Boston researchers have discovered that daily capsules with 500 mg of cocoa flavanols — compounds found in foods such as cocoa, tea, grapes and berries — may cut down cardiovascular risk. The first large-scale trial to test the long-term effects of a cocoa flavanol supplement to prevent cardiovascular disease showed the compound can reduce cardiovascular death by 27%.
A Ventura County supervisor is suing Dick at Your Door for sending a five inch penis-shaped chocolate to her residence.
The Global Carob Chocolate Market size is expected to reach $1.1 billion by 2027, rising at a market growth of 5.5% CAGR during the forecast period. Carob chocolates are made up of dried carob pods. The preparation process of carob chocolates involves various steps. Firstly, the carob pods are cleaned and dried then the dried pods are grinded and carob powder is refined from the grinded powder. After this, the extracted powder is used in making of carob chocolates, bars and chips.
Chocolate is one of life’s most decadent treats. No matter how you enjoy it — as a candy bar, in a hot drink, drizzled over ice cream — chocolate brings joy. And dark chocolate brings 7 health benefits to the table. Click HERE to see what they are.
Nine members of New York’s congressional delegation are urging health-conscious Mayor Eric Adams not to ban chocolate milk from being offered in New York City’s public school cafeterias. Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney joined eight others in stating that eliminating chocolate milk will just lead to more milk waste because fewer kids will drink regular milk.
According to new studies, the timing might be everything when it comes to eating chocolate. Eating chocolate at a certain time of day could help the body burn fat. A lot of people crave a sweet treat to help them get through the day, despite the realization that sugary snacks can be detrimental to maintaining a healthy weight. A new study from researchers at Brigham and the University of Murcia in Spain, shows that postmenopausal women who enjoy a concentrated amount of chocolate during a narrow window in the morning could be able to burn fat and decrease sugar levels.
Chocolate is one of the most popular sweets in the world, and at Raaka Chocolate in NYC, obsessive sourcing, intricate machinery, and expert craftsmanship allows the company to produce what Dan Does host Daniel Geneen calls one of the highest quality chocolate bars in the world. Follow Geneen as he takes a tour of Raaka Chocolate’s factory to observe and participate in their process of making the company’s signature Maple & Nibs bar. Click HERE for the video.
One day, the cocoa in beloved treats might come from a petri dish. In fact, it’s now being produced in a lab by scientists at California Cultured, a start-up based in Davis, California.
Experts explain that while the terms are often used interchangeably, they represent two distinct beverages. Click HERE to find out what the differences are!
Scientists have created an anti-microbial lining that can wipe out body odor thanks to some sweet-smelling chemicals in wine and chocolate. Researchers at the University of Tokyo say the invention opens the door to making clothes that don’t have to go in the washing machine all the time.
If you are a chocolate lover, then you are not alone. According to research, Americans, on average, eat approximately 9.5 pounds of chocolate per year, coming in 9th place for the world’s top 10 chocolate consumers. If you think that’s a lot though, take a look at Switzerland—on average each person there enjoys approximately 19.8 pounds of chocolate annually. Talk about a sweet tooth! Consider, though, the benefits of giving up chocolate for a month (click, HERE).
The Global Vegan Chocolate Confectionery Market size is expected to reach $1 billion by 2027, rising at a market growth of 12.3% CAGR during the forecast period.
Chocolate companies that rely on cocoa beans from West Africa’s Ivory Coast are facing a shortage due to a drought. The outlet calls this region “the world’s largest exporter of cocoa beans,” and the hot weather without rain will certainly be felt at the cash register when you purchase chocolate in the future, according to analysts. Sugar prices have climbed too, creating an additional expense for chocolatiers. Even the cost of packaging chocolate has increased this year.
A group of students were not happy with their school district’s recent decision to remove chocolate milk from the lunch menu, so they galvanized and staged their own outdoor protest. The group effort worked to bring chocolate milk back, albeit in a very limited capacity. The student body backlash took place last Friday at Sierra Vista K-8, part of the Vacaville Unified School District in Vacaville, California. Turns out, the sugar content was the reason the milk was pulled from the menu. It led to somewhat of a compromise between officials and the chocolate milk aficionados: Chocolate milk would be offered one day per week every two weeks.
Hershey says it lacks manufacturing capacity and labor to meet demand; Oreo maker Mondelez also struggles with supplies.
Dark chocolate should be eaten mid-morning or mid-afternoon. Contains flavonoids. These substances reduce cholesterol levels, protect the cardiovascular system with the heart in particular. They have an anti-aging effect, improving the health of the skin and our body.
Committed chocoholics, be warned. A health-robbing heavy metal, cadmium, lurks in the velvety recesses of your favorite indulgence. Researchers have chased the source of cacao’s cadmium contamination for years, but an array of distinct sampling methods and sites led to mixed results. In a new analysis, University of Illinois scientists consider the soil factors influencing cadmium’s ride into cacao beans, with the aim of recommending feasible and cost-effective ways farmers can minimize uptake.
