17 Popular Quotes About Chocolate

Writen by Bridget Mwape

1. "Chocolate causes certain endocrine glands to secrete hormones that affect your feelings and behavior by making you happy. Therefore, it counteracts depression, in turn reducing the stress of depression. Your stress-free life helps you maintain a youthful disposition, both physically and mentally. So, eat lots of chocolate!" - Elaine Sherman, Book of Divine Indulgences

2. "Strength is the capacity to break a chocolate bar in four pieces with your bare hands--and then just eating one piece" - Judith Viorst

3. "Self-discipline implies some unpleasant things to me, including staying away from chocolate and keeping my hands out of women's pants." - Oleg Kiselev

4. "It's not that chocolates are a substitute for love. Love is a substitute for chocolate. Chocolate is, let's face it, far more reliable than a man." - Miranda Ingram

5. "Life is like a box of chocolates...You never know what you're gonna get." - Forrest Gump in Forrest Gump

6. "The superiority of chocolate, both for health and nourishment, will soon give it the same preference over tea and coffee in America which it has in Spain." - Thomas Jefferson

7. "Research tells us fourteen out of any ten individuals likes chocolate." - Sandra Boynton

8. "If one swallows a cup of chocolate only three hours after a copious lunch, everything will be perfectly digested and there will still be room for dinner." - Brillat-Savarin

9. "It has been shown as proof positive that carefully prepared chocolate is as healthful a food as it is pleasant; that it is nourishing and easily digested... that it is above all helpful to people who must do a great deal of mental work." - Anthelme Brillat-Savarin

10. "If you are not feeling well, if you have not slept, chocolate will revive you. But you have no chocolate! I think of that again and again! My dear, how will you ever manage?" - Marquise de Sévigné

11. "Chocolate is a perfect food, as wholesome as it is delicious, a beneficent restorer of exhausted power. It is the best friend of those engaged in literary pursuits." - Baron Justus von Liebig

12. "Nine out of ten people like chocolate. The tenth person always lies." - John Q. Tullius

13. "There are two kinds of people in the world: those who love chocolate, and communists." - Leslie Moak Murray

14. "Forget love... I'd rather fall in chocolate!" - Author Unknown

15. "There are four basic food groups: milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate and chocolate truffles." - Author Unknown

16. "My favorite thing in the world is a box of fine European chocolates which is, for sure, better than sex." - Alicia Silverstone

17. "After about 20 years of marriage, I'm finally starting to scratch the surface of that one. And I think the answer lies somewhere between conversation and chocolate." - Mel Gibson in What Women Want.

Copyright 2005. Bridget Mwape writes for Chocolate Gift Basket website at: http://www.chocolate-gift-basket.org.uk/ which features gift ideas, chocolates and more. He also writes for http://www.sweets-and-chocolate.org.uk/ which offers a wide selection of sweets.

Chocolate Passion And Love Are Synonymous

Writen by Tim Gorman

Marie Antoinette would have a better reputation in history if instead of saying "Let them eat cake" she said "Let them eat chocolate". The world would have loved her and celebrated her suggestion.

The world loves chocolate in all its forms, colors and variation of flavors. There is milk chocolate, dark chocolate even white chocolate. Chocolate is always chosen as the number one flavor in taste tests. Chocolate candy, milk shakes, even medicine for kids is flavored with chocolate. Chocolate Is an important and flavorful ingredient in a lot of food that the world consumes in huge quantities.

Chocolate, passion and love are synonymous. Chocolate is thought to be an aphrodisiac. Eating chocolate makes you feel good and the serotonin that is released into the blood stream resembles a feeling of love, satiation and happiness.

We relate love and chocolate. The perfect Valentine's gift has to always include chocolate. Chocolate contains all kinds of mood altering chemicals. These chemicals can make us experience a feeling of euphoria. This euphoria may contribute to chocolate addiction.

We love chocolate with a passionate almost addictive reverence. Some research who explore the mood altering chemicals in chocolate state that these chemicals when released into nervous system causes the blood pressure to rise. There are other decernible symptoms that have been observed.

Hot cocoa is a favorite comfort food. There is nothing like having a cup of coca in front of a fire on a chilly fall evening. Chocolate in all its forms is considered a comfort food. Comfort foods are classified as those foods that make us feel good when we are eating them.

Chocolate has been blamed for everything from causing acne to promoting cavities. Even when we thought chocolate was bad for our bodies chocolate lover still consume millions of pounds are consumed per year.

In recent studies, this bad reputation has been disputed by two Independent studies by The Pennsylvania School of Medicine And The U.S. Naval Academy. The studies proved that eating chocolate did not intensify nor cause an acne condition.

As to the rumor that chocolate causing cavities, the separate Study showed that this claim was completely untrue. The facts show that the cocoa butter in the chocolate actually coats the teeth to prevent plaque from forming.

