Chocolate Is Healthy

As you may know, cacao finds its way into many dishes, both savory and sweet.  But were you aware that chocolate is also a key ingredient in many new cocktails?

Gone are the days of the “alcoholic Fudgesicle.”  Today’s chocolate spirits add bitterness and depth, and not too much of the sweet.  Some are entirely unsweetened, made from cacao nibs, vanilla and rum.

Mixologists are careful with incorporating cacao nibs into mixed drinks.  Sippers may not recognize the true, bitter and heavy taste of chocolate, unaccustomed to the unsweetened version.  Nevertheless, many bars are introducing sophisticated cacao-infused cocktails to adventurous customers.

“Even as they harness chocolate’s bitter and savory notes, these bartenders are proceeding cautiously with customers who might still be thinking milk instead of tequila.

“Sometimes people see chocolate and think ‘alcoholic milkshake,’ ” Patterson says. “If you can steer away from putting ‘chocolate’ in the name of the drink, you have a better chance of explaining things.”

Chocolate-infused spirits with kick, not sugar.

We enjoyed this article by Ecoholic author Adria Vasil on 5 daily food choices that can drastically affect your own health, and that of the earth. Not to mention making eating darn enjoyable in the process!

Of course, we focus on the chocolate excerpt below.  However, the article suggests things like eating 20% fewer animal products each week, eating produce grown close to your home, and cutting back on packaging with resusable bags.

“3. Get It Fair and Square
Quick, pick three things that get you through the day and I’ll bet you twenty bucks that coffee, chocolate and sugar make the list. Since none of the above grow on U.S. soil (well other than beet sugar), you want to be sure you buy the kind with a Fair Trade Certified label on the package. Why? Well, the workers that pick those ingredients are generally paid so poorly they’d have to work three days just to afford a Starbucks grande latte! Fair trade certified farms, on the other hand, pay farmhands in developing countries a decent wage, give their families access to health care and education and forbid the use of ultra toxic pesticides (which makes them better for your health, too). Bonus: your sugar-/caffeine-/chocolate-rush blissfully guilt-free”

Healthy Food Choices – Healthy Eating for You and Environment – thedailygreen.com.

Don’t you get sick of hearing things like “I can’t eat chocolate because it will make my skin break out.”   Or, “Your teeth will rot if you eat chocolate.”  Neither of these statements are true, and we appreciate this article at Eric’s blog for pointing out some facts and fictions relating to chocolate and your health.

Here’s an excerpt:

“Chocolate causes tooth decay
Fact: Forget everything your mother ever told you about how eating too many chocolates will give you cavities. Scientists now believe the length of time food stays in your mouth, not its sugar content, is what causes cavities. Chocolate leaves your mouth relatively quickly- it’s the things that get stuck in there that are the problem, like crackers, cookies or dried fruit. Studies suggest that dark chocolate and cocoa may actually be good for dental health because flavanol antioxidants and other compounds in cocoa and chocolate slow the build-up of plaque.”

Chocolate: Fact or Fiction

More good, and unsurprising news, the New York Times reports on a recent Swedish study indicating that cardiac health improves in patients who eat chocolate regularly.

Here’s an excerpt:

“The scientists followed 1,169 nondiabetic men and women who had been hospitalized for a first heart attack. Each filled out a standardized health questionnaire that included a question about chocolate consumption over the past 12 months. Chocolate contains flavonoid antioxidants that are widely believed to have beneficial cardiovascular effects.

The patients had a health examination three months after their discharge from the hospital, and researchers followed them for the next eight years using Swedish national registries of hospitalizations and deaths. After controlling for age, sex, obesity, physical inactivity, smoking, education and other factors, they found that the more chocolate people consumed, the more likely they were to survive. The results are reported in the September issue of The Journal of Internal Medicine.”

In One Study, a Heart Benefit for Chocolate – NYTimes.com.

We loved this article from the Cleveland Clinic addressing the heart health benefits of chocolate.  It explains flavonoids and antioxidants in layman’s terms.  It also discusses myths about fat in chocolate, as well as the best forms of chocolate to consume.

An excerpt:

“Before you grab a chocolate candy bar or slice of chocolate cake, let’s look at what forms of chocolate would be ideal over others:

• When cocoa is processed into your favorite chocolate products, it goes through several steps to reduce its naturally pungent taste. Flavonoids (polyphenols) provide this pungent taste. The more chocolate is processed (such as fermentation, alkalizing, roasting), the more flavonoids are lost. Most commercial chocolates fit this category.
• Dark chocolate appears to retain the highest level of flavonoids. So your best bet is to choose dark chocolate over milk chocolate.
• Some chocolate manufacturers are studying ways to retain the highest level of flavonoids while still providing acceptable taste. Stay tuned for more information in this area.”

Heart-Health Benefits of Chocolate Unveiled.