For such a dark, bitter substance in its purest form, chocolate definitely has taken hold of our imaginations and our palates. Consider the statistics: The average Joe in the US will eat 10-12 pounds of chocolates on an annual basis while the chocoholic nation of Switzerland has seen its citizens gobble up 21 pounds a year per person. You can just imagine the billions of dollars spent on the sweet stuff. Well, that should come as no surprise as chocolate tastes good, makes you feel good and contributes to looking good!
Good Tastes
For average consumers of chocolate, it just tastes sweet, smooth and, well, chocolate-y. You cannot be blamed if you think that way since chocolates are meant to be savored in all its richness, not analyzed down to the last amino acid. For the chocolate connoisseur, however, chocolate has many flavors to it. Think of chocolate tasting as evaluating perfumes complete with the base, middle and end tones albeit you use both your senses of smell and taste when it comes to chocolate.
Thus, you will hear of flavor descriptions along the lines of floral, fruity and spicy as well as specific notes like raisin, coconuts and vanilla. It will take years and years of practice before you can get to the point where chocolate flavor descriptions roll off your tongue.
It should also be emphasized that the cacao beans from which chocolate is made does not have the chocolate-y flavor one expects. Instead, the complex flavors are added during the fermenting and roasting processes when the amino acids are released and mixed with other substances.
Feel Good
Chocolate does not only taste good, it makes you feel good, too. You must have eaten a chocolate when you were blue and you felt better soon afterwards. Or you eat chocolate because it just feels good melting in your mouth. Either way, this is not a surprise considering that chocolate contains natural chemicals known to lift the mood of whoever is eating it. Think of these chemicals as your natural antidepressants.
You have the chemical known as phenylethylamine, which supposedly stimulates similar physiological reactions as when one is falling in love. You will also consume abundant quantities of theobromine acting as the catalyst in the release of endorphins, which are known as the happy hormones.
Look Good
It is not just our emotional well-being that benefits from chocolates either. Numerous researches on the health benefits of chocolates have pointed out that, when consumed in moderate quantities coupled with a healthy diet, chocolate provides for the following physical benefits:
You have lower cholesterol levels and reduced risk of heart attack. This is because chocolates contain flavonoids, which are beneficial antioxidants.
You may have lower risks for cancer, again thanks to flavonoids that stop cellular damage.
Your heart will be healthier because of the monounsaturated fat in chocolates.
Your body will benefit from the numerous vitamins and minerals in chocolate. Just to name a few, there are calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc and folate as well as vitamins A, E and B-complex.
Keep in mind, nonetheless, that not all chocolates are created equal when it comes to health. We strongly suggest purchasing dark chocolate made from 60 percent or more cocoa solids. Now, you can indeed feel and look good while enjoying the heavenly tastes of chocolate.