The sugar content in chocolate contributes no more to cavity formation than the sugar in other food. Eating too much of any good thing is not good for you whether it is chocolate or chocolate cake.

Recent newspaper headlines made eating chocolate healthy. The newspapers reported that recent research at UC Davis found that chocolate had a lot of chemicals in it that may help lower the risk of heart disease. With over 300 chemicals Contained in chocolate , scientist continue to find benefits For the body in chocolate. Plants like chocolate contain a high level of a chemical called "phenolics".

Phenolics have chemically been proven to reduce oxidation, Researchers claim that their research looked promising for chocolate to actually have a medical benefit.

Chocolate lovers all over the world rejoiced when they read the headlines "Eating Chocolate May Prevent Heart Attack". Not Only was chocolate one of the most delicious flavors in the world but items made with chocolate are good for you. Chocolate consumption increased by 150%.

For more news on gourmet chocolate try visiting ShoppingForGourmetChocolate.com where you find tasty resources and information on chocolate candy, chocolate cheesecake, chocolate chip cookies, chocolate fondue and chocolate gift baskets.

Can Chocolate Benefit Your Health

Writen by Marguerite Bonneville

If you're a fan of chocolate you're in good company. Chocolate is one of the most popular sweet-tasting treats in the world and has been for centuries. But part of the myth surrounding chocolate is that it tastes so good it must be bad for your health. Which gives it an air of the forbidden.

A beautifully wrapped box of chocolates has always been considered a very romantic gift. So if the special person in your life is a self-confessed chocoholic, you know one surefire way to please them on special occasions. But the surprising news from the scientific community is that this reputedly decadent treat actually has some health benefits, especially if you choose your chocolate wisely.

Is Chocolate A Health Food?

Chocolate contains over 300 chemicals, and has been the subject of a number of studies by universities and other scientific organizations. Here's a quick rundown of the results. We have no way of proving or disproving these claims so we offer them here as a stimulus for further research. If you're really interested in the subject, this may provide you with a starting point.

* Cacao, the source of chocolate, contains antibacterial agents that fight tooth decay. Of course, this is counteracted by the high sugar content of milk chocolate.

* The smell of chocolate may increase theta brain waves, resulting in relaxation.

* Chocolate contains phenyl ethylamine, a mild mood elevator.

* The cocoa butter in chocolate contains oleic acid, a mono-unsaturated fat which may raise good cholesterol.

* Drinking a cup of hot chocolate before meals may actually diminish appetite.

* Men who eat chocolate live a year longer than those who don't.

* The flavanoids in chocolate may help keep blood vessels elastic.

* Chocolate increases antioxidant levels in the blood.

* Mexican healers use chocolate to treat bronchitis and insect bites.

* The carbohydrates in chocolate raise serotonin levels in the brain, resulting in a sense of well-being.

What Chocolate Won't Do

There are many myths and half-truths about the effects of chocolate on the human body. Here are the latest findings on several of them.

* Studies show that chocolate is not a causative factor in acne.

* Cacao contains the stimulants caffeine and bromine, but in such small quantities that they don't cause nervous excitability.

* Chocolate is not addictive.

* Chocolate contains stearic acid, a neutral fat which doesn't raise bad cholesterol.

* Chocolate doesn't make you 'high'. You'd need to eat a huge quantity (about 25lbs at one sitting) to feel any noticeable effect.

But On The Negative Side...

1. Chocolate may trigger headaches in migraine sufferers.

2. Milk chocolate is high in calories, saturated fat and sugar.

What About Chocolate And Your Pets?

Chocolate is considered dangerous to animals because it contains a stimulant called theobromine, which they can't digest.

Dark chocolate and baking chocolate are even more dangerous because they contain higher concentrations of the substance. This applies whether chocolate is in candy bar form, or an ingredient in cake, cookies, puddings or ice cream.

If a pet becomes ill after eating chocolate, take it to the vet immediately.

Dark Chocolate Versus Milk Chocolate

Dark chocolate contains more cacao and less sugar than milk chocolate. It follows that any health benefits would be more pronounced in dark chocolate.

Dark chocolate is allowed on the popular Montaignac diet while milk chocolate is not.

You'll need to do a little research if you have any health concerns about eating chocolate. But with products like gluten-free and sugar-free brands finding their way onto supermarket shelves, you're sure to find some form of chocolate you can enjoy with a clear conscience.

© Marguerite Bonneville is a Master Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) whose passion is publishing information online. She is a contributing writer for http://www.romantic-gift-ideas-online.com, a resource site dedicated to helping visitors find the perfect romantic gift.

A Trip Down Memory Lane The Sugarless Candy Store

Writen by Fred Goldman

A Trip Down Memory Lane: The Sugarless Candy Store

As a young child often one's fondest memory is entering the candy store or the candy aisle of a grocery store. Bright colored packages abound. The choices seem to be endless.

