Healthy Chocolate?

Q: CAN I EAT TOO MUCH CHOCOLATE?
A: Contrary to popular belief not all chocolate is unhealthy. Chocolate has commonly been believed to be a food full of "empty calories" with little nutritional value. That may be the case for some kinds of chocolate. Until now, eating most chocolate was laden with guilt and concern about getting fat. To some it would be almost an addiction. Well, the latest research shows that some chocolate can actually be good for you, is full of antioxidants and can actually help you lose weight. Now, this isn't an open door to eat as much as you want. Moderation in all things. However, picking the right chocolate product is very important. Make sure to read labels before you indulge!

Q: WHAT MAKES SOME CHOCOLATE BETTER THAN OTHERS?
A: Most people in America think of chocolate as a sweet candy that has only been created in recent history. While it has had widespread popularity in foods such as candy, pastries, drinks, and confections, it originated thousands of years ago with the ancient people in Mesoamerica, who used the chocolate bean in a bitter beverage. The beverage was known for its ability to provide energy for long periods of time and for its nutritional qualities. It wasn't just a favorite food. It also played an important role in their social settings as well as their economic strategies and religions. Most of the modern world currently sees chocolate as a delectable-tasting but unhealthy food that should only be indulged in occasionally. Now, health-conscious consumers are finding that dark chocolate that has had some of the unhealthy ingredients and processes removed e.g. butter, milk, sugar & dutching, possesses some very impressive health benefits that are continually supported by science. Hence, chocolate can actually be very GOOD for you.

HISTORY OF CHOCOLATE: Some of the earliest people to discover the health benefits of chocolate were the Mayans and their predecessors, dating back to approximately 1500 B.C. from Mesoamerica, which is known today as southern Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras and part of El Salvador. The tropical cacao tree produces the beans which the ancient people used in their diets. This is the same chocolate bean that is currently used to make all kinds of chocolate products. There is other evidence that shows that cacao was also involved in Mayan celebrations. The most popular cacao-based food that was enjoyed by the Mayans was a drink that was also favored by royalty and religious leaders. The bitter drink was also an integral part of marriage and other religious ceremonies. Until the 1500's no one in the Old World knew anything about this delicious drink that would later become a worldwide favorite. Marco Antonio Orellana, a native of the Valencia region of Spain, described the reverential attitude the Spanish had regarding chocolate's place in society. Montezuma's men frothed it and brought it to him in cups reportedly made of pure gold. (Or at least something that looked like gold.) At one time the cacao beans were actually used by both the Mayans and Aztecs as currency. Alas! In Mesoamerica, at one time, money really did grow on trees! As a form of Aztec money, this cacao bean became a spoil of war between the Aztecs and the Spanish. Before long chocolate had made its way into Spain. It became very popular there also. The Spaniards are the ones who discovered that mixing it with sugar and spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice made it very palatable. Keeping up with the demand of their newly concocted product required the labor of millions of slaves, consisting of mostly Mesoamericans, to tend, harvest and process both sugar and cacao.

For more information on the healthy benefits of chocolate and how you can get your hands on it, email: chocolate@creativelifestyles.ws.