chocolate

Chocolate – Good or bad?

gracebrowning Uncategorized , , , , 0 Comment
Chocolate – Good or bad?

We all know about the treat that is called chocolate. While some people think, “Yes! This is the simplest treat ever that no one could ever ruin!” others think, “Ewww. This is not good. Why would people ever eat this!?” So today we are finally deciding whether or not chocolate is delicious or nasty.

Let’s start with the good things. First, chocolate can improve your blood flow and lower your blood pressure, however, you can only get those benefits if you eat dark chocolate or dark cocoa powder which is the least liked chocolate. Second, dark chocolate is good for your brain! Studies show chocolate increases brain blood flow, oxygen levels, and nerve function. So basically if you eat some chocolate occasionally, your brain health will improve little by little! Lastly, chocolate can improve people’s mental health, like emotions. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter responsible for mood regulation and cognitive function, so it’s no surprise that chocolate can immediately boost your mood on a bad day! Research has shown that those who eat dark chocolate have significantly decreased chances of developing depression.

Now that we have covered the good side of chocolate, let’s travel to the darker side. There are many bad things about chocolate. People just don’t really bring them up because it is sort of uncommon to not like chocolate since so many of the things that we do involve chocolate, such as Valentine’s day, Halloween, and even just national chocolate day. But never the less, we are going to exploit the negatives of chocolate. First, chocolate has high fat and sugar content. Its consumption has even been associated with acne, obesity, coronary artery disease, and diabetes.

Next, chocolate can have bacteria on it. Kristen Numez said, “25% of chocolate samples had bacterial contamination when examined during a study, featured in a 2015 article, in the journal ‘Food Control’. Interestingly, the cocoa beans showed little contamination, so the contamination occurred during processing. Enterobacteriaceae on the workers’ hands revealed the source.” So when you eat chocolate, you don’t really know what you’re consuming. And Finally, chocolate has a lot of undeclared allergens in it. Food allergies affect millions of people. Undeclared allergens often trigger product recalls. An April 2017 paper in the Journal of Food Protection showed that many chocolate bars contain undeclared allergens like milk and nuts. These foods can cause severe reactions in some people. So overall, Chocolate can be unhealthy because of its high fat and sugar, it can be dirty with bacteria from all over and it can have undeclared food allergens and make people sick.

So, in this article we have listed the good and the bad things about chocolate. We haven’t really decided if chocolate really is good or bad, so it is up to you and your personal opinion.

What Makes What Your Eating Chocolate?

thecatatmidnight Uncategorized , , 0 Comment
What Makes What Your Eating Chocolate?

Chocolate is a yummy treat that comes in many forms that many people enjoy. Some people like dark chocolate, some like white. People enjoy the many different forms of chocolate, always choosing their favorite from the shelf without thinking much more about it. 

People will eat a little chocolate trying not to eat too much, and some will eat whole bars both only thinking about the health risks. Ask anyone, most will say dark chocolate is the healthier option or even think dark chocolate is healthy.

Most don’t think about what makes chocolate dark, white, or milk. Most don’t ask why dark chocolate would be healthier, or why they like it so much. 

Many people do know that chocolate releases serotonin, the chemical that makes you happy, but they don’t know why it does. The reason chocolate releases serotonin is because it contains the acid called tryptophan. Another piece of info about chocolate most ignore is what makes the different kinds. 

First you need to know what makes chocolate at its base, but that is not an easily answered question due to it changing from place to place. Chocolate contains milk, sugar, cocoa, cocoa butter, and a few other ingredients that change from different places like how American chocolate is filled with wax.

 Milk chocolate has less cocoa and cocoa butter but mostly less cocoa. In England the requirement for actual cocoa in the chocolate is higher than in America. 

White chocolate doesn’t actually require any cocoa and instead only has cocoa butter which is why its white.

Dark chocolate is dark because it requires lots of cocoa, making it a lot darker and stronger tasting. Dark chocolate is good for cooking because it doesn’t have as much sugar and other ingredients that could mess up the flavor but still isn’t too strong.

