Chocolate has a long been a favorite food of many cultures, including ancient Aztec and Mayan. But, only in recent times that the debate over whether eating chocolate - boon or bane has taken such strong proportions.

On the one side are the supporters who claim miraculous benefits of eating chocolate from curing cancer to acne to almost anything that can be cured. While most of the claims may be exaggerated, the jury is still out on whether there is any truth in these claims. The reason that chocolate is given this exalted status is because of the nutrients contained in it. Some of these are protein - needed for cell maintenance and repair; fat - varies, but generally about 30 percent fat, of which about 50 percent is saturated fat; vitamin E - a fat-soluble vitamin essential for cell membranes; calcium, phosphorus and magnesium - minerals essential for strong bones and teeth; iron - needed to form hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying compound in blood; caffeine and theobromine - nervous system stimulants; copper - assists iron metabolism, formation of melanin (in hair and skin) and functioning of the central nervous system; sugars - varies, but often about 50 percent; antioxidant phytochemicals (such as flavonoids) - cocoa beans, a main ingredient of chocolate (more so in dark chocolate), contain more than 600 plant chemicals, including antioxidants, that may protect against heart disease and cancer.

On the other hand chocolate is also energy dense so eating chocolate even in small quantities leads to release of lot of energy. So, is eating chocolate a boon or bane? Well, the answer isn’t strictly yes or no. The answer will have to be that like everything else moderation should be practiced in eating chocolate. Excess of anything is harmful. Practice moderation.


tags: chocolate, cure cancer, chocolate health benefits

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As we know a cocoa bean has to undergo a lot of processes before it can be called chocolate. Industrial chocolate making process includes several complex operations for the development of flavor and texture. Chocolate is first mixed and grounded to give a mixture of the correctly sized particles. The production and structuring of the solid material prior to molding involves a further complex step, which is called tempering, in which the chocolate is heated and sheared prior to its final solidification.

But, how does chocolate get its shape? Using the process of chocolate casting and solidification. Different types of shapes are produced commercially: bars or blocks, in which chocolate is poured into molds and set. Chocolate coating is applied on the inner sides and filled with chocolates (bonbons, “sweets��?), which consist of a molded chocolate shell and a surrounding a center.

The first step is to fill a cold mold with hot melted chocolate. It is then inverted to leave a shell of the desired thickness. Next, the center material is then poured in to fill the shell. The third step is another layer of chocolate is added above the filling to form the base of the sweet. Finally the mold is inverted, and the sweet falls out of the mold.

Many problems can occur during this process. The incorrect control of the initial process can result in a shell that is too thick or too thin. The hot center material can melt or burn through the shell and cause a leak of the filling, the base can fall off, if it is not properly fixed to the rest of the sweet.


tags: chocolate, solidification, casting, chocolate making

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You will soon see my suprise in the coming days. I have a very important chocolate project I am working on. Pretty soon I will have something that will blow your mind away. Here is a hint. Check out the link below

chocolate recipes

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