In Vermont, there are towns with true old fashioned candy stores. Wood plank flooring, maybe a scattering of saw dust, even the occasional pickle barrel! A delightful world filled with choices and choices and choices.

Would it suprise you to find out that the number one choice of candy and candy flavors is not chocolate, but... vanilla! It's true as unbelievable as it sounds.

Think of all the possibilities staring a child literal face to face since many counters are conveniently put at not adult height, but child hand height. There's a reason for this, ye old marketing tactic!

Imagine now a candy store counter, child and adult height, filled not with sugar-laden, teeth-decaying, calorie-engourging sweets, but your choice of the finest in sugarless candy and chocolate selections. Is this the dream of a sci-fi movie? No it is not. Nowadays we do have choices - and as time evolves (and rapidly) those choices are ensuring our choice of sugarfree or sugarless no longer means having to accept unappealing flavors and the byproducts of the "sugarless" product. Sweetners are making huge headway. Consumers can find delight in allowing themselves to choose sugarless candy based on pure taste alone. For those that begrudgingly have chosen the sugarfree sweet while gazing longingly at fat-inducing fancies have the satisfaction of full flavor without the rapid waistline growth.

All sorts of artificial sweetners are available on the market today. Unfortunately behind-the-scenes knowledge of these sweetners are never fully revealed to the public. You are most likely aware of just how many articifical sweetners never hold up and are pulled from grocery shelves. Sugar alcohols, the next step beyond, actually build in the blood and, for many, produce unfortunate (and embarassing) side effects.

Watching our waistlines means researching into the best healthy snack choices for ourselves. Read labels, make wise decisions.

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Fred Goldman is the Founder of D-lectables. His company imports and manufactures high-quality, sugarless and low-carbo candy and chocolate and other great tasting sugarless products. You'll find healthy snack choices only at D-lectable.com

Chocolate Fondue Fountain The Night One Came To Dinner

Writen by Stephen Turner

A friend is renting a chocolate fondue fountain for her wedding, the news of which sparked off my new born interest in the phenomena that is the 'chocolate fondue fountain'. I was told that a chocolate fondue fountain can be an eye catching, mouth watering central feature for all sorts of social occasions, parties and events. This got me thinking, 'Why wait for the wedding?' So I hired a chocolate fondue fountain for a night and invited a few friends around to test it and see what all the fuss was about.

We got the chocolate fondue fountain out of the box easy enough and it revealed itself to be a stainless steel structure with three tiers, with an overall height of about 15 inches top to bottom. It looked harmless enough, and was easy to set up so we proceeded to plug it in. Power was provided by the usual three-pin socket.

So now the science: the chocolate gets plonked into the basin, gets heated there and then carried to the top of the fountain via a rotating internal shaft. My internet research later revealed the shaft to be a form of Archimedes screw. However, there are other ways of getting the chocolate to the top of the fountain, namely a pump (the most common method). The box for our chocolate fondue fountain said that a screw had been chosen over a pump because the screw eliminates the possibility of blockages associated with some pumps, so the fountain will always flow smoothly. My research did reveal, however, a general preference for auger-style pumps amongst the more pricey chocolate fondue fountains.

A big surprise was that any melting chocolate will do; you don't have to use special chocolate fondue fountain chocolate. We had armed ourselves with 900g just to get started, although we got so stuck in that this did not last long and someone had to be requisitioned to the all night garage for more just after 1.00am. Our experience has confirmed the universal truth amongst chocolate fondue fountain aficionados that when it comes to chocolate, the more the merrier, since you need a fair amount to get a good flow and a respectable looking fountain. We were having a party after all.

Some bright spark suggested adding a dash of vegetable oil to the mix to make the chocolate flow easier, and the tests were conclusive that this did work to loosen up the flow. A party being a party, someone usually gets carried away and our someone decided to add alcohol. Bad move. And things had been going so smoothly. Our river of running chocolate turned into clotted lump of muck faster than a round of tequila slammers. You live and learn.

Final verdict

Visual impact: 10/10

Popularity: 10/10

Ease of set up and operation: 9/10

Versatility: 9/10 We tried putting various things into the falling curtain of chocolate, including marshmallows, pineapple, strawberries, and cake and all of them tasted wonderful. Shame about the alchohol.

So go hire a chocolate fondue fountain, or better still go right in to a shop and buy one. There are bargains to be had out there, and it is the opinion of this reviewer that if a chocolate fondue fountain comes to dinner, you won't be disappointed.

© Stephen Turner 2006. Stephen Turner has set up an information and resource website Chocolate Fondue Fountain. You'll find loads of chocolate fondue fountain information, advice, articles, features, discussion and specially chosen links to other chocolate fondue fountain websites for products and services. Please take a look. Stephen would also welcome your feedback on the site - click on the contact link on the site. This article may be reproduced in its original form provided the author's resource box is displayed below the article.

