Chocolate is manufactured from the cocoa bean through a process of cleaning, roasting and deshelling. Chocolate has been revered by humans as a medicinal food since early civilisation, and modern science attests to its healing properties. The healing properties of chocolate are thought to be due to its high concentration of a group of polyphenolic phytochemicals belonging to the flavonoid class. In particular, chocolate contains high amounts of proanthocyanidins, which are structurally oligomers of catechins, the flavonoids found in high concentrations in tea and apples. The proanthocyanidins in chocolate may thin the blood by decreasing platelet aggregation and thus reduce the risk of suffering a heart attack. Chocolate also contains a substance called phenylethylamine (PEA) than may favourably alter brain activity to give a mood elevating effect.
Commercially available chocolate tends to contain high amounts of sugar. Milk chocolate in particular is nothing more than a junk food as its cocoa content is so low. Milk chocolate therefore is likely a disease causing agent on account of sugar it contains. Dark chocolate has higher concentrations of cocoa solids and lower concentrations of sugar. However, the quality of dark chocolate varies considerably and so care should be taken in selecting a product with low amounts of sugar and high amounts of cocoa. An often overlooked way of obtaining the benefits of chocolate is to consume cocoa itself. Cocoa can be made into a drink and this will provide all the benefits of dark chocolate. This also allows the sugar content to be controlled by the individual, and alternative methods of sweetening are recommended. Cocoa is also an excellent drink to consume before bed because of the relaxing properties of warm milk.
RdB
