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Is chocolate good for our health?
Despite its bad reputation for causing different illnesses due to its high fat and sugar composition, chocolate is also actually good for our health. Raw or dark chocolate, which has a high amount of cacao solids, is healthier than milk and white chocolate, which has a lesser amount of cacao solids than dark chocolate.
The more cacao solids used, the more benefits you get from eating the chocolate which results in a darker color. Not only does it taste good, but it helps you stay happy, relieves inflammation in the body, and supports your cognitive functions.
What are 3 benefits of chocolate?
It can improve your mood
Chocolate helps release and regulate serotonin and dopamine which are chemicals in your brain that help lift up your mood. According to research by Scholey and Owen (2013), eating chocolate boosts your mood and enhances your cognition. As they say, chocolate is a delicious explosion of happiness in my mouth.
It can reduce bodily inflammation
Inflammation can be a cause of many health issues such as headaches and sore body parts. Chocolate provides an anti-inflammatory effect and antioxidants throughout your body which helps keep diseases away and make sure you stay healthy. A study found that cocoa polyphenols help regulate the bacterial composition of the intestine by increasing the number of good bacteria which helps trigger this anti-inflammatory response.
It could support your mind
Aside from making you happy, chocolate has a positive effect on the brain’s release of chemicals that not just make you happy, but also regulate your emotions or mood. It also improves your cognitive functions such as improving your focus, processing speed, and memory while keeping your cognition in peak performance.
What are the different variations of chocolate goodies?
Milk Chocolate
Milk chocolate may be the most popular type as it is much sweeter than dark chocolate, has a lighter color, and has a less-pronounced chocolate taste. It usually only contains 10% to 40% cacao mixed with sugar and milk.
White Chocolate
White chocolate does not contain any coca aside from cocoa butter. It doesn’t have the chocolate taste but tastes similar to vanilla instead. White chocolate contains a mixture of at least 20% cocoa butter, 20% cocoa butter, at most 55% sugar, and around 15% milk solids.
Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate contains a mixture of chocolate liquor, sugar, and cocoa butter and often includes lecithin and vanilla; however, it does not contain any milk solids. Dark chocolate usually contains around 30% up to 80% cacao.
Semisweet Chocolate
Semisweet chocolate usually lies in between bittersweet chocolate and sweet dark chocolate as there isn’t any official guideline that sets what can be called “semisweet”. Semisweet chocolate contains a minimum of 35% cocoa solids.
Bittersweet Chocolate
Bittersweet chocolate usually has a much more bitter flavor than the other types of chocolate. According to the FDA, bittersweet chocolate must contain at least 35% cocoa but most bittersweet chocolate contains 50% to 80% cocoa.
Unsweetened Chocolate
Unsweetened chocolate, like its name implies, is pure chocolate liquor made of ground cocoa beans. It is well known for its use in baking as it is not meant to be consumed on its own which makes it best for baking or cooking as it is combined with other ingredients to improve its taste. Pure chocolate may not taste very good but its deep, rich chocolate flavor is used in many recipes and is often used as the base for other types of chocolates.
Want to buy chocolate online?
Looking for a sugar station to satisfy your cravings? Our chocolate shop offers different types of sweets that you shall try. You may also want to check our Licorice, Lollies and Seasonal Sweet Goodies!