How To Eat Less Chocolate

By: Jane Thurnell-Read

Chocolate contains important minerals, such as potassium and magnesium. It also contains vitamins B1, B2, D and E. It even contains antioxidants, subtsances that protect against cancer and old age. But let's not fool ourselves, you can get all these benefits in other foods: you don't have to eat chocolate to get these important nutrients.

There's nothing wrong though with chocolate in moderation, but the key phrase here is 'in moderation', because unfortunately many people find it difficult to eat chocolate in moderation. If you're one of these people, try taking a good zinc supplement. Many people find a regular intake of zinc, reduces their chocolate craving - you need to look for a zinc supplement that contains 10 mg to 15 mg of elemental zinc, and take one each day. Tea, coffee and alcohol interfere with the absorption of zinc, so make sure you leave a gap between taking your zinc supplement and drinking any of these.

Zinc is a vitally important nutrient, so taking it is likely to have other positive health benefits. Adequate levels of zinc are vital for the immune system, for general skin health, as well as for rapid healing of burns and wounds. Zinc is important for vision, and your senses of taste and smell. It has a role in fertility and prostate health.

Enjoying a small amount of chocolate with a high cocoa solid content ( preferably 65% or more) as part of a normal diet is, for most people, perfectly acceptable, but do not let the chocolate replace more nutrient-dense foods like fruit, vegetables, seeds and nuts.

About the Author:
Jane Thurnell-Read is an author and researcher on health, allergies and stress. She has written two books for the general public: "Allergy A to Z" and "Health Kinesiology. She also maintains a web site http://www.healthandgoodness.com with tips, inspiration and information for everyone who wants to live a happier, healthier life.

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Interesting Chocolate Statistics

By: Criss White

Just about everyone loves the sweet temptation of chocolates and candy. Here are some intriguing statistics and facts about candy and chocolate:

1. The average American eats 10-12 pounds (4.5 kg) of chocolate a year. The average Swiss eats 21 pounds a year.

2. Chocolate is the food most commonly craved by women, but can contribute significantly to bulimia, obesity, and binge eating.

3. Several medical studies show that eating chocolate in moderation can actually prolong your life by reducing risk of blood clots and fighting bad cholestorol.

4. Chocolate is not physically addictive and does not cause acne, as shown in several medical studies.

5. Chocolate is not high in caffeine. A 1oz bar of milk chocolate contains only 5-6mg of caffeine. This is significantly less than in coffee, tea, and soft drinks.

6. Chocolates can absorb other flavors and scents, and should be kept away from other household chemicals.

7. Chocolate can be frozen for up to six months. It is best to seal chocolate in a zip lock bag before freezing.

8. In genearl, the shelf life for chocolate is a year. Chocolate that is refrigerated may not melt as readily. Thus it is best to store chocolate in cool dry areas 55-60 degrees F.

9. U.S. chocolate manufacturers use 3.5 million pounds of whole milk every day to make chocolate.

10. The largest chocolate bar ever made weighed over 5,000 pounds and was made in Italy in 2000. The largest slab of fudge was over 2,000 pounds and was made in Canada.

11. Children are more likely to prefer chocolate when they reach 10-11 years old than when they are younger.

12. Chocolate is America's favorite flavor, according to recent surveys with a little over 50% of adults preferring chocolate to other flavors.

Note: If you find this article useful, you may reprint it on your website, e-zine, or in your newsletter as long as the credits above remain in tact and the hyperlinks stay active.

About the Author:
Criss White is a professional web writer on baby and new mother topics. For more chocolate gift ideas, go to Chocolate Baby Shower Favors (http://www.mybabyshowerfavors.com/chocolate.htm) and for more candy gift ideas, see Candy Baby Shower Favors (http://www.mybabyshowerfavors.com/candy.htm).

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Edith's Cake That Thrilled The French

By: Janette Blackwell

Twenty-three chefs who cooked for world royalty and heads of state (The Club des Chefs des Chefs) were, during their 1987 visit to the U.S., wined and dined with the best our finest chefs had to offer. What impressed them most? Lunch at an Amish farm in Pennsylvania, where they ate homegrown new potatoes, string beans with cream sauce and corn, charcoal-grilled chicken, and baked ham, washed down with homemade root beer and peppermint tea, served by the family in a barn lined with handmade quilts.

They were stunned. Happily so, it seems. The chef for the president of France said, Cooking has evolved so much. Nobody presents the true product as it is, and all of a sudden we were presented that.