Best Candy Bars

Writen by Janice Kremer

Face it, Americans love their chocolate candy. According to Information Resources Inc, chocolate candy sales topped $3 billion dollars last year. Like many Americans, I am a chocoholic and need a chocolate fix every single day. Needless to say, I know my candy bars. I swear I've tried them all and these are my top 5 picks.

1) Snickers - Featuring a delicious nougat center with caramel and nuts, Snickers is at the top of my list. Whether you eat it from the end savoring all the flavors together or from the bottom eating all the nougat and then savoring the caramel/nut mixture separately, this candy bar is simply the best. According to the National Confectioners Association, the Snickers bar was developed in 1930 and named after a favorite horse of the Mars family. This candy bar is the number one selling bar in the U.S. so I guess I'm not alone in my love of the Snickers Bar.

2) Hershey Bar With Almonds - Milk chocolate with a few well distributed almonds easily satisfies my chocolate cravings. Introduced way back in 1908, this candy bar has been delighting chocolate lovers for nearly a century.

3) M & M's - Whether plain or peanut, these tasty little candies make my mouth happy. I must say though that the crispy version of M&M's is not a favorite of mine. The texture is too airy and just plain weird. M&M's were invented during the Spanish Civil War as a great treat that didn't melt in the hot sun. They were introduced to consumers in 1941.

4) Twix - Not much satisfies more that a crunchy cookie center with a layer of caramel and rich milk chocolate. The Twix bar was first introduced to US consumers in 1979.

5) SKOR Toffee Bar - Introduced in 1983, the delicious rich toffee enrobed in milk chocolate make the SKOR Bar a star in my book.

Cookie Gift Baskets makes delicious edible arrangements with all your favorite candy. We create chocolate and candy bouquets with Snickers, Hersheys, M & M's, and more. See all our Candy & Chocolate Gifts online for easy shopping convenience.

Chocolate Is Good For You

Writen by Janette Blackwell

Great news on the chocolate front! Chocolate is good for you. Under certain circumstances.

Katherine Tallmadge, spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association, says, in the February 9, 2005, WASHINGTON POST, that "cacao, or cocoa beans, contain 'flavanols,' naturally occurring plant compounds also found in tea, red wine, and apples. Their properties have been studied as heart disease inhibitors."

Carl L. Keen, chair of the department of nutrition at University of California, Davis, states in the same article that "the flavanols in cocoa help maintain a healthy vascular system. They reduce blood clotting -- an aspirin like effect -- reduce oxidative damage and improve blood flow."

Unfortunately the flavanols in chocolate are bitter and are mostly removed from processed chocolate. The level decreases with each step, from the bean to the cocoa powder, and ultimately to a finished product. But big manufacturers like Nestle and Mars Inc.(producers of M&Ms) are working on chocolate items that are -- what else? -- good for you. We can soon expect chocolate bars and candies that advertise their high level of flavanols. In the meantime, the only product that states its flavanol level is Mars' Dove Dark Chocolate, which has 150 mg. in 1.3 oz., a high level. It also has 200 calories. We live in an imperfect world.

While we're waiting for more high-flavanol products, Ms. Tallmadge recommends unsweetened cocoa powder, but not the alkalized "Dutch processed" kind, which has had its flavanols reduced. Next in desirability is semisweet or bittersweet chocolate with a high cocoa percentage. Some chocolates contain as much as 70 percent cocoa, but they can have as little as 35 percent. The percent of cocoa in milk chocolate can be even lower, and she does not recommend it. She says, "I recommend cocoa or an ounce per day of dark chocolate, which may be about 110 to 150 calories, depending on the chocolate. Any more than that and you're probably going to take in too many calories for weight control."

Do you have any idea of what you just read? A highly qualified nutrition professional is RECOMMENDING that you eat chocolate! Maybe not large quantities of chocolate, but chocolate. If you have suffered much in the area of chocolate, you may want to enlarge that statement and post it on your bathroom mirror, where it can cheer you on rainy mornings.

Now comes the chocolate frosting on the cake. Deanna K. reports: "The Diabetic Educator told me about CARBOLITE, a 1.1 oz. low carb chocolate bar made with Splenda, containing 0 sugar carbs, 15-18g carbohydrates, depending on flavor. On Google type in 'Carbolite'for more information."

Deanna continues, "The other chocolate bar that I think is acceptable is Amber Lyn Chocolates (fine imported Belgian chocolate), sugar free and carb conscious. A little higher in calories than Carbolite, the 1.2 oz bar has 15-16g carbs. For nutrition information visit www.amberlynchocolates.com." The dark chocolate bars have 157 calories.

Flavanols are not listed, but these dark chocolates are a good bet for that HEALTHFUL piece of chocolate it is your DUTY to eat regularly. And soon, no doubt, manufacturers will begin to formulate their candies to be high in flavanols -- and say so.

