Chocolate University Online Blog
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.
Certain varieties of apples contain high levels of polyphenols which are proven to prevent vascular deposits in humans, according to project leader Othmar Höglinger from the faculty for technology and environmental sciences at the University in Upper Austria. The main problem encountered, however, is the trouble in separating the healthy ingredients in the apple in order for them not to be harmed by oxygen so they are still able to seep through to the intestine when eaten in the chocolate, according to Höglinger.
The team, which is composed of biotechnologists with ages between 20 and 25 years old, is aiming to overcome this obstacle hopefully in two years’ time. The students of University of Applied Sciences are collaborating with chocolatiers, Martin Mayer Schokoladen in the development of this nutritious treat.
Sorry to pop your bubble, but you should still go easy on this particular chocolate as it still packs as many calories as a regular bar.
Categories: chocolate in the news
Tags: chocolate science, health benefits, healthy chocolate, nutrition, nutritional benefits, super fruits
It’s not like we ever need any encouragement to eat chocolate, but just in case, here’s one: a new study suggests that people who eat it regularly may not only be satisfying their sweet tooth craving, but also cutting down the risk of developing certain diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and stroke by 37%, 31% and 29%, respectively.
“We found a potential link between chocolate consumption and prevention of heart disease,” said Dr. Oscar H. Franco, lead researcher from the department of public health and primary care at the University of Cambridge in the UK. The studies involved more than 114,000 participants and consumption of both dark and milk chocolate and incorporated chocolate bars, chocolate drinks and chocolate snacks. “At this point, we are in the early stages of research,” he added.
Previous studies have already shown links between chocolate and the reduction of heart risk disease, as cocoa and cacao products appear to contain positive antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects on the heart, but in this recent analysis, scientists found that those who consume the most chocolate on a regular basis virtually reduce their risk by one-third. It is not precise how much health benefits chocolate has to offer, though. Nevertheless, regular chocolate seemed to be significant.
According to World Health Organization, heart disease and stroke are the leading causes of mortality worldwide. Metabolic syndrome, coupled with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, concern about one fifth of the adult population globally.
The said diseases, however, are basically avoidable by means of lifestyle modification including diet and exercise, and chocolate may provide additional help in preventing these illnesses when further knowledge about its health effects is dug down deeper.
Most commercially available chocolate products have sky-high levels of sugar and fat that only contribute to weight gain, hypertension, diabetes, and yes, heart diseases. So further studies need to be conducted in order to know ways of reducing these harmful elements in chocolates yet still maintain its beyond pleasant taste.
Don’t be too quick to succumb to gobbling a whole bar of chocolate, though. For the nth time, moderation is key.
Categories: chocolate in the news
Tags: chocolate studies, health benefits, health problems, healthy chocolate
Gone are the days when chocolate practically screams “unhealthy”. Today, consumption of chocolate in appropriate amounts can actually be beneficial for you, health-wise. And it goes without saying that you should have the right kind of chocolates in hand, not the ones loaded with sugar and other not-so-healthy stuff.
Contrary to popular belief, eating chocolates can possibly improve cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure and the risk of having diabetes. As strange as it may sound, it is true according to Harvard researchers. This study involved a review of 24 studies and 1,106 participants. And the said health benefits are due to the chocolate’s content called flavonoids which are of highest levels in the dark variants. Like I said, the right kind of chocolates, always keep that in mind.
Dark chocolates were considered as potent antioxidants by the researchers as well. These antioxidants affix themselves to free radicals, which are the main cause of cell destruction, and they are flushed away through digestion and other body processes. Chocolates are also found to contain what they call ORACS (Oxygen radical Absorbance Capacity Units), and its contents are even higher than those of red wine’s and even green tea’s. Consumption of food rich in antioxidants cuts down the risk of having heart attacks, stroke, asthma, and even degenerative cognitive diseases such as Alzheimer’s.