Everyone knows what chocolate is, but is what you’re eating really chocolate? I’m not just talking about how White chocolate doesn’t actually have any real cocoa

One of the biggest candy companies in the world is Hershey, the main candies they sell that you probably know about are Hershey’s chocolate and Reese’s.  Out of both of these the best in my opinion would be Reese’s. Reese’s are a delicious chocolate with peanut butter combo that is just so delicious.  The best Reese’s chocolate is Reese’s peanut butter cups, specifically Reese’s peanut butter cups big stuffed with Reese’s pieces inside. But everyone has a different opinion and allergies. Try some Lindor if you really want some high quality chocolate.  Lindor is expensive though because it’s a gourmet chocolate brand. 

Many candies will say that they are chocolate but actually be lying. It is illegal to say that your product is chocolate when it doesn’t fill the requirements, but companies have found a sneaky way around that.

You’re not allowed to say your products are chocolate, but there’s nothing stopping you from saying, Flavored with chocolate, Chocolaty goodness, or Chocolate Flavored ETC. Check that label on what you’re eating and see if it is really chocolate or just clever wording.

Different places have different requirements for what makes chocolate, chocolate so that delicious chocolate you’re eating may not be chocolate in Britain. Most large chocolate companies don’t use this trick for their main chocolate product, but watch out for their smaller less known products. You never know what you’re getting unless you pay close attention to what the label says.

Chocolate is a delicious treat enjoyed by most but like anything there are tricks and schemes involved. Chocolate is a delicious treat, but it’s surrounded by many lies.

Enjoy your chocolate just pay attention to the label

Why chocolate is good for you (yes it is)

villibai000 Uncategorized , , , , , , 0 Comment
Why chocolate is good for you (yes it is)

Chocolate makes people the happiest and has health benefits. Chocolate has been studied and confirmed to have good mental and health benefits to people but how?

Chocolate has many ingredients that are said to boost health. The main ingredient of chocolate is cocoa is said to have a “mood-enhancing effect”. The main thing in chocolate that makes our brain create serotonin is cocoa which contains tryptophan which the body will use. Scientists found that dark chocolate can reduce bad cholesterol levels, reduce strokes, and heart disease risks. Dark chocolate also has been proven to help 70% of people with depressive symptoms than those who ate no chocolate at all. There is one catch among this chocolate benefit, You have to enjoy the chocolate for the mood-enhancing effect to work, but depression can make people disinterested in eating chocolate.

 

It is also proven that dark chocolate contains more tryptophan than milk chocolate, this is because dark chocolate is richer in cocoa than milk chocolate that contains more sugar, milk, and plenty of other add-ins that make it sweeter and creamer and overall more enjoyable to most people, Dark chocolate contains 70% to 80% cocoa, while milk chocolate contains 7% rarely 38-40% which is considered a high percentage of cocoa for milk chocolate. The cocoa and sugar in chocolate are what make the body produce serotonin, though the more cocoa the better.

Chocolate can improve memory and reduce stress. The human body associates chocolate with happy memories. The reason that chocolate brings happy memories is that our brain associates chocolate with holidays and rewards from our childhood. A study from Loma Linda university health in California as long as health professionals found that“ The consumption of antioxidants can change your brain frequency — a beneficial brain frequency called gamma,” and “The gamma frequency is up-regulated, enhanced, turned on by the chocolate antioxidants” Dark chocolate’s memory and stress improvements usually take within half an hour, but these can last up to two hours, one hitting the two-hour mark the chocolate serotonin will have ran out.

Dark chocolate is considered a superfood because it works with your brain’s chemistry to help memory, reduce stress, create serotonin, and is packed with antioxidants. 71 % of Americans prefer milk chocolate over dark chocolate because milk chocolate is more sugar and milk than anything else which makes it sweeter and creamy while dark chocolate is richer in cocoa than anything else and has very little sugar which causes it to be bitter and chalky. Dark chocolate when not completely loaded with sugar and other add-ins is pretty healthy, it is rich in antioxidants that can fight diseases, can help reduce blood pressure, and lower heart disease risks. According to studies, most people who prefer milk chocolate over dark chocolate are weaker to bitter flavors than people who eat a lot of sugar, junk food, or any food that is processed. Dark chocolate can also reduce the risk of diabetes, help with blood vessel flexibility, and sometimes improve vision.

