1. Introduction:
Chocolate is a dietary product derived from cocoa beans (Creole, Forastero, Criollo, Trinitario and Nacional) that is consumed as candy, used to flavour or coat various confections, baked goods and are added to drinks. It is a fantastic source of instant energy, since it is high in carbs and also includes trace levels of the stimulating alkaloids caffeine and theobromine that has been consumed since the Olmec Mesoamerican civilization.
2. Types of Chocolate
Based on cocoa content, several kinds of chocolate may be identified. The primary components of pure, sweetened chocolate that is sometimes referred to as “baking chocolate” are to a variable degrees cocoa butter and cocoa solids. A large portion of today’s chocolate consumption is sweet chocolate, which is a blend of chocolate and sugar. Different types of chocolates are discussed below:
a) Raw Chocolate
Raw chocolate, commonly referred to as the raw powdered chocolate paste is a fast expanding segment of the chocolate industry. It is made from unroasted cocoa beans and does not include any other ingredients such as sugar. It is made using a low-heat or cold production process (roasting not involved), which aids in preserving the antioxidant properties that a chocolate naturally contains.
b) Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate only contains cocoa solids and cocoa butter. Unsweetened or bitter chocolate is the term for dark chocolate and normally in this type of chocolate, no sweeteners are added. Dark chocolate contains 70-80% cocoa solids in it.
c) Milk Chocolate
The phrase “milk chocolate” was initially used in 1687 to refer to a Jamaican drink transported to London, but it wasn’t until 1875 that Swiss inventor Daniel Peter successfully blended cocoa and condensed milk to create the first milk chocolate bar. Milk chocolate is sweet chocolate that contains milk solids that may be condensed milk or skimmed milk powder. It contains a minimum of 20-25% cocoa solids on a dry basis.
d) White Chocolate
The ingredients used to make white chocolate are cocoa butter, sugar, milk solids and occasionally vanilla. There is a little tint of white added to it. White chocolate doesn’t contain any cocoa solids, unlike milk and dark chocolate. Like milk and dark chocolate, white chocolate is produced by separating the fatty portion of the cocoa bean from the dark-coloured interior. Unlike other types of chocolate, white chocolate solely contains cocoa butter and does not include any cocoa mass. Flavouring and colour agents may be added as per requirements.
e) Other Types of Chocolate
Chocolate and its products may be modified as per the requirement of the people and industry. Baking chocolate, Compound chocolate, Modeling chocolate, Ruby Chocolate, Organic chocolate and Couverture chocolate are examples of other types of chocolates.
3. Health Benefits of chocolates
a) Nutritional value of chocolates
The nutrition value of the different type of chocolates are discussed in Table 1:
Table 1: Nutrition value of different type of chocolate per 100 g (Source: Wikipedia);
μg = micrograms, mg = milligrams, IU = International units, “-” = Not Mentioned
b) Antioxidant
Chocolates contain different antioxidant molecules like polyphenols and flavonoids which neutralize free radicals and prevent oxidative stress. Antioxidants prevent heart disease, diabetes, Parkison’s disease, eye disease and Alzheimer’s disease.
c) Heart Health
Chocolate’s antioxidants have been shown to lower blood pressure, decrease the likelihood of clotting and enhance blood flow to the heart, lowering the risk of stroke, cardiovascular disease and heart-related death. Flavanols stimulate the body’s production of nitric acid, which increases blood flow and lowers blood pressure by expanding blood vessels. It also includes polyphenols and theobromine, which may reduce LDL cholesterol levels while boosting HDL cholesterol levels.
d) Brain Function
Chocolate contains flavonols that can enhance neuroplasticity and boost the blood flow to the brain, improve memory and response time, including visual-spatial awareness in the brain.
Chocolate benefits are directly related to the percent of cocoa content that is present in chocolate. Other health benefits are:
• Increase in gut microflora diversity;
• Prevents chronic inflammation;
• Increases “Good” cholesterol levels while lowering “Bad” cholesterol levels;
• Increases the blood flow and decreases the blood pressure;
• Helps to reduce free radicals;
• Reduces insulin resistance;
• Maintains balance of minerals and ions;
• Improves brain functions;
• Prevents skin from sunstroke.
4. Conclusion
Chocolates include theobromine and caffeine in addition to being a wonderful source of iron, vitamins and minerals. Nutritional advantages are directly tied to the chocolate’s cocoa content. Higher flavonoids are usually found in chocolate with higher cocoa content. Chocolate improves heart health, apart from boosting the immune system, brain and the eyes.
References:
1. Beckett, S. T. (2019). The science of chocolate. Royal Society of Chemistry.
2. Afoakwa, E. O. (2016). Chocolate science and technology. John Wiley & Sons.
3. Messerli, F. H. (2012). Chocolate consumption, cognitive function, and Nobel laureates. N Engl J Med, 367(16), 1562-1564.
4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chocolate#By_cocoa_content
5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milk_chocolate
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_chocolate
7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_chocolate