Chocolate labels, nowadays, display the percentage of cocoa solids they contain. So, when buying such, make it a point to check it, and choose those with at least 70% of cocoa and those that have minimally-processed cacao in them. Antioxidants are not the only nutritional benefit chocolate has to offer, but other nutrients as well such as iron, calcium, potassium, and vitamins A, B-1, C, D and E.
“What is the appropriate amount”, you may ask. Study indicates that a single 5-g square contains approximately 25 calories and 1.5 g. of fat. Thus, an entire row is about 125 calories and 7.5 g of fat. Instead of devouring one whole bar of chocolate in one sitting, why not try consuming a single row one square at a time? This way, you can rest assured that you are eating in “appropriate” amounts.
Categories: chocolate in the news
Tags: antioxidants, dark chocolate, flavonoids, health benefits, healthy chocolate, nutritional benefits
If that would be the case, who wouldn’t want to kick cancer’s butt? Here are some interesting tidbits of information to help you realize how good chocolate can be for your health!
Cacao seeds contain Flavonoids (specifically Flavanols) that are chemicals found in plant-based foods that give major health benefits. Over 4,000 flavonoids have been known and almost all of it are found in fruits, vegetables and beverages such as tea, coffee, beer, wine and fruit drinks. Good thing our beloved chocolate is part of the list!
When we eat foods that have flavonoids, it just means that we also take advantage of the antioxidants in it which are believed to help the body fight cell damage. In addition to that, studies say that flavonoids have other helpful influences on vascular health, such as lowering blood pressure and improving blood flow to the brain and heart, making blood platelets less viscous. Thus, keeping cholesterol from gathering in blood vessels. It also slows down the immune responses that lead to clogged arteries.
Eating a small bar of dark chocolate a day is beneficial for you, very beneficial for you. “Why dark chocolates,” you may ask. Not all chocolate is produced the same. Dark chocolates hold a lot more cocoa than milk and white chocolates which means dark chocolate contains more flavonoids than lighter chocolate. Since processing chocolate almost always destroys the flavonoids in chocolates, chocolate companies have learned to make dark chocolate keep its flavonoids up to 95%.
Nutrition experts advise eating flavonoid-rich foods rather than taking dietary supplements containing large amounts of flavonoids.
Aside from being decadent and delicious, chocolates are actually healthy! But that doesn’t mean you can devour a whole bar of chocolate in one sitting and wait for health benefits. Remember, too much of something is bad. Moderation is always key.
Categories: chocolate education, fun chocolate facts
Tags: chocolate science, chocolate studies, dark chocolate, flavanols, flavonoids, health benefits, healthy chocolate
Chocolates are one of the most popular sweets, definitely loved by a lot of people. Research has shown that chocolates tend to stimulate mental attentiveness, and it also helps in regulating good mood. As a chocolate lover you probably know this.
But have you thought about wine? It has a lot in common with chocolate.
 A glass of red wine is not only yummy, but studies show that red wine lowers the risk of heart attack for middle-aged people. This luscious drink (in moderation of course) can also increase good cholesterol (HDL) and decrease bad cholesterol (LDL).
By combining chocolate and red wine, taking these two tasty treats together, will provide you with a bunch of brain benefits too. A chemical found in both dark chocolates and red wine can boost the ability of the brain to solve complex problems.
Research has demonstrated that a chemical substance called polyphenols has a dilating effect on the blood vessels, thus, improving the blood supply going to the brain. This mechanism increases the oxygen and sugar delivery to the brain, and it permits us to solve complex problems with ease. Pretty cool.
Indulging on foods that are rich in polyphenols can increase intelligence even in the younger generation who appears to have their brain already functioning at its full capability. (No, I’m not advocating wine for those under legal age, but chocolate has no such restrictions.)
Keep in mind though that these health benefits are only limited to modest quantities. Red wine should only be consumed in moderate amounts and not on a daily basis. Dark chocolates are also the preferred type of chocolate if you want to take advantage of these brain enhancing benefits.