But the desserts impressed them most. Especially one they couldnt name. One they described as a light pain depices (spice cake) with a layer of chocolate filling. Gilles Brunner, chef to Prince Rainier of Monaco, was so taken with the cake, which he described as a chocolate gingerbread, that he tried to get the recipe. His request was refused.

The Amish family did not want their identity revealed, which refusal greatly hampered efforts to identify the cake as well. Research by Phyllis Richman, then food editor of the Washington Post, seemed to show that the mystery dessert was Amish applesauce cake with chocolate frosting, and the Post printed a version of it contributed by Betty Groff, a cookbook author from the Pennsylvania Dutch country.

Which applesauce cake turned out to be pretty much what our family had been enjoying since my father married Edith Kennedy in 1977, and which Ediths family had been enjoying long before that. Her daughter, Lorenelle Doll, who gave me the recipe, says that it was a favorite of my father and Lorenelles husband Arnie. (So far as I know, Edith didnt actually feed any to a French chef.)

I like to think Ediths version is better than Betty Groffs, because that recipe says to frost with vanilla or chocolate frosting if desired. Whereas Ediths gives a recipe for chocolate frosting MADE WITH BUTTER. And in my view the humblest frosting made with butter is better than the fanciest frosting made without. Im not implying that Ediths frosting is humble. It isnt. Its purely wonderful, as is her cake.

Edith Kennedy Glidewell went to be with her Lord in March 2002, but before that she gladdened many hearts in many ways, this applesauce cake not the least of them.

EDITHS APPLESAUCE CAKE

Cream together 1/2 cup room temperature butter or shortening and 1 cup sugar. Add 1 egg and beat together. Mix in 1-1/2 cups applesauce.

Sift together 2 cups flour, 1 tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp. soda, 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. allspice, 1/2 tsp. nutmeg, and 1/4 tsp. cloves. Add to applesauce mixture, along with 1 cup raisins and 3/4 cup chopped walnuts.

Lightly oil a 9" x 12" pan and dust with flour. Add the cake mixture and bake at 350 degrees 50 to 60 minutes, until the top of the cakes center springs back when touched. Frost with chocolate frosting when cool.

Chocolate Frosting: Combine in a heavy saucepan or double boiler 1 square bakers unsweetened chocolate, 1 cup sugar, 1/4 cup butter, and 1/3 cup milk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and cook 1 minute. Cool and beat until the frosting has a satin finish.

About the Author:
Go STEAMIN DOWN THE TRACKS WITH VIOLA HOCKENBERRY, a storytelling cookbook -- and find Montana country cooking, nostalgic stories, and gift ideas -- at Janette Blackwells Food and Fiction, http://foodandfiction.com/Entrance.html -- or visit her Delightful Food Directory, http://delightfulfood.com/main.html

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Health By Chocolate: Why Dark Chocolate May Be Good For You

By: Jason Flintstone

It's that time of year when giving and indulging in the sweetness of sweets (especially with your sweetie) is seen as perfectly acceptable.

But, new research shows that there are more reasons than ever to NOT avoid or deny your chocolate cravings all year long.

According to some studies done in Italy, dark chocolate has many of the same benefits as vitamin C helping the body use insulin more effectively and lower blood pressure.

The research examined two out of three chocolate varieties, dark chocolate and white chocolate. Dark chocolate is made up of cocoa solids and sugar but no milk solids (prevalent in milk chocolate) and white chocolate, although referred to as chocolate had no cocoa solids, but instead is made of cocoa butter (the fat in chocolate), mil solids and sugar.

According to the study, participants who enjoyed 100 grams of dark chocolate daily for 15 days had reduced blood pressure and become more sensitive to insulin than they were prior to the "experiment".

Researchers believe that the benefits of dark chocolate are because of the flavonoids it contains, which are associated with the ability to lower the risk of heart disease and some cancers. However, white chocolate exhibited no effect on patients since it is free of cocoa solids, where the flavonoids are found.

So what does this mean for you and me? Is it time to replace the celery and carrot platters with chocolate samplers and related goodies? Is it time to switch from "an apple a day" to "a chocolate bar a day"? The answer to this is probably a big "no". Nonetheless, knowing this little tidbit and what other discoveries it may lead to in the future sure won't inhibit a healthy person from treating themselves to the oh-so-desirable rich goodness of a nice piece of dark chocolate on occasion.

