Great News for Chocolate Lovers!
Are you crazy about chocolate? Most people love chocolate, but did you know that some chocolate is good for you? Chocolate, in its purest form is actually an antioxidant. Antioxidants help rid your body of free radicals which are terrible little molecules that run amok in your body causing disease and aging. Antioxidants bond to the free radicals and are removed from your body through digestion.
Of course, not all chocolate can be good for you. You can’t eat a Snicker’s and claim it is healthy. Dark chocolate has the highest health benefit because it is higher in cocoa. Higher cocoa amounts are better because there is less room for other ingredients like cocoa butter, sugar, vanilla, and milk. Dark chocolate has also been known to help with depression and high blood pressure.
Now that we know there are some health benefits to eating dark chocolate, here are some other interesting facts about chocolate:
- Chocolate is a valuable source of energy. A single chocolate chip can power a human being with enough energy to walk 150 ft.
- One ounce of baking chocolate has 10% of your daily-recommended amount of iron.
- The per capita consumption of chocolate is nearly 12 pounds annually per person. (That’s a lot of chocolate!)
- Chocolate comes from Cocoa Beans. Originally, it was called Cacao, but became Cocoa from a misspelling.
- Cocoa trees produce pods with contain about 20-50 cocoa beans. There are a variety of cocoa beans with varying flavors, which is used to make different types of chocolate much like different grapes make different wines.
- Chocolate does not cause or increase acne. It is a myth.
- Chocolate contains “theobromine” which helps boost low blood-sugar level but it can be deadly to dogs, cats and other household pets. It can over stimulate their cardiac and nervous system, which could cause instant death.
- Chocolate has over 500 flavor components. This two times the amount found in vanilla and strawberries.
- The cocoa beans were used as a currency and as a unit of calculation in the Aztec and Mayan cultures.
- Chocolate is one of the most well-known and popular foods in the world and is not likely to ever go out of fashion!
Now that you know more about chocolate, you won’t have to feel guilty next time you eat a dark chocolate bar. Are you looking for gift ideas? Chocolate makes a great gift for any occasion. Chocolate gift baskets can turn the darkest day bright for anyone. Chocolate gifts are great for giving to men or women so the next time you want to get some attention, think yummy, delicious, chocolate!
Happy Gifting!
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Sheri Beckham is a gift consultant, gift basket professional and owner of THE original basket boutique, gift basket franchise located in Gulf Breeze, Fl.
For more information about Sheri or THE original basket boutique please contact us or call Toll Free: (877) 622-3248 or http://www.obbpensacola.com.
Image: Graeme Weatherston / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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