Movies have been made about it, songs and books have been written about it and even Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz once quipped that while all we might need is love, "A little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt." This special food cheers us up and even provides some health benefits. If you are one of the millions of chocolate lovers on this planet, enjoy the following facts about this popular treat.
While sweet treats often are considered quite unhealthy, dark chocolate actually can be beneficial for our bodies. The antioxidants in dark chocolate have been show to improve the health of our cardiovascular system and reduce blood pressure. Some studies suggest that a small amount of dark chocolate can help keep a person from becoming diabetic. There are also studies that suggest that chocolate can improve memory and other cognitive functions.
Chocolate in some ways is similar to coffee. This food is produced using the seed of the cacao tree. The seeds by themselves are quite bitter, and they must be fermented in order to develop a richer flavor. After the fermentation process is complete, the beans are dried and roasted. Then the shells are removed and the remaining part is known as a cacao nib. This is the part that is ground up to make cocoa and chocolate.
While the Aztecs and Mayans used chocolate for many thousands of years, it was Europeans who added milk fats and sugar to chocolate and transformed it into a sweet treat. John Cadbury was the first chocolatier to develop a way to emulsify chocolate and create a solid chocolate bar, and today Cadbury still produces millions of chocolate bars and candies each year.
Of the Top Ten chocolate makers out there, four are based in the United States. Mars, Nestle and Mondelez International are all U.S.-based and are the top three chocolate companies, and Hershey is also among the ten top chocolate producers in the world. These companies also produce some of the world's best-selling chocolate bar brands such as Milky Way, Snickers and Kit Kat. While these inexpensive treats are popular, many people prefer a higher quality, gourmet-style chocolate produced by specialty chocolate companies.
If we have whetted your appetite for chocolate, take a look at the gourmet chocolate products created by Chocolate Pizza Company. The staff makes dark chocolate, milk chocolate and white chocolate pizzas by hand, as well as unique chocolate items like chocolate-covered pretzels or potato chips, succulent truffles, almond bark, cashew clusters and even Peanut Butter Wings to accompany your chocolate pizza. These special wings are created by blending potato chips with creamy peanut butter which is then dipped either in milk or dark chocolate.
While sweet treats often are considered quite unhealthy, dark chocolate actually can be beneficial for our bodies. The antioxidants in dark chocolate have been show to improve the health of our cardiovascular system and reduce blood pressure. Some studies suggest that a small amount of dark chocolate can help keep a person from becoming diabetic. There are also studies that suggest that chocolate can improve memory and other cognitive functions.
Chocolate in some ways is similar to coffee. This food is produced using the seed of the cacao tree. The seeds by themselves are quite bitter, and they must be fermented in order to develop a richer flavor. After the fermentation process is complete, the beans are dried and roasted. Then the shells are removed and the remaining part is known as a cacao nib. This is the part that is ground up to make cocoa and chocolate.
While the Aztecs and Mayans used chocolate for many thousands of years, it was Europeans who added milk fats and sugar to chocolate and transformed it into a sweet treat. John Cadbury was the first chocolatier to develop a way to emulsify chocolate and create a solid chocolate bar, and today Cadbury still produces millions of chocolate bars and candies each year.
Of the Top Ten chocolate makers out there, four are based in the United States. Mars, Nestle and Mondelez International are all U.S.-based and are the top three chocolate companies, and Hershey is also among the ten top chocolate producers in the world. These companies also produce some of the world's best-selling chocolate bar brands such as Milky Way, Snickers and Kit Kat. While these inexpensive treats are popular, many people prefer a higher quality, gourmet-style chocolate produced by specialty chocolate companies.
If we have whetted your appetite for chocolate, take a look at the gourmet chocolate products created by Chocolate Pizza Company. The staff makes dark chocolate, milk chocolate and white chocolate pizzas by hand, as well as unique chocolate items like chocolate-covered pretzels or potato chips, succulent truffles, almond bark, cashew clusters and even Peanut Butter Wings to accompany your chocolate pizza. These special wings are created by blending potato chips with creamy peanut butter which is then dipped either in milk or dark chocolate.
About the Author:
Elba Fenwick enjoys reading chocolate blogs. For more information about chocolate covered cookies or to find about other products such as gourmet chocolate gift baskets, please check out the Chocolate Pizza site today.
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