Chocolate By Jessica Spence

Description of Chocolate Picture of the Cacao Tree Chocolate is made from cocoa beans found on the cacao tree. The cacao tree was first discovered in the South American rainforest. The three main ingredients in chocolate are chocolate liquor, cocoa powder, and cocoa butter. Different kinds of chocolate use varying amounts of these 3 ingredients.

How Chocolate is Made Cocoa pods are harvested Picture of Cocoa Pods Cocoa pods are harvested Pods are crushed and fermented. Cocoa beans are taken out of the pods and then dried. Beans are roasted, graded, and then ground. Grinding the beans creates a liquid called chocolate liquor. Chocolate liquor - made mostly of fat called cocoa butter. Cocoa butter is extracted. Cocoa powder is also created when beans are ground. Process creates chocolate liquor, cocoa powder, and cocoa butter. Ingredients are blended back together to create different kinds of chocolates. Picture of Cocoa Beans The first step is to harvest the cocoa pods, which contain the cacao beans. Then the pods are crushed and fermented. Fermenting takes about 6 days. When the pods are fermented, the cocoa beans are taken out of the pods and then dried. After the beans are dried, they are roasted, graded, and then ground. When the beans are ground a liquid called chocolate liquor is created, which is made mostly of fat called cocoa butter, and it also contains carbohydrates, proteins, and some mineral matter. This cocoa butter is extracted. Also in the process cocoa powder is created. This process is how chocolate liquor, cocoa powder, and cocoa butter are produced. These three ingredients are blended back together to make different kinds of chocolates.

Types of Chocolate Sweet Chocolate Contains no milk solids Cannot contain less than 15% chocolate liquor Dark Bittersweet Chocolate Contains the most chocolate liquor. It is sweet chocolate that cannot contain less than 35% chocolate liquor. Semi Sweet Chocolate Similar to dark bittersweet chocolate. Baking Chocolate Contains no sweeteners and no milk. In the U.S. there are regulations manufacturers must follow when making chocolate. These regulations belong to the Definitions and Standards of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Law of 1944.

Types of Chocolate Milk Chocolate Contains milk and sugar, which differs from bittersweet and semisweet chocolate. Cannot contain less than 12% milk and cannot contain less than 10% chocolate liquor. Can contain other ingredients but must comply with regulations. White Chocolate Technically not real chocolate Contains no chocolate liquor, which is one of the main ingredients in chocolate. It’s made of cocoa butter, milk, and sugar. White chocolate is technically no real chocolate because it contains no chocolate liquor.

History of Chocolate Dates back to about 1,500 years ago. First found in Mayan and Aztec Civilizations. Mayans used cacao beans to create a cold, unsweetened, spicy chocolate beverage. This was the first form of chocolate. Aztecs came across cacao beans through trade. They named the spicy drink xocolatl (bitter water). Cacao beans played important roles in both Mayan and Aztec Civilizations. Mayan Civilization: The Mayans took the cacao trees and grew it for themselves. They harvested, fermented, roasted, and ground the seeds into a paste and created a chocolate drink. The drink was made by mixing water, Chile peppers, cornmeal, cocoa beans, and some other ingredients. The Mayans believed the cacao tree came from a divine source and worshipped the tree. They used the drink in ceremonies, such as religious and burial ceremonies. It was also drunk by people in the upper class, including the wealthy and the religious elite. Aztecs The Aztecs came across the cacao beans through trade, because they were unable to grow the cacao tree for themselves due to the climate.. They named the spicy drink xocaltl, meaning bitter water. The Aztec emperor, Montezuma, loved the drink so much he was said to have drank it 50 times a day. He was reported to have taken the drink before visiting his wives so historians say that this might have been where the legends of chocolate being an aphrodisiac began. Mayan and Aztec Civilization: Not only were the cacao beans used to make a drink, it was used as a form of currency. This scene was painted on an ancient Maya vessel, which reveals how people drank chocolate as a beverage and often presented it to their gods as an offering.

History of Chocolate The chocolate drink was first brought to Europe by Spanish conquistador, Hernan Cortes. The drink was sweetened to match European tastes. The drink spread from Spanish courts to other European courts. The drink was also prescribed to people for depression and used in love and death potions. In the late 18th century French and Dutch processors experimented with chocolate liquid. This lead to the production of chocolate powder, which then led to the production of the first solid chocolate. The first solid chocolate was believed to have been sold in England in the mid-1800s. When Spanish explorers first came across the drink, they didn’t like it because of it’s bitterness. They later learned how to sweeten the drink by mixing sugar and vanilla to remove the bitterness. Unlike the original drink, it was served hot. The chocolate drink was served to royal guests.

