dark chocolate

Almost daily in the news we see reports of chocolate’s health benefits. It’s a potent antioxidant, and is chock-full of chemicals and nutrients that have been attributed to making us happy. Yet many of us remain skeptical; eating lots of chocolate doesn’t seem to make us feel better, and in fact can lower energy levels for awhile. So what gives? If chocolate is such a miracle food, shouldn’t we be able to eat it all the time, without guilt and feel great? Well, yes, we can, but the way chocolate is prepared is crucial to unlocking its true potential as a health food. If you’d like to learn how to have a healthy dose of chocolate daily, read on…

It happens that the somewhat controversial ‘raw foodists’ are right on the mark with this one: it’s raw, unroasted, unprocessed chocolate that’s the real health food. Really, it’s not even called chocolate, but Cacao — chocolate is the name for the roasted, fat and sugar added product that Willy Wonka makes. (But for the fun of it, we’ll keep calling it chocolate. In the long run, it’s cool to think you’ve added ‘eating chocolate’ to the list of things you do daily that are good for you.) One needs to be careful, too, as raw chocolate is relatively hard to come by. Pricey organic hot cocoa is still roasted and alkalized, changing chocolate’s chemistry significantly enough to warrant limiting its intake. You can get raw chocolate online, and it’s slowly finding its way onto store shelves. Make sure it says ‘raw’ or ‘cacao’ (pronounce ‘Ka-’, as in cat, ‘cow’) and not ‘cocoa’, and should have no other ingredients (though some actual raw chocolate ‘candy’ can be found in very hip health food stores). Got it? If you still need a little convincing, here’s a quick look at the difference between raw and processed chocolates to help you make the switch — then on to a few recipes.

First the question of Caffeine. Many folks are sensitive to caffeine’s effect on their nervous system. It raises blood pressure, shortens tempers and keeps people awake. And we all know chocolate has caffeine in it, right? But what form is it in? Research done by homeopaths indicates a significant difference on the stimulating effects of chocolate depending on whether it’s been heated or not. A drink made with roasted chocolate evoked excitement of the nervous system that did not occur with unroasted chocolate. Alteration of chemical structures through heat is common, and occurs in the case of chocolate. The roasting process involves heating the beans between 250 and 350 degrees F for 30 minutes to 2 hours. Anecdotal reports of individuals moving from coffee or yerba mate as their morning drink to a cup of hot chocolate report gentle stimulating effects without anxiety, as their other drinks had produced. Even very sensitive people who do not do well with any form of caffeine report positive results with raw chocolate; nothing at all like the effects produced by coffee or caffeinated teas.

Next the question of anti-oxidants. Chocolate has been discovered to have exceptionally high quantities of important polyphenols. A study published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry was titled: “Cocoa Has More Phenolic Phytochemicals and Higher Antioxidant Capacity than Teas and Red Wine.” It’s hard to argue with that. Here again the question of raw arises: One report notes that while roasted chocolate is made up of five-percent antioxidants, raw chocolate contains twice as much at ten percent. Another important note is the addition of milk to make milk chocolate. Research has shown that the addition of milk actually cancels-out the positive effects of chocolate’s antioxidants. And milk may be one of the reasons many people seem to be allergic to chocolate, as lactose intolerance is fairly common. Another chocolate myth is some individuals break out when ingesting high amounts; reports indicate that raw chocolate does not cause this response, and that it may be the refined fats and sugars present in most chocolate products producing this effect.

Maybe the most intriguing constituents of chocolate are it’s mood-altering chemicals besides its stimulation. Many users of raw chocolate find and even greater boost than from commercial chocolates. Like caffeine, some of the molecules attributed to mood-enhancement are also heat sensitive. Tryptophan, a precursor to serotonin, is present in significant amounts and is known to be broken down by heat (and apparently it’s not the Tryptophan in the turkey dinners that makes one tired, it’s the three servings followed by pie and ice cream!). Other natural constituents are dopamine and precursors to dopamine, one molecule called the ‘love chemical’ and another called the ‘bliss chemical’. Add to these monoamine oxidase inhibitors which actually enhance the activity of all of the above mood brighteners. Finally, there’s lots of easily absorbed magnesium in raw chocolate, a mineral associated with serotonin production (many pharmaceutical antidepressants increase serotonin activity), and the ability to relax. Raw chocolate offers the healthiest and most effective means of adding these happy-making nutrients to your daily diet.

