Misconceptions about chocolate

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When in 1877 the Swiss Peter Vevey mixed Dutch cocoa powder with milk, he had no idea that millions of sweet lovers would be grateful to him for this discovery.

It is well known that many delicious foods are mostly not very useful for human health. This fully applies to chocolate. However, there are many misconceptions associated with the harmfulness of chocolate to health, which we will now talk about.

For some reason, it is believed that chocolate is very high in sugar, caffeine, fat, cholesterol and calories. In addition, chocolate is also blamed for the fact that teeth deteriorate from it, acne appears and weight is added. However, these accusations are largely undeserved.

To begin with, a chocolate bar does not contain as much caffeine as is commonly believed, namely 30 milligrams. At the same time, a cup of coffee contains at least 180 mg of caffeine.

As for the high calorie content of chocolate, this is also a myth – the energy value of one bar can be only 300-450 kilocalories.

Does not cause chocolate or acne. The connection between it and inflammation of the sebaceous glands was established only in one scientific study, when chocolate was smeared directly on the face of teenagers with skin problems. In another study, American doctors fed dozens of American teenagers enough chocolate for several weeks to make them sick. Moreover, half of the schoolchildren were given real chocolate, while others were given fake chocolate, which did not differ in taste or color from real chocolate. Chocolate didn't cause any acne. Of course, there are individual human reactions to various additives in chocolate, but these are rather special cases, not a rule.

If we talk about the destruction of tooth enamel, then chocolate destroys it no more than, for example, raisins, and in order to avoid this destructive effect, it is necessary to brush your teeth after any sweets. But what is especially interesting is that an antiseptic substance has been found in chocolate that inhibits tartar-forming bacteria. Moreover, scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology added cocoa powder to animal food. He not only did not cause caries, but even slowed down the development of this disease.

Misconceptions about chocolate

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The accusations of chocolate that it contains a lot of cholesterol are generally groundless, since cocoa is a product of plant origin, and cholesterol is animal, and therefore the latter is possible only in milk chocolate, but there is not so much of it.

There is an opinion that chocolate can cause constipation. In fact, the opposite is true. Chocolate can have a laxative effect due to the fact that it contains tannin, a substance that regulates the intestines and helps to remove toxins from the body.

Casanova claimed that chocolate aroused erotic feelings, and the Aztec ruler Montezuma drank several bowls of chocolate drink before heading to his harem.

Chocolate becomes sweet only when sugar is added to the cocoa powder in the confectionery factory. Cocoa powder and butter are obtained from the seeds (beans) of a chocolate evergreen tree 5–10 m tall, cultivated in tropical countries (Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Ecuador, Cameroon, Brazil).

It is believed that in chocolate, apart from cocoa, fats and sugar, there is nothing else, and even more so, there is nothing useful. This is not true. There are more vitamins of groups A and B, iron, calcium and potassium in some varieties of chocolate than in an apple, a glass of yogurt or a slice of cheese.

Chocolate is rich in magnesium, which improves mood. American scientists have discovered that it contains chemical components that resemble marijuana in their action. Just to achieve this effect, you need to eat... 55 tiles. Chocolate contains caffeine, theobromine and tryptophan, as well as an amino acid that promotes the production of serotonin, or the "hormone of happiness."

Misconceptions about chocolate

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Here are some more scientific data in favor of eating chocolate

American doctors, who studied the effect of various products on the human body, came to the conclusion that regular consumption of chocolate prolongs life. It turns out that cocoa beans – the original product for making chocolate – contain phenol, which helps reduce the risk of myocardial infarction. As a result of a large-scale study, it was found that regular consumption of chocolate improves the composition of human blood and affects the function of platelets (these blood cells play a leading role in the formation of blood clots).

Researchers have found that chocolate contains a large amount of flavonoids – natural compounds that can affect the clumping of platelets. It turns out that they "work" like aspirin, thinning the blood, but much softer.

However, Professor Keen is cautious: “I cannot say that patients who are recommended blood thinners can replace them with chocolate. But for those who are healthy and would not like to get sick in the future, chocolate can be a good helper.”

Another scientist Cesar Fraga from the University of Buenos Aires reported the results of his experiment at the same conference. Its participants simply ate chocolate every day. It was noted that they had an increase in the number of antioxidant cells in their blood, which slow down the development of cardiovascular diseases. The scientist believes that this is the merit of other natural compounds contained in cocoa beans, the so-called procyanides.

Misconceptions about chocolate

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It is confusing, however, that the studies of both American and Argentinean scientists were commissioned by a world-famous chocolate company.

But independent researchers also speak out in favor of chocolate.

For example, research by employees of the Institute of Nutrition of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences showed that some essential oils that make up chocolate protect blood vessels from cholesterol. They prevent the deposition of fats and lime on the walls of blood vessels and arteries.

Of course, all of the above does not mean that chocolate can be eaten in unlimited quantities. There should be a measure in everything, including the use of chocolate.

 

What is the best chocolate to eat?

A professor at the overweight department at the Hüddinge Hospital in Stockholm recommends eating primarily dark chocolate without any fillings: the darker, the more phenols that the body needs to bind harmful free radicals. In addition, it does not contain as many fats as light ones, and the same phenols do not allow them to go rancid, which makes dark tiles an excellent source of energy.

Misconceptions about chocolate

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Many people believe that white chocolate is less allergenic than dark chocolate. However, in fact, white chocolate differs from black only in that the first contains only cocoa butter, without crushed fruits, the addition of which just determines the so-called chocolate (dark brown) color. And since an allergy to chocolate is due precisely to cocoa intolerance, then products containing cocoa butter will have to be excluded. Therefore, regardless of the color of chocolate, pay attention to its composition: whether they contain cocoa or not.