As a little girl on a Montana farm, Janette Blackwell ate simple but lusciously delicious country cooking. Which food she brings to you in her storytelling cookbook, STEAMIN' DOWN THE TRACKS WITH VIOLA HOCKENBERRY. Her website, http://www.foodandfiction.com, brings you country cooking and nostalgic stories, while, at http://www.delightfulfood.com, she takes you on a personal, guided tour of the hidden culinary treasures of the Internet. E-mail her at Janette@foodandfiction.com.

Chocolate Splendor Food For The Gods Bodybuilding Nutrition

Writen by Kevin Doberstein

A fictional overheard conversation at a Thelma's Fine Dining.

Hi, I'm your waitress, Flo. How are you two doing tonight? Just come from the gym? Whew, one of you needs a shower. Here's our menu. Our specials include a 3lb cheeseburger with mega fries, a foot long chili dog that is deep-fried and covered with cheese. Or we have a this new health drink called Chocolate Splendor. What? How in the h#%l did that get in there?

An after workout drink that provides bodybuilding nutrition for first rate growth.

After putting your body through a grueling workout it demands bodybuilding nutrition. No this is not an advertisement. We found an easy, quick and reasonably priced way of fulfilling this need. We take a packet of Carnation Instant Breakfast and mix it with whey protein.

The whey protein that we use is Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey Protein Powder. It mixes easily and tastes good. 20 grams of sugar carbohydrates from the instant breakfast help your blood glucose return back too normal after the depletion from the workout. You can mix the two powders together in a shaker cup and add water at the gym when you are ready to drink it.

Chocolate Splendor breakdown:

* Protein 28 grams

* Carbohydrates 30 grams 20 grams sugar

* Fat 2.5 grams

Feel free to publish this article in your e-zine, your newsletter, or your web site, as long as resource box and by-line is included. All web links in Bio and by line must be working.

A courtesy copy of your publication will be appreciated. Please, email to " natureboy_bodybuilding@hotmail.com"

Thank You

You can view this article with pictures at http://www.nature-boy-bodybuilding.com/natureboybodybuilding/id13.html

About The Author

Kevin Doberstein is a writer for www.nature-boy-bodybuilding.com. The site is dedicated to natural bodybuilding and preserving nature and wildlife. Water, forest, soil and wildlife conservation is paramount to Nature boy. You can contact Nature boy at natureboy_bodybuilding@hotmail.com

Chocolate Good For You Or Too Good

Writen by Jaynne Nichols

Is chocolate an important thing to include in your diet? Most of us are very willing to make chocolate a regular feature in our diet. In fact, people have implied that chocolate may have health benefits as far back as the 17th and 18th centuries.

Today, chocolate is considered such a staple in our diet that it's even included army food rations.

We may love chocolate, but is it really good for us? Many scientists and researchers have given their opinion, with mixed results.

Of course, a certain degree of cynicism surrounds these studies since many of them are underwritten by the chocolate industry. But there are have been some interesting studies related to chocolate and its benefits. Scientists at Japan's Osaka University conducted a study to see if chocolate is helpful in preventing tooth decay, and as a result, bad breath. Chocolate is made from cocoa beans, and the husks of the beans seem to contain an antibacterial agent that helps prevent plaque.

Although the husks are usually thrown out in typical chocolate production, confectioners may add them back to try to make chocolate more dental-friendly. Of course, even if the bean husks are put back to the chocolate they won't stand a chance in cavity-fighting action against the decay caused by chocolate's high sugar content.

Another study, conducted by Professor Carl Keen, a Californian scientist, was performed to find the health benefits of chocolate. One theory is that chocolate may actually help fight heart disease. Chocolate contains a flavinoids, a chemical which works to thin the blood, ultimately helping to prevent blood clotting. You may have heard of similar food studies – for instance, the one involving red wine, which is said to have the same affect.

Again, Professor Kern's study was funded by the candy maker, Mars, so it lacks a certain credibility. Harvard University conducted another study that found that if you eat chocolate three times a month your life expectancy will increase by at least a year. Unfortunately, the same study looked at the effect of over-indulgence, which tends to lower life expectancy. Chocolate's high-fat content means that over indulgence can result in obesity, which in turn resulting in an increased potential of heart disease. Does the type of chocolate provide for better overall health?

According to Dirk Taubert, MD, PhD, at the University of Cologne, Germany, he and his colleagues found that dark chocolate lower blood pressure (as opposed to white or milk chocolate). Unfortunately the benefits of dark chocolate don't apply to everyone.

According to the researchers, eating dark chocolate lowers blood pressure, if you are of a certain age and likely suffer from mild to high blood pressure. In a perfect world, chocolate would be a healthy choice along the lines of nutrients found in spinach, but unfortunately that's not the case.

Chocolate may have some possible health benefits, but a chronic overindulgence will lead to far more serious health risks. Chocolate is one the pleasures of life that should be appreciated, not over-indulged.

