Chocolate appeared more than three thousand years ago. It appeared on the territory of modern Mexico, in the tribes of the Indians, who existed long before the appearance of the Mayan tribes and knew everything about chocolate. The recipe was kept in strict confidence under pain of death. And only when the conquistadors invaded the territory of the tribes and defeated the Mayan civilization, they could recognize him, and after they killed all the priests who owned it.
So Europeans learned about this drink. From the moment of its discovery to the 19th century, the delicacy was consumed exclusively in liquid form. Moreover, everyone who wanted to could not afford it. It could be used only by aristocratic sections of the population. And only a couple of centuries ago, one Swiss found a way to transform a liquid drink from cocoa beans into a solid mass. And so the favorite treat appeared that has survived to this day.
Definitions
What is chocolate? There are several meanings of this word. Let's look at them.
- Chocolate is a bitter or sweet drink made from grated tiles. The taste depends on which one is used for cooking.
- Chocolate is everyone’s favorite sweetness (candy). It is converted from a liquid state to a solid mass.
- Chocolate is a bitter drink made directly from cocoa beans. In this recipe, no sugar is added.
Everything about chocolate: composition and benefits
The classification of everyone's favorite treats is much wider than we are used to counting. Black, white, milk - this is not all types in which chocolate is produced.
In its composition, which depends on the level of cocoa, it is bitter, milk, dessert.
Bitter contains more than half of cocoa. Such chocolate is considered the most useful. After all, it contains a minimum of sugar and does not have any additional additives, except nuts in some cases. It is also called dark chocolate. Let's talk now about its properties.
The benefits of black goodies
Now consider the beneficial properties of dark chocolate :
- It is believed that the use of black goodies slows down the aging process, due to the large amount of cocoa butter in its composition, which contains a lot of antioxidants.
- Helps increase body tone. It’s not in vain that chocolate is considered to be a “hormone of joy”. Thanks to the caffeine in its composition, it has a stimulating effect on the whole body, perfectly raises the mood.
- Due to its polyphenol content, dark chocolate is very beneficial for the heart muscle. Also, this sweetness increases endurance and performance.
- Oddly enough, but it is dark chocolate that can burn fat. Only use it in moderation. The light carbohydrates that are present in black treats are quickly broken down and do not linger in the body.
The dessert contains only a third of cocoa. Such chocolate happens with fillings and with various other impurities.
Lactic
What is milk chocolate? In its composition, it has no more than a third of cocoa, and also milk powder prevails in it. They began to produce such a treat to reduce the cost of chocolate in general, since cocoa butter was a very expensive ingredient.
And the less it was used to make tiles, the less it cost. Each manufacturer has a milk chocolate recipe. According to studies, it was found that the most delicious is done in the west of Europe.
Milk chocolate: useful properties, composition
Treatment with such sweetness in medical institutions is not carried out. But chocolate is used in folk medicine. For example, this treat helps with depression, due to the fact that it contains magnesium.
The use of high-quality chocolate in moderation can increase the performance and endurance of the body, strengthen the heart muscle. It has a beneficial effect on the skin condition, helps in digestion, improves kidney function.
Not only dark chocolate has useful properties, but also natural milk without any additives in moderation can beneficially affect your body. Thanks to the vitamins that make up the treats, regular use of it can lead to the prevention of malignant tumors. High-quality milk chocolate has a pleasant aroma, it is of a uniform color without any stains. It should melt in the tongue, and make sure that there are no lumps or impurities.
White
Now we will tell you almost everything about white chocolate. Also, do not forget about this type of goodies. It contains cocoa butter, but the percentage of the latter is very small. White chocolate appeared at the beginning of the last century. Nestle is the first company to develop a recipe for it and begin mass production. Vanilla flavor gives a special aroma to white delicacy. Discussions are still ongoing about how harmful this product is. Indeed, soy lecithin and a large number of flavorings are often added to its composition. But you can’t be too categorical, arguing that there is nothing useful in white.
For example, it contains vitamins that are not found in dairy and black forms: vitamin K, which is useful for the effective functioning of the kidneys. Since this chocolate does not contain cocoa powder, accordingly, there is no caffeine. Therefore, it can be completely calmly given to children. But it is worth remembering that there is much more sugar in such a product than in other varieties of sweets. And this threatens children's teeth with caries. Recently found use of white chocolate in cosmetology. Masks for dry and weathered skin are made from it.
Green
Not so long ago, green chocolate appeared on the sweets market. Many skeptics, of course, will say that today there are many dyes and nothing is impossible. But here they will be wrong. The secret to green chocolate is simple. When preparing an ordinary dark treat, add green tea powder, which is called "matcha", or green algae powder. It all depends on the country of origin.
In Spain, such chocolate was created specifically for losing weight people and the same algae was added to its composition. Well, the Japanese, of course, prefer green with the addition of tea powder. The taste of such a delicacy is bitter with a refreshing touch. Gourmets will appreciate this innovation with dignity. Many can try to make such chocolate at home. The main thing is that the ingredients for its preparation are of high quality.
Processing method. Kinds
Chocolate is classified by processing method. It can be porous, dessert or ordinary. The difference between the second third method of processing the mass in its grinding. Dessert chocolate is processed in a coffee machine, which gives it an unusual aroma. Porous is made from dessert mass by filling it with carbon dioxide.
There are chocolate with different additives, no additives. Still produce tiles with filling.
Chocolate without additives is ordinary black, bitter.
Treats with additives vary in variety. Their composition may include a different number of flavorings, sweeteners. Raisins, nuts, sesame, jelly, and more can also be added.
Various sweet pastes or sweets are often added to filled chocolate. In such tiles, the filling is 50% of the total mass.
The shape of chocolate is also different. It can be bars, tiles or different figures.
Organic and fructose
There is also fructose chocolate and organic.
For the production of the latter, cocoa beans grown in an ecologically clean area are used. Also, all the ingredients that are used to prepare it undergo strict quality control. The first such chocolate appeared at the end of the last century in Europe. Another secret of this delicacy in the roasting of cocoa beans. They are fried at a temperature not exceeding 45 degrees. This allows you to save the useful properties of grains.
Such chocolate, of course, is much more expensive than the one we are used to. But it is much more useful even than black. But do not forget that its taste is somewhat different from what we are used to. If you decide to buy such chocolate, pay attention to the label. The composition of such a product can not include dyes, flavors and any GMO components. Be sure to pay attention to the quality mark on the organic packaging.
Chocolate with fructose is mainly consumed by people with diabetes, since they have no other choice.
Conclusion
Now you know what chocolate is, we examined its useful properties. We hope that this information was interesting to you.