Chocolate can indeed have certain virtues provided you choose it carefully and consume it well!
The history of chocolate
Appearing several centuries ago, chocolate underwent numerous modifications before becoming this guilty pleasure. The Aztecs and Mayans were the first to use it as an energy drink. In 1519, the conquistador Herman Cortes discovered it in America and subsequently exported it to Spain. Thanks to the marriage of Anne of Austria and Louis XIII, he then became known in France. It was with industrial activity at the beginning of the 19th century that the chocolate industry was born!
The different types of chocolate
There are three kinds of chocolate: dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and white chocolate (although some don't really consider white chocolate since it doesn't contain cocoa mass). The main difference between chocolates comes from their respective cocoa content and whether or not ingredients such as milk are added which modifies their nutritional composition. White chocolate contains twice as much sugar as dark chocolate, while dark chocolate provides more fiber and contains a little more fat.
The virtues of chocolate
Euphoric and antidepressant, it is rich in “good fats”, mineral salts and trace elements such as iron, potassium or magnesium, which knows how to restore our morale in all circumstances. Researchers say that chocolate has many virtues but be careful, not all chocolates!
How to choose good chocolate?
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Beware of packaging
Rule number 1 for choosing good chocolate: never trust the packaging. Manufacturers use a whole strategy of colors, words, and names to attract consumers to buy their products rather than another.
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Look at the ingredients list
Making chocolate requires only three ingredients: cocoa mass, cocoa butter and sugar, in varying proportions depending on the type of chocolate (dark, milk, white chocolate, etc.). You can optionally add milk (for milk chocolate for example) or other ingredients (almonds, nuts, raisins, etc.) for flavor varieties. But, chocolate does not require the addition of additives or other substances! The ingredient list should always start with cocoa, meaning it is the main ingredient. Avoid chocolates whose list of ingredients begins with the word “sugar”! This is often a sign of poor quality, including nutritional…
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Pay attention to the fats used
Chocolate is naturally composed of cocoa butter, a vegetable fat obtained from cocoa beans. But cocoa butter tends to be replaced by cheaper vegetable fats to lower costs: by shea butter or even by the famous palm oil...
How to combine pleasure and health?
Chocolate is the ultimate comfort food: fatty and sweet, it melts in your mouth and brings pleasure and comfort. And yet, many people don't buy them for fear of not knowing when to stop! This is a big mistake, because it is precisely when we demonize a food that we cannot stop once we start eating it. Allow yourself this pleasure in a reasonable way, and eat chocolate consciously, savoring it. You will naturally eat much less!