Convinced? Ready for a little raw chocolate power? First its critical to find a good source; make sure the chocolate you’re buying is raw - it will be most likely labeled ‘Cacao’, the name for the raw chocolate beans and the tree on which they grow. Cacao nibs are small pieces of pure raw chocolate that can be eaten straight, or mixed with other healthy snacks like Gogi berries. But the best-loved raw chocolate preparation is the original chocolate drink: hot chocolate. Now it won’t be hot enough for long enough to convert any chemicals or to cook the chocolate, just to make it a warm comforting drink - and of course, heating the water isn’t necessary at all (though in recipes calling for Coconut oil, it helps to blend the oil into the drink). So to make a cup, use powdered raw chocolate (grinding the nibs or beans in a coffee grinder can work, though you’ll find this challenging as the natural oils in the chocolate will heat up and liquefy before the grinding is complete, leaving little crunchy bits). Put one or two tablespoons powdered chocolate, 1 to 2 teaspoons raw dark agave nectar (a low-glycemic index natural sweetner) and 1 to 2 teaspoons of Coconut oil in a blender. Add 8 to 12 ounces almost-boiling water and blend for 10 seconds. That’s it! You’ll find your personal favorite formula after a few preparations - more or less chocolate, oil, sweetener or water.

There are lots and lots of recipes out there, and great reading on raw chocolate’s health benefits and preparation. You’ll cacao powder often combined with other super nutritious foods in smoothies and good-for-you deserts. Natural organic candies start with the same ingredients as the drinks, but without the liquid. Just make a paste, adding pecans, coconut shavings or whatever you like, and chill to harden. As you’re not baking anything, there’s little to go awry, and really, so many possibilities. By using raw chocolate, you’ll open up a whole new world of cooking for yourself and your family — and if you hadn’t before, you might just find yourself really motivated to treat yourself to natural health and wellness.

The author has made available much information about aromatherapy, such as using Clary Sage oil and other organic essential oils.

In this video, feralkevin shows you how to make bay nuts edible. The California Bay Laurel is one of the most common trees in California. It’s evergreen, and its leaves can be used like the European Bay (Laurus nobilis), — the Bay Leaves you buy in a jar at the store. But little do people know, the nuts (seeds) can be eaten, too, if they are properly prepared. They have properties of both coffee and chocolate, and possess a caffeine like alkaloid that is similarly stimulating. The California Bay is a canopy tree in many areas, especially where its not foggy enough for redwoods. Many Native peoples in the area used to burn and use other methods to keep the oak forests (preferred for acorns) from developing into Bay forests.

Ah chocolate, that delicious creamy treat that is everyone’s vice. We just can’t get enough of the stuff, even though we know the amount we consume is ultimately bad for us, we just can’t resist it, so there tends to be a guilt edged pleasure about eating it. Wouldn’t it be great if there was a healthy chocolate?

Well you probably didn’t know this but there is, and it still contains the good stuff such as the minerals and antioxidants. It doesn’t however, have all the bad stuff in it.

It’s all the stuff that we put into chocolate that makes it fattening and unhealthy. These are things such as milk solids, sugar and cocoa butter. These help to make milk chocolate taste so good, but are really bad for us. A dark chocolate and especially a low sugar bitter variety doesn’t have all these additives.

Chocolate isn’t actually food as far as our bodies are concerned, they will merely store away all the bad stuff and ignore the good bits. This makes our guilty treat even worse for us than we thought!

The trick is to eat chocolate with other foods as well, nuts and fruits are perfect. Eating them together ensures that your body treats the chocolate as food and you get all the goodness from it.

But if you take in other stuff such as fruit or nuts at the same time it will then treat the chocolate as food and you will then get the benefits.

