18/12/2020
How can you limit craving unhealthy food ?
1- Chocolates
Almost everyone adores chocolate - whether you prefer bitter sweet dark to sugary white, it's one of our favourite treats and is enjoyed worldwide
Where does Chocolate come from?
Have you ever found yourself asking, “Where does chocolate come from?"
It all starts with a small tropical tree called the Theobroma cacao tree. The cacao tree is native to Central and South America, but it is grown commercially throughout the tropics. About 70% of the world’s cacao is grown in Africa.
A cacao tree can produce close to two thousand pods per year! The pods encase a sticky white pulp and about 30 to 40 seeds. When the seeds come out of the pod they are incredibly bitter, not at all like the chocolate that comes from them!
Because the trees are too fragile to climb, harvesting is done by workers on the ground with a machete. The workers then carefully open the pods by hand.
The beans are then placed in wooden bins, covered with banana leaves and left to ferment.
After fermentation, the beans are dried in the sun for about a week. The chocolate flavour continues to develop during this time.
Once the beans are dry, they are ready to be shipped to a factory where they are turned into chocolate!
What are the differences between dark, milk, and white chocolate and which one is the least healthy?
Dark chocolate
This option, which is sometimes called ‘plain chocolate’, is less sweet and slightly bitter, so is usually less popular, especially with young children.
contains 50-90% cocoa solids.
Milk chocolate
This is the most common and popular option, and most bars use milk chocolate as their main ingredient, which is made with milk, as the name suggests. contains from 10-50% cocoa solids, cocoa butter, milk and sugar.
White chocolate
does not contain any cocoa solids and is made simply of cocoa butter, sugar, and milk.
Why is dark chocolate the healthiest & not the white one ?
Cocoa is rich in plant chemicals called flavanol (flavonoids) that may help to protect the heart. Dark chocolate contains up to 2-3 times more flavanol-rich cocoa solids than milk chocolate. More cocoa means more flavanols, so it is best to choose dark chocolate that includes at least 70 percent cocoa solids.
Flavanols in cocoa have been studied for many years. They have been shown to help lower blood pressure, improve blood flow to the brain and heart, prevent blood clots, and fight cell damage.
Flavanols in chocolate can increase insulin sensitivity in short term studies; in the long run this could reduce risk of diabetes.
Because the white chocolate contains the highest fat, the highest sugar & doesn’t contain any cocoa solids (no flavonoid) it's the least healthiest choice & better to avoid.
Choosing dark and eating modest quantities (1ounce = 28g) daily may offer the greatest health benefits.
Here’s a look at how 1 ounce (28 grams) of a few cacao products nutritional comparison
Raw Cacao. Milk Dark 70%
Chocolate Chocolate
Calories 64 152. 160
Fat. 3.5g. 8.41g. 13g
S.Fat. 2g. 5.2g. 8g
Added.
Sugars. 0g. 14.6 9g
Carb. 16 16.8% 14g
Protein 8 2.2 2g
Fibers 9g. 1g. 3g
Iron. 22%. 9%. 19%
RDI
Mg 32% 6% 16%
Ca. 4%. 9%. 2%
Phosphorus 20%. 6%. 7%
Potassium 12% 4%. 4%
Zinc. 13%. 5%. 6%
Copper. 50%. 7%. 18%
Manganese 55%. 7%. 19%
Selenium 6%. 1%. 4%
The % Recommended Dietary Allowances(DV daily value) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to daily diet. 2000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice
According to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health& The British heart foundation Even though dark chocolate is a better choice than milk chocolate, the amount of flavanol depends on how the chocolate is processed.
Generally, less processed cacao to which less heat has been applied — such as raw cacao — contains more antioxidants
Eat chocolate in moderation ,because it’s high in calories and saturated fat, any excess energy you consume will lead to weight gain & it’s a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
One chocolate bar averages 250kcal. This is equivalent to 10 percent of a man’s and 12 percent of a woman’s recommended daily intake, and it’s often gobbled down in a few minutes.
What Does it Take to Burn Off These Calories?
Burning off the calories in a 170-calorie bar would require:
44 minutes of walking
19 minutes jogging
14 minutes of swimming
23 minutes cycling
It’s recommended to eat no more than 1 ounce ( 28g) of dark 70%-85% chocolate per day.
What about drinking a cup of hot chocolate?
Cocoa powder used to make hot chocolate contains less fat because it doesn’t include the cocoa butter and other fats found in a chocolate bar.
However, depending on what you mix the cocoa powder with, your hot chocolate drink can contain as much energy (calories), fat and sugar as between one and two-and-a-half average chocolate bars.
Be wary of hot chocolates you make, don’t serve with high-energy toppings (whipped cream, marshmallows, cocoa sprinkles). However, switching a chocolate bar for a drink made with raw cacao powder, with hot water & little milk, little natural sugar or little honey , could save you 100kcal and will be a more nutritious option.
The easy way to customise your own favourite homemade cup of delicious, nutritious & healthier hot chocolate. It's the perfect treat on a cold day!
You can create different recipes & you can control the calories as well :
Serving 1 cup 250 ml
1 Tbsp raw cacao powder
12 calories
Do you want it with sugar?
1tsp raw cane sugar
20 cal
Do you want it to be sugar-free?
Replace with your natural nutritious sugar-free alternative.
1tsp of the below
Calories in 1tsp
17 cal Maple syrup,
21 cal Honey,
20 cal Black strap molasses
18 cal Date molasses
Do you want it dairy or dairy free?
If dairy use
Serving 1cup= 240ml
148 cal for whole cow milk
Dairy free, use nut milk like almond milk or coconut milk.
1 cup 250ml
40- 60 cal Almond milk
552 cal Coconut milk
307 cal raw oat milk
Here’s my recipe to prepare a cup of my favorite homemade hot chocolate.
Serving 1 Total calories 130cal
Cup 250 ml
1tbsp raw Cacao 12
calories
3/4cup filtered water
¼ cup whole milk. 37 cal
½ ounce ( 14g) of dark chocolate 80 cal
It is possible to reduce or increase the calories in your favorite cup of chocolate according to your choice of the ingredients you prefer, and while it is possible to prepare a cup that does not exceed 100 calories
Another cup can be prepared with up to 667 calories
when add up more ingredients to your recipe as marshmallow ,whipped cream& top with more chocolate etc.
