grapes. The flavors of the cacao beans are hugely affected by certain factors, namely geographical location, climate, conditions of the soil they're planted into, the processes they undergo after being harvested, and their unique genotypes. And since there are a lot of factors that influence the flavor of a single chocolate bar, it's crucial to taste meticulously to get the fullest flavor it can give.
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Strawberry Truffles
January 25, 2012
Truffles are the bomb. They never fail to give us the little pleasure we root for when it comes to chocolates. Below is a recipe for a strawberry truffle which is quite a variation to the conventional chocolate truffle.
Even at first sight, the heart-shaped silhouette of strawberry would give you a hint that it is good for you. They pack a lot of nutritional benefits like vitamin C, fiber, manganese, potassium, and also contain a great deal of antioxidant properties called polyphenols. Strawberries are free of sodium, fat, cholesterol, and are considered a low-calorie food.
Did you know that strawberry is a member of the rose family? Truth be told, it is not actually a real fruit or berry, but the enlarged receptacle of the flower. Interesting, eh?
Try this recipe if you plan on throwing a party, inviting people to come over to your house, or just because!
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Chocolate Love A’fair
January 24, 2012
With Valentine's Day nearing, it seems as though love is already in the air, but not necessarily the romantic kind of love. If you have been paying attention, numerous fundraising projects are taking place this February and many of them involve chocolates! Case in point: The 13th Annual Chocolate Love A'fair in Dover, Ohio.
Lucky are the chocoholics who will come and get the chance to spoil themselves with all the chocolaty pleasures. A generous assortment of chocolate treats such as candy, truffles, tortes, and cakes, are being presented by more than 20 area restaurateurs, chefs, bakers, and chocolate makers.
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Chocoholic Frolic
January 20, 2012
The Union County Literacy Council is throwing its first fundraiser called Chocoholic Frolic which will be held at Dale Jarrett Ford on Hwy 74 in Indian Trail, NC from 6 to 8 pm on February 9, just a few days before Valentine's Day.
Chocoholic Frolic is a chocolate sampling event that will feature delectable bite-size tastings of foodstuff from participating restaurateurs, caterers, private chefs, bakers, and wine merchants coming from Union and nearby counties. Such food items include luscious desserts, sumptuous dishes made better with chocolate and chocolate beverages.
An estimated 20 to 30 vendors and about 400 guests are arriving who will get to listen to live instrumental music by My Gentle Harp and support the Council's mission to teach adults to read, write, and understand English constructively. The beneficial programs involve one-on-one tutoring, group instructions, books, and working around computers. "Our goal is for adults to read with confidence the most basic daily information, such as a street sign, their child’s report card, a medicine bottle, and a job application," said Kelly Norton, Executive Director.
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Couverture Chocolate
January 19, 2012
It's hard to resist chocolates, no argument there. What if they're made with more cocoa butter than the regular ones? How mouth-watering could that get?
Couverture chocolate is a special form of high-class chocolate used by chocolate companies and chocolatiers. It has a way richer and creamier consistency as compared to regular chocolate due to the fact that it contains a higher amount of cocoa butter. And with the right tempering, you get a more polished and glossier chocolate with a crisper "snap" when broken. It’s perfect for coating, molding, garnishing and dipping.
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Chocolate Chip Lollipops
January 18, 2012
Everyone knows about lollipops. These kiddie treats are especially popular with the, er, kids. This lip-smacking type of confectionery, also called lolly, pop, sucker, or sticky-pop comes in different shapes, sizes, and flavors. They are known for being mounted on top of a stick.
The origins of lollipop are somewhat a blur. Many people claim that it has been around since the 18th century. The Roman word "lolly" apparently means tongue and "pop" means slap.
These sweet delights have always had a special place in our hearts since most of us grew up loving them. These days, various companies are producing delectable and entertaining lollipops but most of these treats come in fruit flavors. Just for fun, let's make some delicious alteration and come up with chocolate-chip lollipops!
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Chocolate and Diabetes
January 17, 2012
If you have gone through the previous blog posts, you’ve probably read about the astonishing nutritional benefits that chocolate has to offer. Recent studies found out that chocolate, because of the flavonoids it contains, are helpful to diabetic women.
But a lot of chocoholics are still not aware about the goodness of these flavonoids. As a matter of fact, according to the experts from the University of East Anglia, females who are suffering from type 2 diabetes can actually avoid certain heart diseases when they adhere to a flavonoid-rich diet.
These useful substances called flavonoids are usually found in berries, tea, and yes, chocolate. In a recent experiment conducted, 93 post-menopausal women who were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes took part. Half of the group was asked to consume 2 bars of chocolate loaded with flavonoids everyday, while the other half was given chocolate that only contained placebo.
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Chocolate Campaign to Benefit Fukushima Kids
January 13, 2012
In 2006, a nongovernmental organization in Japan started an annual chocolate-selling campaign to benefit and provide support to pediatric cancer patients and hospitals in Iraqi cities, including Baghdad, Basra and Erbil. This year, some of the proceeds will go to the children in Fukushima Prefecture, where the tsunami-crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant is situated.
Minoru Kamata, chief of the Japan Iraq Medical Network, said: "We received many messages of support from Iraqi people (after the March 11 earthquake and tsunami) that made us determine to allocate part of the proceeds for Fukushima." Kamata, a doctor and an author, has also shown his support for Belarus after the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster by participating in medical programs. He also said that certain group members have played their parts in the removal of radiation in Fukushima Prefecture.
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