I used to work as a chocolatier, so you can imagine how much chocolate I used to eat! As I ate dark chocolate complimented with strawberries, blueberries, nuts etc I never put any weight on. A blood test also proved that I had the optimum level of minerals and vitamins in my system.

So you now know which chocolate to eat if you can’t do without it. Forget the fat laden milk chocolate bars and reach for a dark chocolate with fruit and nuts and enjoy your treat without the guilt.

Stick to the old adage ‘a little of what you fancy does you good’ and don’t go crazy and overindulge.

Aside from food, this writer also frequently contributes articles about metal roofing material and metal roofing companies.

If you want to learn cake decorating techniques you may think you need to spend a lot of money on DVDs or take classes in person. That isn’t true. All you need are some good cake decorating books that are well illustrated and you can learn on your own and save time and money. Just be sure to buy books that are filled with easy to follow pictures. You can use the money you save on classes to buy some extra cake decorating tools.

The instructions in the book must be easy to understand and take you step by step from preparing the cake in the beginning to applying the final decorative touches in the end. The book must make sense and be easy for you to follow. Nothing would be worse than to buy a book that is difficult to understand and lacks clear pictures to guide you.

In fact, the more pictures the book has, the better. The pictures should be of high quality and detailed so that you can easily duplicate the decorating techniques at home. Books that are highly illustrated are the most useful especially when it comes to learning difficult techniques like making flowers. Some books are better than others so it is important you do your research before you buy it.

In addition to teaching you various cake decorating techniques, the cake decorating books should also give you plenty of tips that will give your cakes a more professional look when you are finished. A lot of that starts with the cake, in wiping away crumbs and aligning the layers in the right way. A good book will tell you all you need to know so your cakes turn out the best.

You will also need to know how to make the icing and what types are best for each type of technique you use. The books should show all of the standard techniques like making flowers and piping. Making flowers can be especially tricky so the more detailed the instructions are, the better you will be able to master the skill.

You will find there are many books that you can choose from. Just be sure to look it over thoroughly first so you are certain you will be able to learn from it. With the right book you can teach yourself cake decorating techniques a lot quicker than you would pick them up by attending expensive classes. You might be surprised at how much you can learn from a good instructional book.

Just think of all the fun birthday cakes you can make for your kids when you learn various cake decorating techniques. Good books will give you ideas for birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, and many other occasions. You will never run out of reasons to use your newly learned skills at cake decorating.

Learning how to decorate cakes by using cake decorating books can help you start your own business too. Many people who learn how to do these cake decorating techniques wind up selling cakes to people, who don’t know how to do them. This can turn into a successful business venture in the end.

If you want to start cake decorating ensure you check out Natalie Baker’s website about Cake Decorating Books and how you can learn fantastic Cake Decorating Techniques from them.

Great appetite control and antioxidant, dark chocolate DEEEELLISH. www.facelessfatloss.com If you enjoy milk chocolate, DARK chocolate takes only a bit of getting used to and is WELL worth the effort for the benefits you’ll enjoy; massive antioxidant power as well as a pronounced ability to reduce hunger. Once used to it (it took me a little while) you will come to GREATLY enjoy this amazing “cheat” food with all it’s wonderful advantages. If you want to get even MORE serious about REAL “chocolate” and anti-oxidant power…check out cacao! Great magnesium content, vitamin C, and a host of other benefits. But folks…EAT IT RAW, or don’t eat it at all! www.facelessfatloss.com

www.ukchocteam.com Combat Free Radical Damage with Chocolate! How the world’s most popular food can improve your health! What is Xoçai™ xobiotic? A new Pro-Biotic Chocolate from MXI Corp. The Xoçai™ xobiotic™ chocolate will be in the form of an 11-gram square and will deliver 200000000 microorganisms of two types—lactobacillus acidophilus and bifidobacterium lactis. By marrying the health benefits of dark chocolate with those of these two pro-biotic cultures, which have a positive influence on immune and gut health, Xocai will gain new opportunities with health-conscious consumers. The label will most likely state, Contains acidophilus and bifidolactis; probiotics have been shown to benefit digestive and immune health. To find out about how to get this chocolate or to be a distributor contact details at www.ukchocteam.com or Email: info@ukchocteam.net for more info…

Would you like to make your personal bank checks just a little bit sweeter? Do you have a sweet tooth that can only be fixed with a handful of chocolaty M&Ms? If so, then you might find that M&M personal bank checks not only look great, but are a constant reminder of your favorite snack.

