8 Things You Probably Didn’t Know about Chocolates

Chocolate, I would say is a pretty universally loved food. Bakers commonly use it as an important ingredient in desserts, young kids plead their parents for it, many adults have strong cravings for it – people love chocolates so much that they eat it as an energy booster, use it as dips for their food or even make it into a spread mixed with other ingredients. Chocolate can literally be put into almost anything. 🍫

Apart from knowing all the ways to indulge in them, what more do we know about chocolates? Have you wondered about the “science” going on behind chocolates? For those of you who are not quite a fan of chocolates, here are 8 little-known facts that might perhaps entice you to indulge in chocolates once in a while! Also, all you chocolate aficionados might find more comfort to know that chocolates might not entirely be an unhealthy snack.

1. Chocolate is as healthy as a fruit

Many would think of chocolates as an unhealthful snack but eating chocolates can actually be healthy! While we are always told to eat more fruits, perhaps we should also be told to eat more chocolates (in moderation, of course!). Research has shown that dark chocolate can aid in losing weight and promotes a healthier skin! Chocolate triggers hormones to make one feel that they are “full” which helps to cut appetite! Little did we also know; dark chocolates are actually great stress reliever and helps to keep your skin young and fresh! 🍎

2. Chocolate gives you Brain Power

Chocolates make an excellent brain food – chocolates help to improve blood flow to the brain which in turn boosts your brainpower. Did you know? Eating cocoa regularly could aid in memory works and visual information processing? If you didn’t already know, long-term ingestion of chocolates could enhance normal cognitive functioning and have a protective role in cognitive performance! 🧠

3. Chocolate is actually a vegetable – Well, kind of.

Chocolate is indeed a vegetable. Some may argue that it is a fruit, but regardless of your stance, I believe we would all be delighted to know that – chocolates can in fact be good for you. Chocolates come from the cacao bean, which grows on the cacao tree, an evergreen from the Malvaceae plant family. This makes the most important part of the sweet treat a vegetable. You can finally indulge in your chocolate snack without feeling (very) guilty! 👍🏻

4. Multiple celebrations with chocolate

More celebrations mean more excuses to eat chocolates! The calendar offers plenty of excuses to buy a bar. Here goes the list:

• July 7: Chocolate Day (Marks the day when chocolate was first brought to Europe in 1550)
• July 28: National Milk Chocolate Day
• September 13: International Chocolate Day
• November 7: National Bittersweet Chocolate with Almonds Day

Enjoy the hit of happiness and curb your cravings with chocolates!

5. The tree that chocolate comes from means “Food of the Gods”

The Scientific name for the Tree that chocolate comes from (Cacao Tree) – “Theobroma Cacao” literally translates to “cacao, food of the Gods”. Here’s the time to indulge in more chocolates, because only then you get to taste the “food that Gods eat”. 😉

6. Chocolate Milk is an Effective Post-Workout Recovery Drink

Low fat chocolate milk consists of a 4:1 carbohydrate:protein ratio (similar to many recovery beverages). Consuming chocolate milk immediately after exercise is beneficial and appears to be optimal for exercise recovery, which lowers the chances of muscle damage. Chocolate milk replenish energy stores, facilitates muscle tissue repair and is now one of the most popular post workout snacks that fitness experts swear by! 🏃

7. Dark Chocolate contains Heart-Healthy antioxidants & Reduces Risk of Heart Disease

Dark chocolate is actually beneficial for your heart health. Study shows that blood pressure significantly decreased in participants, mainly due to the heavy concentration of antioxidants present in chocolates. If you’re a chocoholic, good news for you; Dark chocolates contain substances that protect your heart so having chocolates so in the long run, this should cause much less cholesterol to lodge in the arteries, resulting a lower risk of heart diseases!

8. The Smell of Chocolate Triggers Relaxation

Chocolate has certain compounds that trigger the pleasure inducing parts of the brain and is known to have soothing properties. Chocolate eating helps to reduce negative mood and tend to make people more relaxed. Study also showed that they actually paid attention and retained more information when the smell of chocolates was around!

Of course, while some of these facts show us that chocolates can be healthy to the mind and body but it is also important to keep in mind that as with most food around, moderation is key. Don’t go all crazy with those chocolates after reading these facts okay? But for an occasional sweet treat, you know where to get your chocolate cravings fixed, order here: https://www.foodline.sg/cakes/Chocolate/ 😉