Patie Ackery and Jaynne Nicols have partnered to research a food that is loved by all but especially women. If you'd like to read more about chocolate check out the resource at http://www.anychocolate.com

Jaynne Nicols has done a lot of research into illness and why we get ill. One of the things she came across is that almost all illness starts in your colon. Sign up for her free newsletter Health and Wellness in the 21st Century and learn more in and through her series on health issues.

History Of Chocolate Truffles

Writen by George Murray

The invention of the cocoa press in 1828 made possible separating the natural fat in cocoa beans, called cocoa butter, from the bean solids. This not only improved the consistency and taste of the remaining cocoa powder but made possible the development of solid chocolate. Eating chocolate or solid chocolate, as opposed to drinking chocolate, was first produced in 1847 in Fry's chocolate factory in Bristol, England. Solid chocolate is a combination of cocoa powder, sugar, cocoa butter and often flavorings like vanilla. In 1879 Swiss Henri Nestle and Daniel Peter developed milk chocolate by combining solid chocolate with milk powder. Experimentation in France and Switzerland led to the development of ganache.

Ganache is the center component of a truffle. Ganache is a velvety smooth combination of solid semisweet chocolate and cream. Cooked at just the right temperature it cools to form a rich and firm paste with intense chocolate flavor. A truffle is a confection made of a round ganache center, often flavored, covered with a shell of milk, dark or white chocolate. Truffles are often covered in cocoa powder, sugar or finely chopped nuts.

Perhaps originating in France, the truffle is named for its visual similarity to the French mushroom-like fungus of the same name. Like the original truffle, chocolate truffles have become synonymous with luxury and a sumptuous taste experience. Truffles are made in a wide variety of tastes. In many chocolate houses the Chocolatier's finest ingredients are reserved for the truffle.

Want to learn more about the fascinating history of chocolate? Visit us at http://www.chocolate-gourmet-gifts.com

George Murray is the President of Centric Promotions, Inc. Learn more about the history of chocolate and view an assortment of luxury chocolates presented in beautiful gift boxes by visiting us at: http://www.chocolate-gourmet-gifts.com

Banana Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake At Starbucks Indeed

Writen by Lance Winslow

As the climate heats up certain crops will grow better and if global warming is a real then humans may be eating a lot of bananas. In fact some say this is already starting as many areas are reporting very strong banana crops in the last three years. Bananas grow well in tropical environments and climate change can cause areas to be more tropical.

If you go to Starbucks coffee you'll see they now have the banana chocolate Chip coffee cake and it is very good. Starbucks is very smart because the main ingredient in banana chocolate chip coffee cake is bananas and bananas are on sale worldwide.

You see, the founder of Starbucks coffee, Howard Schultz and now global strategist is formally a commodities broker and he knows how to watch the prices on various commodities. So since humans will be eating more bananas like their evolutionary cousins the chimpanzees and gorillas wouldn't you like to know what is in the banana chocolate chip coffee cake?

Well there are bananas, cake, chocolate chips for starters and the total fat is only 80 grams and it has 350 carbs in it. Also it has 30 grams of dietary fiber and five grams protein. I would also like to say after personally sampling the banana chocolate chip coffee cake that it is very good and I want some more please! Food for writing; indeed a yummy proposition. Consider this in 2006.

Lance Winslow

Good News For Chocoholics

Writen by Michael Douglas

Crazy for chocolates but scared of eating it? No more compromises with your taste buds needed. Chocolate lovers can now enjoy their favourite treat subtracting the guilt of being unfair to their health. Surprised? But that's true!

Recent studies have revealed that chocolates are not only your taste bud's favourite but a supporter of good health too. In fact this brown wonder has far more advantages than you can smell and taste.

In good measures, chocolate can be considered as a healthy food. So let me introduce you to the better half of your chocolate.

Chocolates are an instant energy boosters. They are a good combo of nutrients, proteins as well as vitamins. No wonder this makes chocolate a must for ration packs in the army, for trampers/hikers, mountain climbers. Besides the nutritional constituents chocolates also contain Flavonals. Flavonals are antioxidants, also present in apples, onions, peanuts, cranberries and red wine. In fact a 50mg bar of dark chocolate is equivalent to six apples, two glasses of wine and seven onions in its flavonoid content.

It's also been believed that chocolates also posses anti clotting effect in same measures as an aspirin. Thus chocolates assists in reducing the risk of deep vein thrombosis when flying.

Another research brought forward the fact that eating chocolate laced with calcium reduces the absorption of chocolate derived fats by 13% and calories by 9% as compared to a naked bar. So if you are overweight, do lace your chocolate with calcium and then munch it.

If you like the pleasant smell of this wonder here is a better reason for you to sniff it. It has been proved that even sniffing a chocolate bars can boost up your immune system by raising the level of antibodies in the body. The addition of as little as 15 to 20 grams of dark chocolate in the daily diet has been shown to provide the necessary benefits.

