- It is a popular ingredient in many desserts and confections.
- originally it traces its origins to the Americas.
Image: HANNIE PETRA
Chocolate is sweet, made from roasted and ground cocoa beans. It is a popular ingredient in many desserts and confections. Alternatively, it can be consumed separately.
Chocolate can be produced in many different forms, such as bars, truffles, cakes, cookies, and hot cocoa. This treat has been consumed since the dawn of time, it traces its origins to the Americas.
There are different types of chocolate.
Milk Chocolate
This is the most popular type and is made from a mixture of cocoa solids, milk powder, and sugar.
It has a creamy texture, and a sweet and mild flavour compared to other types of chocolate.
Milk chocolate contains a higher amount of sugar and fat, so it should be consumed in moderation.
Dark Chocolate
This one features a higher percentage of cocoa solids, hence its bitter flavour. It has a richer, more intense taste than milk chocolate.
White Chocolate
A type of chocolate made from cocoa butter, sugar, and milk powder, but does not contain cocoa solids.
It has a creamy, sweet flavour. Sometimes it is not even considered chocolate since it does not contain dark chocolate liquor.
Characterised by its creamy, sweet flavour and smooth, melt-in-your-mouth texture this chocolate is surely going to leave you craving more.
Vegan Chocolate
A type of chocolate that is free from any animal products, such as dairy products.
It can be widely customised in different artistic ways to achieve a signature flavour.
These ways include adding different textures to chocolates, such as nuts, cookie crumbles, or caramel, which can give them a crunchy or chewy twist, or infusing fruits and herbs to give them fruity notes.
Moderate consumption of this treat has some fantastic health benefits that include, Improved heart health, flavonoids, a type of antioxidant that has been linked to health benefits such as lowering blood pressure and improving blood flow.
Chocolate does contain a number of compounds associated with mood-lifting chemicals in the brain. The one often mentioned is phenylethylamine, a natural antidepressant.
So the next time you reach for a piece of chocolate, you can enjoy it guilt-free, knowing that you are not only satisfying your sweet tooth but also doing something good for your body and mind. Remember to indulge in moderation.