About The Author:
http://www.lifamilies.com
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A Moment Of Truth: Confessions Of A True Chocoholic

By: Elizabeth Smith

Is all the chocolate from your kids Trick-or-Treat bags gone already? And not because your children ate it all? If you are anything like me, the chocolate candies are nowhere to be found because you have relentlessly snatched them from your unknowing children and, with much guilt and remorse, ate them all. Not because you dont like your kids eating too much chocolate (its for their own good, right?). And not because you are desperately trying to put on a few pounds. The truth is, you are a serious chocoholic, and anything containing chocolate doesnt last long in your home because it ends up in your stomach.

Now, many of us are well known as chocoholics, but others, to some extent, still have one leg in the closet. Those close to us know we love chocolate, but when the candy goes missing we dont claim any responsibility. I have recently removed myself from the darkness and became a self-proclaimed chocoholic. Moreover, I am ready to explore the reasons behind my desires and what can be done about it. In fact, its probably time we all came out of the candy-filled closet to discuss this propensity for the sugary sweet. Why do we have it? Is there a genetic component to our needs? And what is truly so bad about being addicted to this mere cocoa bean? Most importantly, what can we do to keep our habitual desire in check? I will explore all of the above and detail a healthy way to keep chocolate in our diets.

Why are we the chosen addicted to chocolate anyway? Within my research, I have found that several scientists believe genetics does play a part in why certain people become consumed by the taste and smell of chocolate. Although I am not a scientist, I also believe that the inevitable craving for chocolate has some hereditary component. In my family, both parents have the desire to eat anything containing even a trace of chocolate. My sisters have also been burdened with this want for any such version of chocolate. In addition, my eldest brother requires much will to keep himself away from the candy cabinet in his home. This may not be scientific evidence, but it is my experience and stands to reason in my mind. No doubt, many chocoholics reading this article can think of at least two relatives that require a daily dose of chocolate to keep them happy.

So what is the big deal about chocolate anyway? Is it really that bad for us? I guess the answer is yes and no. Yes for some of us, no for others. Many doctors and psychologists believe that being addicted to chocolate means that one has the genetic code for simply being an addict. Many chocoholics are also alcoholics, smokers, and on down the line of addictive behaviors. Research also shows that many obese people are burdened with chocolate addiction as well as addiction to other foods. For these folks, addiction to anything has the potential to become problematic.

What about those of us who are chocoholics but not obese and not regular addicts? I myself am not obese. I am also not an addictto anything but chocolate. I have never dealt with any other addiction. I do not have addictive behavior and do not believe I have the disease of addiction. I am simply in love with chocolate and want it almost as much as I want a good nights sleep. Is it truly dangerous for me? Of course its not the healthiest of foods to love but Ive yet to enter the realm of danger. But it wouldnt hurt to find a better way to fulfill my desires.

Most chocoholics know their habit is not necessarily a good one and would be willing to try a healthier alternative. Replacing chocolate with carob chips could ease kicking the chocolate habit, but the taste is just not the same. Another alternative is dark chocolate, which is known to have health benefits such as lowering high blood pressure. It also contains a potent antioxidant which helps to fight heart disease and other ailments. Just dont wash it down with a glass of milk because milk prevents absorption of the good stuff. Dark organic chocolate is said to be the healthiest choice. It is more expensive than the average chocolate bar but is very rich in flavanoids and antioxidants. Dark organic chocolate, when consumed in moderation, can help to control diabetes and blood pressure. This is the best replacement for those who are addicted to chocolate but need a healthier variety.

Whatever your choice, it is imperative to remember that all types of chocolate contain large amounts of sugar and should only be consumed by healthy individuals. I myself would like to say that from now on Im only going to eat dark organic chocolate in moderation. But who am I kidding. I know that I lack the willpower. I believe in strength in numbers, however, and look forward to all the emails I will receive from fellow chocoholics wanting to mellow, if not curb, the habit. I dont think that chocolate is going to kill me, but it is certainly not going to save my life. I will attempt to limit my consumption and focus on buying dark varieties of chocolate. Especially now that all the Halloween candy is gone. And if I can do it, so can you.

About the Author:
Elizabeth Smith is the owner two home-based gift businesses, http://www.craftygiftcreations.com and http://www.thatcountrycharm.com. She is also a part-time freelance writer. As the work-at-home mother of two children, she strongly supports the WAHM community.

Source: www.isnare.com

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