M&M’s are getting a sweet makeover in 2022. The chocolate candies that melt in your mouth and not in your hand are giving fans a new way to love their favorite treat. Mars, Inc. announced that they will be redesigning their M&M’s mascots — the array of rainbow-colored talking chocolate balls. The six “refreshed” characters are most noticeably sporting new shoes. The green M&M has thrown out her high-heeled boots for sneakers, while the brown candy is wearing lower heels. Both the red and yellow characters’ shoes have laces, while the orange orb’s kicks now have untied laces. Each M&M’s shape has now also been more defined with arms and legs that are now not a tan hue, but of a lighter, more neutral shade.
Eating chocolate regularly helps you lose weight. The confirmation comes from an American search. The dark one would help the body fight cholesterol and lower blood pressure. All thanks to the flavonoids it contains. They are important that protect the heart. Read more, HERE.
Chocolate sales are going up as cocoa production seems to be dropping, a combination that could lead to price hikes. Check it out, HERE.
Led by design firm Eight Inc, the renovation will elevate the guest experience and showcase the unique history of one of the nation’s oldest chocolate companies. A three-phase project, it is slated to be finished by 2024. At least two of the three spaces, along with a pop-up shop, will be open throughout the entire process giving chocolate lovers the ability to visit the company’s flagship site during the renovation.
Demand for chocolate is staying strong even as the omicron virus variant sweeps across the globe. Americans are devouring candy with Christmas season just finished and Valentine’s Day and Easter holidays coming up. Retail chocolate sales are climbing more than 5% a quarter, according to data from Chicago-based researcher IRI. At the same time, there are signs of tightening supplies with top shipper Ivory Coast sending fewer cocoa beans to ports.
It’s probably thought of as a childhood drink, but chocolate milk might actually be able to help you recover after a workout.
If you’re going to eat chocolate, a bar with a higher cacao percentage is a better treat than a milk- or white-chocolate one. Milk chocolate not only has less cacao and fewer flavanols but also contains about twice as much sugar as dark chocolate. White chocolate has cocoa butter but no cacao solids, and as a result, it has no flavonols. Its sugar content is comparable to that of milk chocolate. Click HERE to learn more.
Comfort food has been integral to consumers since the Covid-19 outbreak. Chocolate, an innovative and fast-evolving segment that fits right into the comfort food bracket, is also growing at a healthy clip. On that sweet note, here are some trends and future predictions that will dominate the chocolate industry in 2022 (click, HERE).
Some research states that a sweet treat could add up to two years to one’s life when consumed regularly. Dark chocolate contains levels of antioxidants high enough to significantly improve blood pressure and ward off disease. Findings revealed that those who ate three bars of chocolate per month had a 36 percent lower risk of premature death. The health benefits of dark chocolate have been attributed to its inimitable flavonoid content, which confers significant antioxidant benefits.
A Virginia dad’s chocolate milk run turned into a $1 million windfall. Dennis Willoughby of North Chesterfield went to a local 7-Eleven to buy chocolate milk for his kids when he decided to pick up a scratch-off lottery ticket, Virginia Lottery officials said Wednesday. The ticket, a $1,000,000 Platinum Jackpot, turned out to be a top prize winner. The lucky father was given the choice of taking the full $1 million prize in annual payments over 30 years or a one-time cash payment of $640,205 before taxes. He chose the latter. Although it’s not $1 million, it can still buy a lot of chocolate milk.
If you like your coffee black, it could be that your grandpa or your great-aunt did, too. A preference for black coffee and also for dark chocolate seems to lie in a person’s genes, scientists report. It’s not the taste that these individuals actually love, but it’s because their genes enable them to metabolize caffeine faster and they associate the bitter flavor with mental alertness. Dark chocolate also contains a small amount of caffeine but predominantly theobromine, a caffeine-related compound, which is also a psychostimulant. Benefits attributed to dark chocolate and two to three cups of black coffee per day include a lower risk of Parkinson’s disease, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and several types of cancer. The findings were published this month in Scientific Reports.
Making chocolate may look simple. After all, you only need a few ingredients: cacao beans, sugar, and milk. Yet mixing them correctly to achieve a smooth, velvety texture took centuries to achieve. And it’s all thanks to Swiss chocolate makers. They were the first ones to add milk to chocolate. But, most importantly, they invented the conching machine, the most important machine in making chocolate.
A dog has undergone life-saving surgery after scoffing six packets of potentially deadly Christmas chocolate coins. Hugo, a six-year-old Staffordshire bull terrier, helped himself to the chocolate treats – poisonous to dogs – when owner Amie popped to the shops. She returned to her home in Plymouth, Devon, to find the coins gone and wrappers strewn across the floor, before rushing Hugo to a nearby PDSA pet hospital. “At first Hugo seemed fine, but I felt sick with worry when he began vomiting blood. He then had a seizure, which was terrifying, so I called PDSA immediately.”
Hot cocoa and hot chocolate are not one and the same. While they’re both delicious and tailor-made for this time of year, the recipes and resulting drinks differ quite a bit. Yes, they’re driven by the bittersweet goodness that comes from cacao. The real distinction here is a from-scratch version versus a quick-and-easy batch of the sweet beverage. Click, HERE, for more and check out the RECEIPE SECTION, on this website, for recipes for both (and many more scrumptious recipes!)
