Cocoa has been a popular food in various cultures for several centuries. Even the Aztecs and Majas knew the fine taste and that health-promoting effects of cocoa beans appreciate. They use this to brew a drink with a bitterly sharp taste.
Why chocolate is good for us
In Europe, however, cocoa only became a popular drink with the addition of sugar. Cocoa powder can be used in many different ways - from the classic hot mug to a chocolate bar. Researchers have now recognized that cocoa not only tastes good, Cocoa also brings health benefits with himself.
In addition to being consumed as a hot drink, cocoa is primarily known in industrialized countries as a raw material from which chocolate is made. The cocoa powder used for this comes from the beans of the cocoa tree. In their natural, untreated state, these contain a large amount of bitter substances, which is why their taste does not yet match the typical sweet note that is known from products such as chocolate.
The cocoa beans are picked, dried and delivered to chocolate producers. There it is processed into cocoa mass and then into cocoa powder and cocoa butter. This is the fat that was pressed out of the cocoa mass. Just like cocoa powder, it is also found in the majority of chocolate types. The white chocolate, in which a lot of sugar is added to the cocoa butter, gets by without the powder.
Effects of cocoa on the immune system
There are estimates that cocoa contains around 300 ingredients. Trans fatty acids, which are present to a large extent in industrially manufactured cocoa mixtures, are particularly problematic. These are unsaturated fatty acids that produce harmful substances when heated.
They can be found in many processed foods, especially in the fast food industry. Glycerides from trans fats are naturally found in dairy products. There they make up about three to six percent of all fatty acid residues. They can also be found in the meat of ruminants. Anaerobic bacterial metabolic processes, which take place in the rumen, cause the trans fats to arise incidentally, which is why they are found in beef, goat meat, lamb and deer meat.
An industrial process such as fat hardening creates trans fatty acids as a by-product. Frying and heating at high temperatures also create trans fats. If vegetable oils with a high content of unsaturated cis fatty acid esters are heated to at least 130 degrees Celsius, these are isomerized to trans fatty acid esters.
Fewer strokes thanks to chocolate
In recent years, more and more discoveries have been made that the consumption of chocolate can be beneficial for our psyche, our heart, our memory and our blood vessels. The American scientist Beatrice Golomb has now even put forward the thesis that chocolate does not make you fat, but can prevent it from becoming fat.
In her research, she found that those who eat chocolate every day are less prone to overweight than those who only snack now and then. She suspects that the catechins contained in chocolate stimulate the metabolism. Catechins belong to the group of flavonoids and are valued for their antioxidant potential.
Other ingredients in cocoa include dopamine and serotonin, which increase wellbeing and have a mood-enhancing effect. It is therefore not surprising that many people particularly like to reach for chocolate when they are stressed, lovesick or generally depressed. However, cocoa products from industrial production are usually very high in calories, as they are highly enriched with sugar.
Natural cocoa powder, on the other hand, has a low sugar content of just one percent. Furthermore, it consists of 54 percent fat, 11.5 percent protein, 9 percent cellulose, 5 percent water and 2.6 percent minerals. Magnesium and potassium are among the minerals contained in cocoa, as well as some important dietary fibers, for example vitamin E.
At 350 kilocalories per 100 grams, the caloric value of cocoa is quite high compared to some other foods. While the powder that is commonly available in stores has even more calories, the value of de-oiled, unsweetened cocoa drops to around 250 kcal per 100 grams. In comparison, chocolate contains more than twice the amount of calories.
The use of unsweetened and de-oiled cocoa is also worthwhile with regard to the trans fatty acids. Consuming chocolate can also be beneficial to health. Varieties that contain more than 70 percent cocoa are often associated with lowering blood pressure. This is due to the numerous flavanols found in cocoa.
These make the blood vessels more elastic, which has a positive effect on blood pressure. In doing so, cocoa helps reduce the risk of stroke. The powder also contains theophylline and theobromine. These stimulate the central nervous system and the circulation. There are also many antioxidants in dark chocolate. These fight the formation of free radicals in the body, which can lead to cell degeneration and thus to diseases such as cancer.
It all depends on the right amount
Despite the positive effects of cocoa, chocolate should only be consumed in small quantities due to its high sugar and fat content. A chunk or two of a particularly cocoa-containing variety is enough for the health benefits to take effect. If you still don't want to go without one or the other piece, you can also make healthy chocolate yourself.
The most important thing is the selection of natural, untreated ingredients. Cocoa butter and pasteurized butter or coconut fat are particularly suitable. These are melted in a saucepan at low temperatures and then seasoned with stevia or a little honey. The advantage of natural cocoa butter is its primary fatty acid stearic acid.
Among the saturated fatty acids, it is the only one that has a positive influence on HDL, ie the “good” cholesterol, without affecting LDL. So there is no increased risk of heart disease or strokes. In order to have an overview of what is really contained in the hot drinking chocolate, it is advisable to mix the cocoa according to your own recipe.
It is important to design the relationship between sugar and natural cocoa powder individually and according to your own taste. Spices such as vanilla, cinnamon or cayenne pepper can be added to give the drink an interesting note.
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