Chocolate…is it a health food? Nothing beats a good piece of chocolate. It’s rich, smooth, creamy and makes us feel good, until the guilt sets in. Chocolate’s mood-enhancing qualities are an obvious reason why it is so strongly associated with Valentine’s Day, as a gift for lovers and loved ones. Chocolate's Dark Secret There’s no getting around the fact that chocolate is a high fat food. But there is growing evidence that, in small quantities, some kinds of chocolate may actually be good for you. Dark chocolate is naturally rich in flavonoids (or more specifically, flavanols, a sub-class of these antioxidants). These compounds are thought to lower blood pressure and help protect against heart disease—among other things. What about the Fat? It’s still hard to think of chocolate as a health food. Part of the allure is the guilty pleasure of eating it. But before we raid the candy store, it’s worth remembering that chocolate is not a low calorie food. A serving size of Dove dark chocolate (40 grams) contains 210 calories and 13 grams of fat, 8 of which are saturated, although some of this saturated fat is in the form of stearic acid, which is converted by the liver into a "healthier" monounsaturated fat. Cocoa Powder Cocoa powder, which is low fat, would surely be a healthier way to get both our chocolate fix and our dose of flavanols. When the urge to eat chocolate strikes, it's fine to allow ourselves an occasional ounce of flavanol-rich dark chocolate. It'll make us feel good, and it may even do some good.

The cacao tree is grown in the tropics in a band between 10 to 20 degrees north and south of the equator, sometimes called the "Cocoa Belt". The tree is often grown in the shades of other trees. It can be as tall as 12 meters and has fruits (pods) which are more than 30 cm long. The fruits may be brownish-yellow to purple, and contain 20-40 seeds or cacao beans in a pink, sweet-sour pulp. The cacao tree is cultivated in many countries. Four major types of cacao are cultivated: Criollo, Forastero, Trinitario and Nacional. The flavor of the cacao beans is not only dependent on the variety, but also on the soil, temperature, sunshine and rainfall. It is now possible to buy chocolates made with cacao beans from one single region and thus compare the aromas; these chocolates are often called specialty chocolates, in contrast to ordinary chocolate which are made with mostly cheap cacao beans from several regions and with more than one cacao variety.

The cacao fruits are opened and the pulp and seeds are transferred to larger containers. This is either performed by farmers, plantation workers, or in large cocoa factories where it can be done by machines. The cacao beans are later transferred to wooden crates or baskets with banana leaves in between and on top to enable an optimal fermentation. The duration of the fermentation depends on the variety and is from 2 to more than 7 days. The length of the fermentation also affects the aroma, so if well-developed aroma is wanted the beans are fermentation for a longer time. The fermentation process transforms the flavor to what we associate with cocoa and chocolate. Without the fermentation process there will not be any chocolate flavor. Opened cacao fruit Cacao beans ready for fermentation

When the fermentation is terminated the cacao beans are sun-dried. At this stage the smell of cocoa can be observed. In small plantations the fermented beans are spread by hand, and later turned over by hand or foot. In Central America the beans are dried on wooden floors which can be covered by a sliding roof if it starts to rain. On larger plantations electric dryers are used. The drying process takes 1-2 weeks, and during that period the color changes from reddish brown to dark brown. The beans are then polished by a machine to obtain an improved visual appearance. Previously the beans were polished by "dancing the cacao beans"; the dancers polished the beans with their feet in a dance-like manner.

After roasting and winnowing (removing the outer shell from the cacao beans) they are ground making cocoa liquor. The heat which is generated melts the cocoa fat thus generating a liquor, and sometimes additional heating is employed. The liquor hardens to unsweetened chocolate when it cools below 95 degrees F / 35 degrees C. Pressure is employed to the cocoa liquid (while slightly heated) to remove some of the fat which is also called cocoa butter. The remaining cocoa solids contains 10-25% cocoa butter depending on brand. The solids are then ground to cocoa powder. chocolate liquor is the ground or melted state of the nib of the cacao bean cocoa butter is the fat component cocoa powder is the nonfat part of the cacao bean, which is ground into a powder Chocolate is available in many types. Different forms and flavors of chocolate are produced by varying the quantities of the different ingredients. Other flavors can be obtained by varying the time and temperature when roasting the beans. “Unsweetened chocolate", also known as "bitter", "baking chocolate" or "cooking chocolate" is pure chocolate liquor mixed with some form of fat to produce a solid substance.

A “CHOCOLATE” MENU

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