Tag Archive: cocoa
Mood-enhancing Dark Chocolate
May 24, 2013
A recently published study in Australia claimed that dark chocolate enhances one’s mood by means of boosting calmness and feelings of contentment. How is this possible? It’s all in the polyphenols that cocoa is known to be rich in.
Polyphenols are naturally found in plants and are a basic element of the human diet. Such compounds are proven to lessen oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is linked to a lot of diseases. Also, polyphenols are said to have outstanding psychological effects.
“Anecdotally, chocolate is often linked to mood enhancement,” Matthew Pase, a PhD candidate at the University of Swineburne in Melbourne and lead author of the study, claims. “This clinical trial is perhaps the first to scientifically demonstrate the positive effects of cocoa polyphenols on mood.”
Cheese Fudge
February 6, 2013
Some people crave chocolate treats every once in a while, while others won’t last a day without their chocolate fix. Chocolate today is getting more and more interesting by the minute. Chocolate lovers seem to be constantly on the hunt for a new twist to their favorite treat that would tickle their fancy.
A lot of chocolate pairings have been surfacing recently. Different types of chocolate have different ingredients combined with them, like nuts, mint, caramel, nougat, and fruits, among others. If you truly are the chocoholic that you claim you are, you know that there are still a lot of chocolate pairings out there you have yet to try.
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Medicating Cough With Chocolate?
January 11, 2013
It's cold and flu season. And, if you've been watching the news in the U.S. you've been hearing about how widespread the current flu is taking its toll.
Nobody likes getting sick. At least none that I know of who are still in their right state of mind, most especially me. I am not myself when I am sick. It feels like some dementor sucked out all the life out of me and left me helpless with a feverish feeling, leaking nose,
and noisy cough.
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Chocolate Losing To Cocaine?
September 11, 2012
Colombia is often viewed as a large supplier of narcotic drugs to the USA. It turns out that cocaine has surpassed chocolate as being the more "in demand" product from that country.
Part of the problem is that cocoa bean prices have really hit a downward spiral, dropping 40% in 2012 alone from Columbia which is the third-largest supplier in South America. While the prices for cocaine has been rather constant and stable, as stated by both the police and growers alike.
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Is Your Chocolate Ethical?
August 30, 2012
That's an interesting question, isn't it? Perhaps not something you've considered. In our chocolate classes, two important lessons include "Responsible Cacao Farming" and "Preventing Exploitation in the Chocolate Industry."
But answering that single question may be even more complex that what most of us may think. Chocolates are undeniably tied to many cultures, many holidays, and many more celebrations.
There are chocolate birthday cakes, chocolate eggs for Easter, chocolates for Valentine's Day, and even chocolate bars for Halloween. These are just a sampling of the occasions that utilize these sweet and luscious treats.
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Chocolate Milk Shake
June 27, 2012
Basic doesn't necessarily equal plain. Nothing beats the taste and texture of a good chocolate milkshake. When it's good, it's good. When it's not, it's still good! Do I even make sense? It's perfect with a greasy cheeseburger, but it goes well with even a gourmet meal.
A milkshake is described as a sweet, cold drink made out of milk, iced milk or ice cream, and sweeteners or flavorings such as fruit syrup or our favorite, chocolate sauce.
Preparing this tasty and simple chocolate milkshake offers a good chance to get your kids involved. They will surely enjoy doing the drizzling of the sauce, making some mess, and observing the colors as they change. Why of course, they will enjoy having it after all the preparation! And, here's a reduced calorie version so you can have without guilt too!
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Cocoa Chiffon Cake
June 20, 2012
Chiffon cakes have been around for decades already, capturing many hearts. If you want to bake some for yourself or for family and friends, look no further.
A chiffon cake is described as a very light cake made out of vegetable oil, baking powder, flour, sugar, eggs, and flavorings. It’s a mix of both foam and batter type cakes. In distinction with butter, the conventional fat used in cake making, it’s actually a little hard to beat air into oil. Thus, chiffon cakes, like angel cakes and other foam cakes, get its fluffy texture through beating egg whites until they become stiff, and then folding them into the cake batter before baking.
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Mars Chocolate Meets Cocoa Supply Needs
June 5, 2012
One of the most prominent chocolate manufacturers around the world is Mars Chocolate. It has recently announced that it is keeping up with its 2009 pledge to purchase 100% of their cocoa from certified sustainable sources by 2020.
The company recently revealed that it successfully purchased 10 percent of its cocoa reserves as a certified sustainable source in 2011 (as certified by the Rainforest Alliance and UTZ) .
In 2012 it expects to exceed their target of 20 percent, establishing themselves as the largest user of certified cocoa in the world. Solely based upon current purchasing trends and deals, the company has envisioned that they can purchase up to 90,000 tons of certified cocoa from sources all over the globe this year.
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Cocoa Shell Mulch
March 22, 2012
Did you know that the outer covering of the cacao bean, called the cocoa shell, can be used for mulch? Gardeners everywhere are raving about it.
Cocoa shell mulch is also known as the Sunshine of Africa. It's actually just a byproduct of chocolate industries coming from the cocoa beans. The shell contains 2.5% Nitrogen, 1% Phosphate, and 3% Potash with a pH of 5.8.
Cocoa shell mulch serves as all-purpose mulch for professional gardeners and amateur gardeners alike. It can be utilized by landscapers and horticulturists, as well. It is great as decorative mulch due to its nice-looking deep copper color. Its rich color pleasantly contrasts with the vibrant green color of plants. And, it smells great too!
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The Cacao Tree
January 5, 2012
Probably by now, you know that chocolate is made from the fruit of the cacao tree. Let me share some tidbits about all you chocoholics' own version of "tree of life".
Cacao trees are tiny evergreen trees that are only about 6 meters tall. These trees produce fruit and flowers all year round and they are cultivated in countries within 10 degrees North and 10 degrees South of the Equator where the climate is most favorable for the cultivation of cacao trees as they require warm and humid environment. Furthermore, cacao trees need fertile and well-irrigated soil along with regular rainfall to grow their best.
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