Chocolate Facts Chocolate Consumption: Americans consume over 3.1 billion pounds of chocolate every year, which is about 11.7 pounds per person. Milk Chocolate is the most popular among Americans, followed by dark chocolate and then white chocolate. Chocolate contains more than 300 known chemicals. Flavanols Theobromine Caffeine Tyramine Pehnyletylamine Anandamide Chocolate is considered a mood food. Contains an amino acid called L-tryptophan. This increases serotonin in the brain, which is a calming hormone. Said to be nature’s own “antidepressant.” antioxidants stimulants Central nervous system stimulants About 35 % like dark chocolate and 26% like white. Researcher found that chocolate stimulates the same part of the brain that morphine does. Theobromine and caffeine are both stimulants, which might be the reason why people get a feeling of well being after eating chocolate. Tyramine, Pehnyletylamine and anadamide are related to amphetamines, which increase activity of neurotransmitters in parts of the brain that control the ability to pay attention and stay allert.

Chocolate Myths and Truths Myth: Causes acne. Myth: High in cholesterol. Myth: Causes tooth decay. Myth: High in caffeine. Myth: Causes weight gain. Myth: Is addictive. Truth: Studies found no connection between eating chocolate and acne. Truth: Chocolate is low in cholesterol and low in animal fat. Truth: Studies found that tooth decay is not as big of a problem as once thought. Tooth decay is mostly caused by poor hygiene. Truth: Chocolate is not high in caffeine and contains less caffeine than coffee. Truth: When eaten in moderation, chocolate does not cause weight gain. Truth: People who say they are addicted are just experiencing strong cravings. The characteristics of an addiction such as tolerance and withdrawal and chemical changes in the brain are not associated with eating chocolate. Cholesterol: in a 1.65 ounce chocolate bar, it contains about 12 milligrams of cholesterol. Caffeine: when a 1 ounce milk chocolate bar is compared to a 5 ounce cup of instant coffee, the chocolate bar only contained 6 milligrams of caffeine while the coffee had between 40 and 108 milligrams. Weight: When on a diet eating something sweet can help keep you on the diet.

Chocolate Craving Theories Chocolate cravings are a result of the chemical ingredients found in chocolate. Chocolate cravings come from the sensory properties of chocolate = texture, taste, smell, and color. Chocolate cravings are influenced by culture. Many theories exist, but there is no conclusive scientific evidence on what causes people to crave chocolate. Chocolate contains caffeine, theobromine, tyramine, pehnyletlamine, and anadamide, which may cause chocolate cravings. Others say that sensory properties contribute to the cravings. A study was done where people were given capsules that included the chemical ingredients of chocolate but their chocolate cravings were not satisfied, so they think the sensory properties have a lot to do with why we crave chocolate.

Potential Health Benefits Chocolate may be good for the heart. Chocolate contains chemicals like those found in red wine and green tea. Helps improve circulation Helps cut down blood pressure Chocolate contains flavanols. Helps in preventing the oxidations of “bad” cholesterol, which reduces the stickiness of blood platelets and improve blood vessel elasticity. Theobromine, found in chocolate, was found to treat coughs better than codeine. Although health benefits may exist, scientists say that most of the commercially produced chocolate has high levels of sugar and fat that can outweigh the benefits. Also, the levels of flavanols can be reduced. Currently Mars Inc. used the research done on chocolate to come up with CocoaVia which is a low fat flavanol rich snack. Its being test marketed now. They developed a method to process cocoa bean o that the chocolate keeps more of its flavanols. The cocoa is called cocoapro and is now used in dove, m and m’s and the cocoa via snack. To get the most flavanols, choosing dark chocolate is a good choice. The more chocolate liquor, the higher the flavanols. In Germany, scientists found that people that ate 100 grams of dark chocolate a day lowered their blood pressure but the effect wore off two days after the treatment stopped. Theobromine: A study was done and theobromine was compared to codeine and a placebo. The study showed theobromine was more effective than the other two in treating coughs.

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