Bridgewater Chocolate CEO Jeff Stoeckel discussed the supply chain crisis’ effects on the chocolate industry and the high demand for quality chocolate this holiday season compared to last year. He discussed dealing with a big chocolate conundrum this season– supply chain issue, soaring costs of cocoa and sugar, transportation, packaging. How has that impacted his ability to deliver his product, get it out to consumers? Click, HERE, to find out.
There is not a more beloved person on the internet right now than Ms. Fitz. Who is Ms. Fitz? Why, it’s Kathleen Fitzpatrick, of course – a former Rutgers University hooper-turned-third-grade teacher. And she just hit the biggest, most important jump shot in the world for her class. She promised them if she hit a full-court shot on the playground she’d reward her class with some hot chocolate. Of course, Ms. Fitz had to give them what they wanted. She got the ball, lined her shot up, and drained it. No sweat at all. (Click, HERE, for video).
Barry Callebaut has identified four trends set to influence the North American chocolate market in 2022. The company recently released its third “Top Chocolate Trends” report. In addition to covering North America, reports are also available for Europe, Latin America, and the Asia-Pacific region. (Click, HERE, for more.)
Got milk? If you’re asking chocolate maker TCHO, the answer is nope. After three years of R&D, the company plans to make its portfolio dairy-free by 2023, a move that means replacing about a third of its retail and bakery products, said Brad Kintzer, TCHO’s chief chocolate maker.
Chocoholics have another excuse to eat chocolate every single day! New research shows it makes you happier. Scientist at Seoul National University in Korea say adults who ate ten grams, or a few squares, of 85 percent dark chocolate three times a day saw improvements in their mood.
NFL star Tom Brady shared the meal plan he uses for his game-days. It’s low on carbs, high in protein. His meal plan involves an 80% emphasis on vegetables for pre-game and post-game dinners. He starts his day with a fruit smoothie and has some celebratory chocolate after a game.
Modern food production contains many hidden costs not accounted for in market pricing. The “True Value of Food” framework can reveal these hidden costs of our unsustainable food system. It will help companies and governments manage the tradeoffs necessary to make the food system work for people and the planet. Click HERE to discover the true cost of a chocolate cookie.
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), on behalf of the American people, has launched a new $5.8 million, five-year, public-private partnership to strengthen Madagascar’s chocolate and spices industry, improve farmer livelihoods, and conserve biodiversity. The partnership, called “TSIRO Alliance,” is committed to supporting more than 2,000 farmers in 30 communities and planting more than 1.5 million trees over the next five years to support agroforestry systems and biodiversity.
Scientists in Switzerland are growing chocolates in a lab to tackle the deforestation and child labour caused by the world’s rising demand for chocolate. The scientists at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences, begin the process by growing cell cultures from cocoa beans. The cultures are mixed with a nutrient solution and begin to multiply. The scientists harvest, dry, and roast the biomass. They add cocoa butter, sugar and an emulsifier called lecithin to produce a dark 70% strength chocolate.
Whether you’re saving some special chocolate bars for just the right moment or just received a gift box of truffles and bonbons, proper storage is key to ensuring that when you do enjoy that chocolate, it tastes just as delicious as it should. Here, two chocolatiers explain the best way to store chocolate (click, HERE).
In Mesoamerica, the Mayans and Aztecs used chocolate for medicinal purposes and for their ceremonies. Although it may not be a crop native to the region, they thought it was discovered by the gods, who gave it to men. The Mayans held an annual festival with rituals in honor of the cocoa god Ek Chuah. Currently, there are various archaeological samples of these ceremonies.
Does chocolate milk have too much sugar to be offered at school? This was a question raised by a parent representative during a review of the Health and Wellness Policy for Highland County Public Schools. In response to the concern, Highland County Public Schools posted a milk update on Facebook that the school division would only serve white milk starting the week of November 16, on a trial basis. Thus, the chocolate milk debate began.
Who doesn’t like chocolate? The good news is that some of it is good for you. While most of society has heard that dark chocolate has health benefits, most don’t know what they are or how they work on your body. Truth is, dark chocolate is one of the best sources of antioxidants out there. Made from cacao tree seeds, this sweet treat lowers risk of heart disease and is chock full of nutrients, specifically flavanols.
While sugar is known to make kids hyper, it is also known to erode tooth enamel, causing cavities and other tooth issues. But while we can’t think of a way to make candy good for teeth, there are a few ways to lessen the negative impact all that sugar can have on our dental health. One of the most important things to note is that not all candies are created equal. Some sugary treats are harder on the teeth than others.
Based on CHOCOLATE CHOICES!!! Click on “BUZZFEED.COM”, above, to find out!
Ever notice that the word “desserts” turns into “stressed” when spelled backwards? There may be a subtle reason for this. The sugar in many desserts may calm us when we’re stressed and be an instant mood booster. But how often is too often to indulge in these sweet treats?