Have you ever wondered, why love strucked people keep exchanging chocolates? Chocolates contain some natural substances that help in fighting against heart diseases and other related circulatory disorders. Hmmmmm.... So probably the reason is to keep their exchanged hearts safe!

Another healthy component of this delicacy is theobromine. It helps you to cure cough without any side effect of drowsiness as in the case of ceodeine. The best part of your favourite chocolate bar is its tryptophan content. Tryptophan, an essential amino acid, its consumption triggers the release of serotonin, a feel good neurotransmitter, in the brain that stimulate the central nervous system and makes you feel happy. The fat boosts other 'feel good' brain chemicals called endorphins and may have the same effect as marijuana.

Chocolates also generates the feeling of attraction and raises your excitment level by the activity of another neurotransmitter, phenylethylamine which acts on the brain's pleasure centre. No wonder chocolates are love birds favourite!

Your chocolate cravings must have reached height by now, so go ahead and grab your today's health dose. But do remember, some wise men have said that excess of anything is bad.

Michael Douglas, being an health expert offers valuable tips and articles on health and fitness. Visit his website at http://www.time4tips.com/ to know more about him and his amazing work in healthcare industry. Here you can also find a bulk of beauty, makeup tips, information and homemade remedies to make you even more beautiful and stylish.

Subscribe to the info-packed Newsletter for the latest tips.

Classification Of Chocolate A Sweet Gift For Any Time Of The Year

Writen by William Smith

Many different types of chocolate are available for consumption, but what is the real difference between them? Chocolates are classified by the percentage of cocoa in the mix and the other ingredients that are included. Some chocolates are only suitable for cooking, while others are made for immediate consumption. Below are the edible variations and how they are classified.

Semi-Sweet Chocolate - Made from unsweetened chocolate (chocolate liquor), but with the addition of sugar, cocoa butter, lecithin and vanilla mixed in. Semi-sweet chocolate must contain at least 35% unsweetened chocolate, and typically is less than 50%.

Dark Chocolate - The rules regarding classification of chocolate in this category vary throughout the world. However, the one constant is that this type of chocolate contains no milk solids, but has sweeteners and cocoa butter added to the mix. In Europe, dark chocolate must consist of at least 35% cocoa solids while in the U.S., it must have a 15% concentration of chocolate liquor.

Milk Chocolate - Like you'd guess from the name, milk chocolate is made with condensed or powdered milk. In Europe, milk chocolate must consist of at least 25% cocoa solids, while in the US, it must have a 10% concentration of chocolate liquer and a minimum of 12% milk solids. Milk chocolate is primarily used for eating and is the most popular form of chocolate in the U.S.

White Chocolate - The name given to white chocolate is a misnomer because it isn't really chocolate at all. Strictly speaking, chocolate is defined as any product 100% based on cocoa solid. White "chocolate" doesn't contain any cocoa solids and is made from cocoa butter, milk solids and sugar.

Couverture Chocolate - Chocolates under this classification are true gourmet chocolates that are rich in cocoa butter (upwards of 35%) which creates an extremely high fat content. Cocoa butter is the fat extracted from chocolate liquor. These chocolates contain a very high percentage of cocoa which is the solid powder left after the cocoa butter is extracted from the chocolate liquor.

Need some Chocolate Gift Baskets? All About Gifts & Baskets has a huge variety of gifts and gift baskets containing all your favorites treats. From gourmet milk chocolate to decadent rich truffle chocolates, there are plenty of gifts to choose from. Order your selection online today.

Chocolate Fondue Fountain Buying Chocolate

Writen by Anthony Tripodi

Most people don't put much effort into buying chocolate for a chocolate fondue fountain. Perhaps they have a few bags of chocolate chips on hand or they'll even buy some of those brick sized chocolate bars. Sure this will work fine and the whole fountain concept will still impress your party guests. But true chocolate aficionados use gourmet chocolate in their fountains and you can definitely taste the difference.

Melting regular supermarket chocolate chips is not an option in the most popular home versions of the chocolate fondue fountain. The chocolate will be too thick and if it can actually be pumped to the top of the fountain, you won't get that cascading waterfall effect that these machines are famous for. Plain chocolate will just drip if you're lucky. If you're unlucky, it will clog your fountain, leaving you with a few pounds of chocolate that needs to be melted with hot water before you can use your fountain again. When using regular chocolate, you will need to add a significant amount of vegetable oil in order for the chocolate to be fluid enough for the fountain to work.

The best way to melt supermarket chocolate is with a double boiler. For every two pounds of chocolate, you should slowly add one cup of vegetable oil while stirring. If you can handle your double boiler and an electric mixer at once, then the mixing won't be too hard. You probably won't need the entire cup of oil so add it slowly and stop when you think the chocolate looks right. But don't forget that you can't add more oil when the chocolate is already in the fountain. So if you are in doubt, add more oil.

