Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Chocolate Answered in Book,
Chocolate & Cocoa: Health and Nutrition
If something tastes that good, it must be bad for you. A team of
world-renowned scientists disproves this theory when it comes to chocolate in
the soon-to-be-released book Chocolate and Cocoa: A Review of Health and
Nutrition. The book, commissioned by the International Cocoa Organization (ICCO)
and produced in cooperation with the International Cocoa Research Foundation
(ICREF), the educational foundation of the American Cocoa Research Institute
(ACRI), discusses the latest research on the potential benefits of chocolate and
cocoa.
An international array of cocoa and chocolate experts offer 22 chapters on
important topics related to the health and nutritional aspects of chocolate and
cocoa. "We are proud to bring you this first-of-a-kind, comprehensive review of
the science of chocolate and believe it should be part of every chocolate
lover's library," said Dr. Carol Knight, Vice President, International Cocoa
Research, ACRI.
Among the book's findings:
- Chocolate lovers can take heart in new research showing that this favorite
food is packed with high-quality polyphenol antioxidants that may reduce the
risk of developing cancer and heart disease.
- Stearic acid, the main saturated fatty acid in chocolate, does NOT raise
blood cholesterol levels.
- It is chocolate's unique taste and sensory properties that make chocolate
the single most craved food in the United States.
- Cocoa and chocolate are rich in minerals the body needs, including magnesium
and iron.
- The vast majority of evidence suggests we dismiss the hypothesis that
chocolate is a significant migraine trigger.
- Chocolate has relatively little impact when it comes to causing dental
caries. Chocolate tends to clear the mouth quickly, limiting the time it is in
contact with the teeth.
- Allergies to chocolate are extremely rare with the more likely allergens
being milk, egg, peanut or tree nut components of chocolate products - not the
chocolate itself.
- Chocolate and cocoa do not cause obesity. It is the quantity of foods eaten,
combined with the level of physical activity and underlying genetics, which
determine whether a person will gain weight.
"Whether antioxidant benefits, neurotransmitter responses, or your mother's
favorite myth, the real reason we eat chocolate may not be so complex," added
Knight. "We eat chocolate simply because it tastes good. Chocolate and Cocoa:
Health and Nutrition supports what we have known for years - that chocolate can
be enjoyed as an important part of a healthful and pleasurable diet."
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