fun chocolate facts
Is Chocolate a Mood Food?
November 11, 2010
You've heard things about chocolate: chocolate makes you feel good, in love, amorous, calm, not depressed. Fact or fiction?
There is no doubt chocolate brings about chemical reactions in the body, in fact, all food stimulates endorphins in the brain when eaten. But even with all that going on, scientists have yet to find sufficient evidence that proves chocolate and other “mood foods” can cause enough bodily changes to be noticeable.
Scientists know that neurotransmitters affect the brain. High levels of serotonin are associated with feelings of being calm, happy, and relaxed; and dopamine and norepinephrine cause feelings of pleasure and reward. The physiological connection between food and brain chemicals has been documented but the effects are usually not enough to make a real difference in our moods.
Read more
It’s All About the Crystals
November 2, 2010
As many of you chocolate lovers already know, the fat in chocolate is called cocoa butter. What you might not know is that cocoa butter has special characteristics that make chocolate a very unique food.
One of those characteristics is that cocoa butter can crystallize in six different forms.
I've written before about tempering chocolate. What tempering does for chocolate is ensure that the cocoa butter solidifies into the best form of crystal.
Read more
Fact or Fiction: Chocolate as Aphrodisiac
October 28, 2010
Is chocolate an aphrodisiac? Everything I’ve read about cacao says that chocolate as an aphrodisiac is a myth.
Well, not everything I read says that, just the scientific stuff...
Read more
Ben Tre and Chuao Origins
October 15, 2010
Here are a couple of new limited-edition chocolates for your tasting pleasure.
Ben Tre - 72% Cacao Single Origin Dark Chocolate
Scharffen Berger now offers a 72% Vietnamese single-origin chocolate bar. The bar, named after the growing region of Ben Tre, comes from seven-year old cacao in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. This is the first that I have heard about Vietnamese chocolate available in the U.S.
Read more
Does Chocolate Cause Migraines?
October 14, 2010
It has long been attributed, especially by women, that chocolate acts as one of the triggers for migraine headaches. So far, however, scientists have failed to show any correlation between migraines and chocolate.
One study found that 19% of 490 persons with migraines reported they thought chocolate caused their headaches, while other studies had participants report no relationship between chocolate and migraine headaches.
Read more
Facts About Cocoa Butter
September 30, 2010
One of the reasons we love chocolate so much is because of the way it melts in our mouth. The velvety, luxurious melting characteristics of chocolate come from the cocoa butter.
When cacao beans are ground and pressed, cocoa butter and cocoa powder are separated. While both cocoa butter and cocoa solids are essential to making chocolate, the cocoa butter is responsible for the smooth mouth-feel and chocolatey flavor release.
The two most unique qualities of cocoa butter are its melt point and its ability to contract.
Read more
Cacao DNA Revealed!
September 21, 2010
Here’s some chocolate trivia few people know since its only recently been discovered: The cacao plant has about 35,000 genes.
I looked it up and humans have about 30,000 genes. Umm, should I be concerned?
11 years ago, the Cacao Genome Database Project was founded to sequence the genome of Theobroma cacao. 3 years ahead of schedule, the genome sequence was released on September 15, 2010!
The goal of the genome project is to provide as much genetic information as possible and as fast as possible. A cacao tree takes up to 5 years to mature and start producing. It is more beneficial to the farmer to find out if the tree has any weaknesses, such as vulnerability to disease, at the seedling stage.
Read more
Does Chocolate Give You Acne?
September 9, 2010
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.
Read more
Peanut Butter and Chocolate
August 14, 2010
You can probably guess what PB&J means. Peanut Butter and Jelly. PB&J is a classic American combination mostly reminiscent of childhood. Now that you are grown up, I suggest you switch to a more sophisticated flavor combination – Peanut Butter and Chocolate. Can we call it PB&C?
The most accepted theory of who put peanut butter and chocolate together is the story of H.B. Reese. Mr. Reese started out as a dairy employee for Hershey Chocolate Company in the 1920’s. He soon ventured out to start his own company and began to manufacture a single product called peanut butter cups, known today as REESE'S Peanut Butter Cups.
Read more
Invite Chocolate To Your Wedding!
August 12, 2010
Chocolate and celebrations go back as early as the ancient Maya, maybe even earlier. The Maya served a frothy chocolate beverage made from crushed cacao beans. Perhaps it was used for the first toast by the best man!
Today, the tradition of serving chocolate at weddings continues. Receptions serve guests chocolate wedding cake, the bride and groom thank their guests with chocolate wedding favors and, the pièce de résistance, a chocolate fountain for dipping!
Read more