If you asked a random group of 100 Americans to name the ONE food that was associated with holidays, love, and happiness, the vast majority of them would probably not hestitate in their answer: Chocolate. Throughout history chocolate has remained the king of treats to celebrate almost every happy or blissful occasion, as well as the principle bribe of parents and grandparents and prospective mates. There are an immeasurable number of "chocoholics". Chocolate has been described as an aphrodisiac, a mood enhancer, a sedative, and a cure for many common maladies including migraines and gout.
One taste of chocolate (or even the thought alone) makes the mouth water and the emotional associations rush in. Why is this? It's because of what's IN chocolate.
It's derived from the cocoa bean, which in itself is a cousin of many other bean bearing plants including coffee and even castor, the plant that produces one of the most toxic poisons on the planet, ricin. Clearly this is a bean that is jam packed with chemicals that can have a remarkable effect on the body and mind. But today's chocolatiers haven't stopped at letting the natural chemical content of the cocoa bean to stand on its own. There are a large number of additives being put into commercially processed chocolate, which in itself is a derivative of cocoa powder. A great deal of work in the past 20 years has gone into replacing the "sin" parts of chocolate (fat and sugar primarily) without loosing the "reward" parts (flavor, texture, and mood altering effects).
One great example of the work done to replace sugar is the use of Inulin compounds to add sweetness to counterbalance the natural bitterness of cocoa. Inulins are compounds produced by many plants to store energy. Plants that store energy with inulins don't typically produce starch, so they become a good source of sweetening without high caloric content. For example, an Australian study in 2010 found that blending stevia rebaudiana (another plant extract) with inulin and polydextrose (as bulking agents) with chocolate produced a texture and flavor that was virtually indistinguishable from chocolate made with milk and sugar. The plant extract and inulin blend had about 25% of the sugar caloric content and none of the fat caloric content, but produced the same pleasant taste, texture and flavor. In addition, inulin compounds dramatically lower the glycemic index of their host foods, so in this case not only did the chocolate HAVE fewer calories, they were absorbed into the blood at a much lower pace and therefore more completely metabolized by the body.
Chocolate is fast becoming much less of a sin and much more of a pleasure. If that's what research and technology bring us, then bring it on! Check ingredients on your chocolate goodies at the store, and don't be afraid to do a little research before you head out the door.
One taste of chocolate (or even the thought alone) makes the mouth water and the emotional associations rush in. Why is this? It's because of what's IN chocolate.
It's derived from the cocoa bean, which in itself is a cousin of many other bean bearing plants including coffee and even castor, the plant that produces one of the most toxic poisons on the planet, ricin. Clearly this is a bean that is jam packed with chemicals that can have a remarkable effect on the body and mind. But today's chocolatiers haven't stopped at letting the natural chemical content of the cocoa bean to stand on its own. There are a large number of additives being put into commercially processed chocolate, which in itself is a derivative of cocoa powder. A great deal of work in the past 20 years has gone into replacing the "sin" parts of chocolate (fat and sugar primarily) without loosing the "reward" parts (flavor, texture, and mood altering effects).
One great example of the work done to replace sugar is the use of Inulin compounds to add sweetness to counterbalance the natural bitterness of cocoa. Inulins are compounds produced by many plants to store energy. Plants that store energy with inulins don't typically produce starch, so they become a good source of sweetening without high caloric content. For example, an Australian study in 2010 found that blending stevia rebaudiana (another plant extract) with inulin and polydextrose (as bulking agents) with chocolate produced a texture and flavor that was virtually indistinguishable from chocolate made with milk and sugar. The plant extract and inulin blend had about 25% of the sugar caloric content and none of the fat caloric content, but produced the same pleasant taste, texture and flavor. In addition, inulin compounds dramatically lower the glycemic index of their host foods, so in this case not only did the chocolate HAVE fewer calories, they were absorbed into the blood at a much lower pace and therefore more completely metabolized by the body.
Chocolate is fast becoming much less of a sin and much more of a pleasure. If that's what research and technology bring us, then bring it on! Check ingredients on your chocolate goodies at the store, and don't be afraid to do a little research before you head out the door.
No comments:
Post a Comment