Pure Dark chocolate meaning not loaded with sugar has a lot of good nutrients like fiber, iron, magnesium, zinc, and copper. A recommended serving of dark chocolate is 1 ounce of 70% – 80% cacao which consists of 170 calories,2 grams of protein,12 grams of fat, 13 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, and 7 grams of sugar. 2 servings of chocolate a day is more than enough to get the positive benefits of dark chocolate. Doctors recommend taking a 10-minute walk after eating chocolate if trying to lose weight, maybe even invite a friend along with.

https://healthyeating.sfgate.com/dark-chocolate-serotonin-levels-5558.html

https://www.kaegi.com/en/magazine/chocolate-makes-you-happy#:~:text=The%20body%20uses%20it%20to,brain%20where%20it%20engenders%20happiness (Links to an external site.).

https://www.healthline.com/health-news/dark-chocolate-improves-memory-reduces-stress#6

https://www.everydayhealth.com/diet-and-nutrition-pictures/delicious-reasons-to-eat-dark-chocolate.aspx

https://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/scientists-just-discovered-that-eating-chocolate-has-an-amazing-affect-on-happiness-but-there-is-a-literally-small-catch.html (Links to an external site.)

https://www.healthline.com/health-news/dark-chocolate-improves-memory-reduces-stress#1

Chocolate vs. Popcorn: Who will win?

Hallie Southwick Uncategorized , , , 0 Comment
Chocolate vs. Popcorn: Who will win?

There are lots of good treats out in the world, but the best one is chocolate. Wait, nope, it’s popcorn! Oh, no! I can’t decide! Well, here are some pros and cons of both!

Chocolate

Here are some facts about chocolate! First, chocolate is a delicious sweet treat to eat when you are craving something delicious! Whenever you eat chocolate, it’s like all your problems just melt away! Studies show that when we smell the aromas in chocolate, it sends a thought into your brain making you addicted/hungry/craving that chocolatey goodness. A scientist states, “Chocolaty smells and the happy memories of youth smells provoke, are just part of the chocolate’s attraction. Here, the scientist is saying that when we eat chocolate, all these happy memories fill our minds and we become addicted because of those feelings.

This fact may not sound like a good fact but a bad one. This fact is kinda both. When Dr. Ding, a scientist at Harvard, did a test on 24 students. He found that the cocoa flavonoids in the chocolate put stress on the heart and in the future, you can get heart disease. But, they also found that the flavonoid can reduce blood pressure and be unhealthy on your LDL cholesterol, improved blood flow, and lowered insulin resistance. This is a condition where the body doesn’t use insulin effectively which is associated with type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Popcorn

Now, time for the popcorn! Here are some cool facts. Did you know that most popcorn is healthy?! It is because there are only 31 calories per serving?! But the more butter and salt you add, but it gets more unhealthy, so keep your toppings minimal. Since corn is a whale grain and popcorn is popped corn, popcorn is 100% whole grain! Wow! Popcorn is also extremely high in fiber. Fiber can help with weight loss and promote digestive health. The recommended intake for fiber is 25g for a woman and 38g for a man. However, people aren’t eating all their fiber for the day, so eating popcorn will help you get all those fibers.

But….prepackaged microwave popcorn can be very harmful. Prepackaged microwave popcorn often contains PFOA and diacetyl, chemicals that may be harmful. It also contains unhealthy trans fats. PFOA is Perfluorooctanoic Acid. This acid has many chemicals in it, so digesting it can be very harmful to your body.

The Winner

There are many good things about both delicious items. Chocolate is sweet and good but very unhealthy for us. Popcorn is also good but it is healthy for you in some ways. There are many good and bad things about both delicious items. But the winner has to be…. Popcorn! Let me tell you why, It has some good health benefits, like losing weight. It can come in many flavors, while chocolate only comes in 3 flavors. White, milk, and dark chocolate. While popcorn comes in over 45 flavors! But, did you know that you can get chocolate on popcorn!! So overall, popcorn is the winner!

10 Most Popular Foods In The World

gublehal000 Uncategorized , , , , , , , , 0 Comment

Imagine you are traveling around the world and want a bite to eat. Where should you stop to get some food? These are the top 10 most popular foods in the world. 

