Chocolate
Chocolate is a passion.
The combination of sugar and fat, and a texture that 'snaps' and then melts in your mouth is unique to chocolate. Nothing else is quite like it and, depending on where we live, we eat between 10 and 21 pounds per person per year. Given that some people never eat chocolate (yes, they do exist) some of us are eating serious amounts.
Just what is it about chocolate that so fascinates and inspires us?
We eat it as a snack, a treat, give it as a present, dream about it, talk about it more than any other food, crave it, and we also feel guilty about it. It now comes in different types and varieties and it is consumed across the world by people from all walks of life. The wrappers may be different but underneath each one is something we all recognise as chocolate.
Chocolate has been criticised for being fattening and lacking in nutrients, responsible for tooth decay, acne and weight gain. It has also been praised for being an anti-depressant, an aphrodisiac, a source of essential minerals, such as magnesium, and stocked with health promoting anti-oxidants. Some people say it is good for us, other say it's bad.
Chocolate is most definitely controversial. Chocolate, Cocoa, and Health takes a close look at chocolate. What it is, how it is made, the ingredients and chemicals that make up chocolate and, most importantly, the health benefits and problems that have been linked with chocolate. Special attention is given to the issue of food allergy and intolerance and how this relates to cocoa and chocolate.
The facts are sorted from the myths to help you decide whether chocolate is a good or a bad guy in your diet. Find out more.