Remember, the next time you crave for a glass of red wine, don’t forget to enjoy a bar of luscious dark chocolate with it. You might even discover a flavor match you want to share. Now that’s genius!
Categories: chocolate education, chocolate in the news, fine foods & beverages
Tags: cholesterol, dark chocolate, health benefits, increase intelligence, polyphenols, Red wine, wine
Here’s a question that was posed to me recently…
What is the difference between store bought chocolate and the high flavonol chocolate found in all those scientific studies?
The simple answer to this question is found in the question itself. Store bought chocolate typically has lower quantities of flavonol substances. OK, that’s a weak answer. Here is some explanation…
Stores offer a wide selection of chocolates and candy bars to meet the demand for variety. Most chocolate companies cater to the sweet tooth side of us and not the health nut side. The chocolate is not designed to deliver high content flavonoids and other beneficial components found in chocolate.
Some specialized chocolate companies do focus on the nutritional benefits of chocolate, and their chocolate products will contain higher contents of flavonoids to increase the impact of antioxidants. Many of these functional chocolates contain high levels of procyanidins and epicatechins due to a unique (and proprietary) processing of cacao beans.
Not all chocolate is created equal, not among grocery store brands, specialty chocolates, or nutritional/functional chocolates. Dark chocolate contains more cocoa solids than milk chocolate so that gives it more potential benefits.
Research indicates that normal chocolate manufacturing could destroy up to half of the naturally occurring flavonoids. This process has been studied and refined so that today some manufacturers have learned to make dark chocolate with a 95% retention of its flavonoids.
As attention remains on the potential health benefits of chocolate more manufacturers will follow suit so the benefits reach more consumers.
Categories: chocolate Q&A
Tags: epicatechin, flavonoids, flavonols, functional chocolate, health benefits, healthy chocolate, nutritional benefits
How did a link between chocolate and pimples come to be? From what I can tell by reading some of the history behind chocolate health myths is that people assumed that acne was caused by eating too much fat and since chocolate has a high fat content, chocolate caused acne.
While I find this sort of logic laughable, plenty of 1950’s dermatology books put it in print as fact.
Over the years, many foods have been blamed for certain ailments and afflictions. Chocolate has been singled out to cause such things as tooth decay, acne, obesity, and depression. But chocolate by itself doesn’t cause these problems. No single food does.
Much research has been done on chocolate and its impact on one’s health. And unless you massively over do it, chocolate is harmless.
Chocolate does not cause pimples. Research has never been able to identify any components of chocolate that either trigger acne or make existing acne worse.
There are factors that play a role in the cause of acne outbreaks but chocolate is not one of them. Things like heredity, skin type, hormones, and toxins in the environment have a greater influence on acne issues than the foods we eat.
Sometimes people confuse acne with an allergic reaction to a food or food ingredient.
The ironic news is that stress has been identified as an aggravator of acne and chocolate may counteract that process. Chocolate stimulates the serotonin levels in the brain producing a calming affect which in turn relieves stress and restrains acne flare ups.
So it may be more scientific to state that chocolate is a potential cure for acne. I like the sound of that!
Perhaps the days of blaming chocolate for bad skin are coming to an end.
We can hope.
Categories: chocolate education, fun chocolate facts
Tags: chocolate science, health benefits
Eat chocolate if you’re pregnant, research says. As if a woman, pregnant or not, needs an excuse to eat chocolate!
A recent study has shown that the beneficial effects of chocolate can lower cardiovascular problems and prevent hypertension during pregnancy.
The antioxidants and flavanols in chocolate may protect cells from damage caused by oxidation and low-density lipoprotein (LDL). The exact mechanism of the cardioprotective properties in chocolate are unknown, but the positive effects are well documented.
Among pregnant women, the study suggests a correlation between eating chocolate and lowering the risk of preeclampsia and gestational hypertension (high blood pressure).
More studies are needed to solidify these findings, but so far things are heading in the right direction.
The news about the health benefits of chocolate keep getting better and better!
Categories: chocolate in the news
Tags: antioxidants, health benefits
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