Everything you ever wanted to know about chocolate and more!
Chocolate is the result of blending cocoa butter and a liquid called chocolate liquor, both derived from the cacao bean. But from those twin ingredients, many different kinds of chocolate can arise. One of the finest is milk chocolate.
Cocoa butter, chocolate liquor and other ingredients are blended together in a process called conching. All ingredients are mixed at around 120F/49C to form a smooth, delicious blend. Milk is added to that blend to make the final product even smoother and gentler, creating a taste sensation enjoyed the world over.
Though some of the health benefits touted for chocolate are more concentrated in the dark form of the confection, milk chocolate is also a healthy food in moderation. It still contains antioxidants, Tryptophan, Theobromine and caffeine. All those are beneficial at moderate 'doses'.
Antioxidants help 'gobble up' free radicals (oxygen ions that travel through the bloodstream), rescuing the body from potential cell damage. Tryptophan is a precursor to serotonin, a neurochemical that contributes to feelings of relaxation. Theobromine is a mild stimulant that can create a positive feeling. Caffeine, in small quantities, has been shown to have a number of positive health benefits.
The milk added can also contribute to physical well being, by supplying calcium, B vitamins and small quantities of fat. Yes, it's true, in the right amounts fat is a positive health benefit. It's used by the brain to regulate certain essential hormones and it provides carbohydrates for energy.
But even apart from the nutrition and physiological role of milk chocolate, it has a mental benefit. After all, enjoyment helps relieve stress and is evidence of a life well lived. Researchers now recognize that the mind and body are part of a whole and that well being requires them to both to be well cared for.
Moderate consumption of milk chocolate is one sure way to provide that benefit. Its delicious taste and delectable consistency makes it one of the most sought after products on the planet. Milk sugars combined with cocoa create a flavor unequaled by other foods. There's a good reason almost everyone is to some degree a 'chocoholic'.
The quick boost of energy derived from two ounces of milk chocolate is one of the reasons it's a part of major exercise and nutrition programs. And the feeling of indulgence provided by a small chunk after a hard day is the type of reward that no one need feel guilty about.
Milk chocolate is definitely worth a bite.