Although they began production in Newark in 1941, now M&Ms are now sold worldwide. Everybody loves them for their vibrant candy shells and their delicious chocolate or peanut butter centers. Forrest Mars, who founded the Mars Company, first got the inspiration for this mouth-watering candy in the 1930s when he saw soldiers eating chocolate pellets with hard shells during the Spanish Civil War. It was the hard shells that stopped the chocolate candies from melting.

Production for what we now call M&Ms started in 1941 in Newark, New Jersey. The two “M”s stand for Forest Mars Sr. and Bruce Murrie, the son of William Murrie, Hershey’s president. When they first started being produced, they were made in violet, red, yellow, brown, and green and came in a cardboard tube.

Peanut M&Ms came out in 1954 and today you can find peanut butter M&Ms, peanut M&Ms, and M&Ms with dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and mint chocolate.

You don’t have to pick just one type of M&M checks, either. There are a couple of different series to select from. There are even holiday inspired checks that showcase M&Ms, too!

For example, if February comes around and you find yourself wanting to ring in Valentine’s Day with something a little different than your regular checks, then you might want to think about getting the M&M’s Valentine’s Checks. These checks feature images of Yellow, Blue, Red, and Green M&Ms. You can also buy a matching leather checkbook cover to complement your checks, too.

At Christmastime, you can take your favorite M&Ms shopping with you when you purchase the Christmas themed checks. These checks have images of Orange, Red, Green, and Yellow as they prepare to ring in the holidays. Coordinating accessories are also available with these checks, too.

You don’t have to buy holiday-themed checks, of course. There are also M&M check series that contain multicolored images of your favorite M&Ms at play and these can be carried and used at any time of the year. Most of the check series come with 4 rotating images so each check that you write will differ from the last one.

If you want to purchase M&M checks then remember that by getting them online you can save as much as 50% off the price that you might have paid at the bank. In addition, you will have a wider selection of check designs to pick from. You should get them in around 5 days, which even be earlier than your bank got them to you! Don’t forget to have your routing number and checking account number on hand when you order.

Before you order M&M checks, visit MandMChecks.com to get coupon codes and to save up to 50% off your next purchase of M&M personal checks.

The three Cs of spices in this treat (cinnamon, cardamom and cayenne pepper) not only wake up your taste buds, but help you feel good by helping the brain to release endorphins, says Dr La Puma. Cayenne pepper in this dessert can even help reduce stomach ulcers and block pain receptors, making this dish nothing short of a true pleasure.

In this video, Betty demonstrates how to make her quick and easy Dark Chocolate Wheat Thins Sandwich Cookies. These are a delicious contrast of sweet and salty and also crunchy and chewy. They make a great (pickup) finger food dessert for your party–and oh, so super easy! Ingredients: 11 oz. package Wheat Thins crackers 13 oz. jar of Nutella (Hazelnut spread) 12 oz. bag semisweet chocolate chips Assemble cookie “sandwiches” by spreading Nutella on the flat side of one Wheat Thin and capping …

In this video, Betty makes two types of butterscotch sandwich cookies, one with dark chocolate/peanut butter filling and the other with white chocolate/peanut butter filling. Ingredients: 11 oz. box vanilla wafers 16 oz.. jar Peanut Butter & Co. Dark Chocolate Dreams (mixture of dark chocolate and peanut butter) 16 oz. jar Peanut Butter & Co. White Chocolate Wonderful (mixture of white chocolate and peanut butter) 11 oz. bag of butterscotch morsels Using a double boiler, melt the …