Chocolate and Your Health

1. Bitter (unsweetened) chocolate has a small amount of cocoa butter and no sugar added. It's best suited for baking. Despite not having sweetener, many people find the naturally bitter taste of unsweetened chocolate quite satisfying.

2. Bittersweet (semi-sweet) chocolate contains sugar, more cocoa butter than bitter chocolate, and about 50% chocolate liquor, which is made from processed cacao beans.

3. Cocoa powder - This is actually the pulverized remains of cocoa butter and is commonly used in baking.

4. Couverture - A rich chocolate containing a high level of cocoa butter, making it particularly creamy. It's typically used in cake decorating and candy making.

5. Dutch process cocoa powder - A cocoa powder processed with alkali, it has a delicate flavor and is used in cakes and pastries. This alkalization process makes it neutral, so recipes using Dutch Process cocoa powder call for an acidic ingredient such as baking powder.

6. Milk chocolate - This popular type of chocolate contains condensed or powdered milk. Only a small amount of cocoa is required to make it milk chocolate. It is the most-consumed variety of chocolate due to its presence in candy bars and some desserts.

7. White chocolate - Containing the highest amount of sugar of all chocolate varieties, white chocolate is also made from milk fats and solids. It is not considered to be actual chocolate and with little to no cocoa solids, doesn't offer vitamins or minerals.

Chocolate has been cultivated in the Americas for thousands of years. The cacao plant, where chocolate comes from, is native to Mexico. It's popularity spread across the world with Spanish colonization. Today, most chocolate is grown in hot, humid climates in a combination of direct sunlight and shade from tropical forests. The neutral soil of each of the world's growing regions is surprisingly different, which contributes to the unique taste of each area's chocolate. The most recognized cacao-producing regions are in Central and South America and Africa.

Specifically, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Bolivia, Venezuela and Madagascar produce the majority of the world's cacao. However, many countries like Belize, Nicaragua and Grenada are also getting a foothold in organic cacao farming. Flavors range from the fruity notes of Ecuadoran chocolate, to spicy overtones in that from Trinidad and Tobago. Cacao from Madagascar tends to be citrus-scented and acidic. The Dominican Republic produces chocolate that is earthy and nutty-tasting. Chocolate from Venezuela evokes dark, ripe fruit. Finally, Panama's chocolate bears a classic cocoa flavor. Also unique from one growing area to the next is the way chocolate is consumed. Rather than processed chocolate bars, many cacao-producing countries enjoy chocolate in various hot and cold drink forms.

Some of the best known organizations for purchasing fair trade chocolate and other artisan goods are World of Good, the Fair Trade Federation and SERRV as well as tens of thousands of retail establishments across the United States.

National chains including Giant, Kroger, Wegman's and Whole Foods also carry fair-certified chocolate products. Now, you'll also see global brands like Cadbury incorporating FTC chocolate into their product lines.

Milk chocolate contains condensed or powdered milk. Only a small amount of cocoa is required to make it milk chocolate. It is the most-consumed variety of chocolate due to its presence in candy bars and some desserts. However, if you're looking to benefit from chocolate's nutritional properties, eat chocolate that is processed as little as possible. Also ensure that the cacao beans are organic. Non-organic cacao may include pesticides and other fillers. Raw, organic cacao beans are incredibly rich in sulfur, magnesium and other minerals that are integral to the body's functioning.

from Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.

Healthy chocolate sounds like a dream come true, but chocolate hasn't gained the status of health food quite yet. Still, chocolate's reputation is on the rise, as a growing number of studies suggest that it can be a heart-healthy choice.

Chocolate and its main ingredient, cocoa, appear to reduce risk factors for heart disease. Flavanols in cocoa beans have antioxidant effects that reduce cell damage implicated in heart disease. Flavanols also help lower blood pressure and improve vascular function. Dark chocolate contains more flavanols than does milk chocolate. One caveat: The evidence for the healthy benefits of flavanol-rich chocolate comes mostly from short-term and uncontrolled studies. More research will be needed to confirm chocolate's role in heart health.

In the meantime, if you want to add chocolate to your diet, do so in moderation. Why? Most commercial chocolate has ingredients that add fat, sugar and calories. And too much can contribute to weight gain, a risk factor for high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes.

Choose dark chocolate with cocoa content of 65 percent or higher. Limit yourself to no more than 3 ounces (85 grams) a day, which is the amount shown in studies to be helpful. Because this amount may provide up to 450 calories, you may want to cut calories in other areas or step up the exercise to compensate.

From: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/healthy-chocolate/AN02060