Many people enjoy the delicious taste of chocolate. In today's modern food industry, chocolate is ubiquitous. It can be made into chocolate candy, added to cakes and snacks to add a unique flavor, and can also be turned into a sweet drink.
Chocolate has been a part of the human diet for at least 700 years.
Origin
Chocolate is closely related to the cocoa bean, which is the fruit of the wild cocoa tree found in the rainforests of Central America. More than 1,300 years ago, local people made a beverage called chocolate from roasted cocoa beans.
However, because fried cocoa beans contain over 50% fat, it tastes greasy. So, people added flour and other starchy substances to chocolate to create the prototype of chocolate.
Types of Chocolate
There are several types of chocolate available, including the following categories:
1. Dark chocolate: Also known as pure chocolate, it contains higher cocoa content and less sugar and dairy ingredients, and has a bitter taste.
2. Milk chocolate: milk powder and sugar are added, giving it a sweet and fragrant taste, and the ingredients contain dairy products.
3. White chocolate: It does not contain cocoa solids and is mainly composed of white chocolate fat, sugar, and dairy ingredients, with a sweet and greasy taste.
4. Blended chocolate: a mixture of dark chocolate and milk chocolate, with moderate cocoa content and sweetness.
Chocolate Production
The production process of chocolate generally includes the following steps:
1. Roasting and shelling of cocoa beans: Cocoa beans are roasted and shelled to remove impurities and unpleasant tastes.
2. Preparation of cocoa powder: cocoa beans are ground into cocoa powder, and processed into cocoa butter and cocoa powder.
3. Chocolate production: Cocoa butter, cocoa powder, sugar, and dairy products are mixed to make a chocolate slurry, which is made into chocolate after stirring, seasoning, hammering, and other treatments.
Nutritional Value
Chocolate is not only delicious but also has various health benefits, including:
1. Chocolate can relieve depression and increase people's excitement levels.
2. Chocolate plays a role in concentrating attention, strengthening memory, and improving intelligence. Some drivers use chocolate as a stimulant to improve driving performance.
3. Eating chocolate is beneficial to control the content of cholesterol, maintain the elasticity of capillaries, and have the effect of preventing and treating cardiovascular and circulatory diseases.
Best Time to Eat Chocolate
While many people enjoy eating chocolate before bed, it is not a good idea to consume too much of it. Like coffee and strong tea, chocolate also has a stimulating effect, which can make it more difficult for people with poor sleep to fall asleep.
Chocolate is a food that easily releases calories. Eating too much before going to bed can increase blood sugar levels, and if the blood sugar cannot be consumed, it will be converted into fat and stored.
Storage Conditions
Chocolate is a very delicate product that requires particular care in storage conditions. In addition to avoiding sunlight, the most important thing is to control the temperature and humidity.
The melting point of chocolate is around 36°C. It is a food with strong heat sensitivity and is not easy to preserve. The storage temperature should be controlled between 12-18°C, and the relative humidity should not be higher than 65%. If chocolate is not stored correctly, it will soften and deform, turn white on the surface, or lose its aroma.
Chocolate is a delicious and versatile food that has been enjoyed for centuries. With its various types and production methods, there is something for everyone. While it does have some health benefits, it is essential to consume it in moderation and store it correctly to maintain its quality.
