Chocolate

White chocolate



Chocolate is made up of cocoa. The pure chocolate that make and process from the seed of cocoa tree is in fluid form which is known as chocolate liquor. The chocolate liquor is then processed into two components which are cocoa solids and cocoa butter. Cocoa butter is the fatty component of chocolate. Cocoa solid is a non fat component of chocolate. Cocoa solid give the flavor and color (brown) to the chocolate and cocoa butter give the smoothness and low melting point to chocolate. Although cocoa butter is the fatty component but then it composed of both saturated and unsaturated fats. In cocoa butter, 75% is in the form of oleic and stearic acids while 25% is those bad kind of fat.



Milk chocolate


There are 3 main types of chocolate: Milk chocolate, white chocolate and dark chocolate. Milk chocolate is sweet chocolate which contain chocolate with sugar and combine with milk powder or condensed milk. Milk chocolate is also sweet chocolate and contain cocoa butter and milk, this type of chocolate does not contain cocoa solids. Dark chocolate contain cocoa butter, cocoa solid and sugar.
Dark chocolate



Many research found that cocoa contain flavonoids epicatechin which is an antioxidant. Antioxidant is a molecule that slow down or prevent the oxidation (transfer of electrons) of other molecules by bonding them. This reduce the formation of free radicals that will damage our body cell. Epicatechin improve blood flow and this good for cardiac health. Flavonoids also reduce the clotting of blood and this reduce risk of stroke and heart attack. Besides, cocoa contains alkaloids such as theobromine and phenethylamine. Alkaloids are natural chemical compound which contain basic nitrogen atoms. Phenethylamine is a mild antidepressant and stimulant which similar to out dopamine and adrenaline hormone. Theobromine is a mild stimulant in concert with caffeine which make people addicted. Tryptophan is another chemical that found in cocoa and it trigger the brain to make serotonin (neurotransmitter that produce ecstasy feeling).


Disadvantage such as cocoa contains higher concentration of lead which cause mild lead poisoning. Lead poisoning can effect children's brain function and cause permanent neurodevelopmental deficits including impaired IQ. Cocoa is toxic to animals because of theobromine that found in cocoa. Animals such as horses, dogs, parrots, small rodents and cats can't metabolise chemical effectively and theobromine will remain in their blood. This will cause them heart attack, internal bleeding and death.


If you are a chocolate lover, you should buy dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate because dark chocolate has a higher cocoa content, lesser sugar and fat. Remember that the higher the cocoa content, the lesser the space for cocoa butter, sugar, milk and other substances that makes the chocolate. While, milk chocolate will increase the risk of obesity because cocoa butter is removed during manufacturing process and milk fat, sugars and other fats are added into it. This increase the caloric content of chocolate.


Although cocoa is good for us but what we have in chocolates is processed cocoa with other ingredients such as sugar, milk fats. Therefore, chocolate is not a healthy food and we should consume it in moderation. So if you want to eat chocolate as a snack, you must remember to choose dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate or white chocolate. And look at the nutrition value, you should choose the chocolate which has higher cocoa content, less sugar and fat.


I have found a formula which can calculate the percentage of cocoa butter and cocoa solid in a chocolate but i dont know whether it can be trusted or not. Just try it when you want to buy chocolate.

Step 1 : Note the serving size.

Step 2 : Note the total fat.

Step 3 : Divide the total fat by the serving size ( total fat / serving size ) then multiply 100%.
(this is the percentage of cocoa butter in the chocolate)

Step 4 : Subtract the cocoa percentage that given in the nutrition value and the percentage that you get from step 3. ( this is the percentage of cocoa solid in the chocolate ).