Number 10

The 10th most popular food is called Chicken muamba. It can be found in Gabon. This dish is known for how much peanut butter its smothered in. Oh, the insanity. The recipe includes chicken, garlic, hot chili, tomato, pepper, salt, okra and palm butter, an artery-clogging African butter that is so good you will have to get seconds and make you want to start using your gym membership. 

Number 9

Ice cream is ranked 9th most popular food in the world, it can be found anywhere. Even though you may be full from supper there is always room for a cold, delicious bowl of ice cream with nuts, marshmallows and chocolate sauce. You’ll be thankful for long spoons when you finish your bowl and want to scrape all the delicious left overs off the bottom. With so many different flavors, and toppings ice cream is loved around the world. 

Number 8

Tom yum goong, even though it sounds funny it is one of the most tastiest dishes in the world. Tom yum goong can be found in Thailand. This master piece is made with shrimp, mushrooms, tomatoes, lemongrass, galangal and kaffir lime leaves. Most of the time loaded with cream and coconut milk, Just like most Thai dishes the soup has many different tastes all mixed together such as sour, salty, spicy and sweet. To make this meal even better it is sold at a really cheap price! 

Number 7

Penang assam laksa is found in Malaysia. One of  Malaysia’s most popular dishes is an addictive spicy-sour fish broth with noodles also great fused with ginger. With ingredients such as Poached, flaked mackerel, tamarind, chili, mint, lemongrass, onion, and pineapple. This tasty dish will have your nose running before the spoon even hits your lips.

Number 6

Hamburgers are the 6th most popular food item in the world. They can be found basically anywhere in the world. When something tastes so good that people spend $20 billion each year in a single restaurant that sells this item, you know it has to be ranked pretty high on this list. Some restaurants don’t sell the best burgers, but that’s the point. It doesn’t have to be the best people believe that any burger is a good burger. The buns, meat, sauce, and veggies combination is so good that people will spend millions just to produce more cows. Hamburgers are definitely poplar around the world, and are very loved.

Number 5

Believe it or not Peking duck is listed 5th on the list of best foods. You can find this delicious food item in China. Some ingredients in this delightful dish is cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, honey, soy sauce, and so much more. You will never forget this dish, it is incredible. The taste is so amazing you will die for another trip to China just to taste this dish one more time. 

Number 4

The 4th best dish in the world is sushi. It was founded in Japan but you can fund it many more places. When Japan wants to make something delicious, they make it even more then delicious. They try to make it the best thing you’ve ever tasted. Japan has created tons of amazing things such as Toyota, Nintendo, Sony, Nikon and Yamaha Sushi is just one more thing they added to their list. Many people are very happy with their decision to go grab some takeout at the Chinese restaurant. Whether you are on a date, or just chilling at home by yourself sushi is a great way to go.  

Number 3

Chocolate lands its place on the 3rd most popular food in the world. Founded in mexico. Some people drank it, some make films about it, and most of us just get guilty by eating more and more of it. While you won’t regret eating some of this delicious Mexican treat, it will make you want to get in better shape. Without this creamy, sweet treat Valentine’s Day would be all cards and flowers, and Easter would turn back into another dull religious event.

Number 2

Of course pizza is the 2nd on the list of favorite foods, but not just any kind of pizza, Neapolitan pizza found in Italy is so tasty some people would eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. While this pizza certainly does not have a lot of toppings that is what makes this dish a favorite in Italy. The best pizza was and still is the simple Neapolitan, a pizza now protected by its own trade association that insists on sea salt, wheat flour, the use of only three types of tomatoes, hand rolled dough and a wood fire oven. With just these few ingredients dough, tomatoes, olive oil, salt and basil. Yes it doesn’t even have cheese. The Neapolitans created a food that everyone enjoys, and that only few can make right. 

Number 1

Last but certainly not least the number 1 most popular food item in the world is massaman curry, made in Thailand. The best curry, and the best food, you could call it the king of foods. Spicy, coconutty, sweet and savory. This dish has so many delicious tastes. Thank goodness someone invented rice, with which diners can mop up the last drizzles of curry sauce. This dish is certainly a must if you are in Thailand. The delicious taste and spices will knock your socks off.

These were the 10 most popular foods in the world. Some may agree, others might not. What’s your favorite food?

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