Shopping For The Right Chocolates

Has anybody ever outgrown his love for chocolates?  I guess no one ever has.  We all just love chocolates.  Their dreamy, creamy, indulgent and decadent bittersweet taste has got us all hooked, irrevocably and eternally.

Chocolates actually do more than just delight our tastebuds.  They are actually healthful foods.  Made from the beans of the cacao tree, chocolates have many health benefits.  They are good for our mental health by triggering the release of “feel-good” hormones (endorphins) and by elevating the levels of serotonin, both of which offer protection against depression.

Chocolates also contain N-acylethanolamine, a “bliss” substance which produces feelings of elation.  No wonder chocolates have been used as symbols of the heady feelings of love and courtship.

Studies also show that chocolates do our heart and the entire cardiovascular system much good by improving circulation, reducing blood clotting and regulating blood pressure.

But here’s the hitch, not all chocolates displayed in supermarket shelves are entirely healthful.  Some have overdoses of sugar and loads of saturated fats and cholesterol because of the added whole milk.  Some are good for drinking while some are good for baking.  Some are perfect for your tastebuds while some are good for your health.

It’s good to know the different kinds of chocolates so you can shop around for the ones that are just right for your different needs.

Unsweetened chocolate is simply pure chocolate liquor.  You can think of it as just ground cocoa beans.  Because it has no sugar and milk, it tastes bitter and is thus known as “bitter” or “baking” chocolate.  It is used solely for baking and as as a base for making all other kinds of chocolates.

Cocoa powder is chocolate liquor that has been defatted and pulverized.  Cocoa powder could either be natural or alkalized.  Natural cocoa powder is light brown in color, with a pronounced chocolatey taste.  This is acidic and is suitable for baking using baking soda.

Alkali cocoa powder is also labeled as “Dutch-processed” cocoa powder and is darker in color but with a more mellow taste.  Because it is less acidic, it is best used in recipes which call for baking powder.

Dark chocolate is chocolate liquor added with cocoa butter, sugar, lecithin (an emulsifier) and vanilla for flavor.  Note that no milk is added.   The dark chocolates that are being sold consist of 30 to 80% chocolate liquor.  They are touted as the most healthful chocolates precisely because they have less sugar and no milkfat.  Other types of chocolates which fall into this category are the bittersweet chocolates which are darker and more bitter, the semi-sweet chocolates which are sweeter and the sweet dark chocolates which are the sweetest of the dark chocolates.

Milk chocolates are the best-tasting, most-tempting but least healthful chocolates around because they are only 10% chocolate liquor and the other ingredients are cocoa butter, sugar, condensed milk or dry milk solids.