The easiest way to set up your chocolate fondue fountain is to use couverture chocolate. Couverture is a French word that means to cover. Courverture chocolate is usually used for making candies or for dipping so it's perfect for a chocolate fountain. It's made with a higher percentage of cocoa butter than normal chocolate and melts to a smoother texture. Couverture chocolate will give you that elegant looking waterfall effect without any additional oil or mixing required. The only drawback is that it's very expensive when compared to supermarket chocolate.

Melting couverture chocolate is the same as regular chocolate. Either use a double boiler or a microwave. Since you won't be adding any additional oil or using the electric mixer, the microwave can work great. Set the microwave for a minute at a time and stir in between.

Whoever decided that turning a chocolate fondue fountain into a home appliance should be given a medal. Why save the chocolate fountain for weddings and other large parties when you can now set it up every weekend. If you are having a birthday party or a barbeque, why not add some pizzazz to the event with a chocolate fondue fountain. Whether you choose expensive couverture chocolate or regular supermarket chocolate chips, it's sure to taste delicious.

Anthony Tripodi is the webmaster of GoFondue.com. For more information using a Chocolate Fondue Fountain visit http://www.gofondue.com

Why Chocolate For Valentines Day

Writen by David Eisen

Valentine's Day is many things to different people- a chance to start new relationships, rekindle old ones, or remind that special someone how wonderful they really are. Others feel it is just another "Hallmark" holiday where they are expected to do something for unknown reasons. Regardless of your hopes, expectations, or reservations about Valentine's Day, chocolate has long been a favorite gift for lovers.

Since the days of the Aztecs chocolate has been used as a gift. Today a box of luxurious quality chocolate says a thousand "thank you's", "good luck", or "I love you". Chocolate can be given as a way of saying "congratulations", "I am sorry" or "get well soon". On Valentine's Day chocolate clearly says "I LOVE YOU!" Chocolate is more than food, it not only fills your belly but also makes you feel soooo good. Elaine Sherman wrote "Chocolate is heavenly, mellow, sensual, deep, dark, sumptuous, gratifying, potent, dense, creamy, seductive, suggestive, rich, excessive, silky, smooth, luxurious, celestial. Chocolate is downfall, happiness, pleasure, love, ecstasy, fantasy … chocolate makes us wicked, guilty, sinful, healthy, chic, happy." What more could you want to say to your lover on Valentines Day? Even the scientific name for the tree from which chocolate is derived, Theobroma cacao, translated from Greek, means "food of the gods".

Why does chocolate evoke so many feelings and emotions for us? Chocolate has long been associated with passion, romance and love. This association may go all the way back to the Aztecs. They believed chocolate was a source of spiritual wisdom, incredible energy and elevated sexual power. Chocolate was widely used as a nuptial aid and was widely served at wedding ceremonies. The Aztecs did not know chocolate as we do today; they consumed the cocoa as a drink. Reports indicate that the Emperor Montezuma consumed large quantities of the drink every day and always fortified himself with a cup before entertaining his harem. The explorer Cortes reported to Carlos I of Spain that chocolate is "… the divine drink which builds up resistance and fights fatigue. A cup of this precious drink enables a man to walk for a whole day without food." From the earliest times, chocolate was considered a substance of power and a source of vitality.

Chocolate has been a subject of study since the first shipment from Veracruz arrived in Spain in 1585. But modern science has made some interesting findings that may help explain our lust for quality chocolate. Chocolate contains organic substances known as alkaloids. The most important of these substances is theobromine, which works as a stimulant to the kidneys. Stimulants in chocolate also affect the central nervous system, with effects similar to caffeine, which is also present in chocolate. A chocolate bar may contain as much as 200 mg of theobromine but only about 25 mg of caffeine. Another important substance found in chocolate is phenylethylamine, which is part of a group of chemicals known as endorphins. Endorphins have an effect similar to amphetamine and are found naturally in the human body. When endorphins are released into the bloodstream, the mood is lifted and feelings of positive energy are reached. The sensation known as "runners high" is caused by endorphins released during exercise. Phenylethylamine levels in the brain have also been linked to "falling in love". One more chemical found in chocolate is seratonin. Seratonin is known for its calming properties. The presence of these chemicals may explain the multitude of feelings chocolate evokes.

Debra Waterhouse, author of Why Women Need Chocolate, conducted a survey and found: 97% of women reported cravings, 68% of which are for chocolate, 50% would choose chocolate over sex, and 22% were more likely than men to choose chocolate as a mood elevator. These findings could easily be interpreted as a result of how chocolate makes us feel. I don't know why more women choose chocolate than men, for I am a man and I love chocolate.

Critics would say that the benefits of eating chocolate are small when compared to the sugar and fat contained in a chocolate bar. The best chocolate, dark chocolate with high cacao butter content has no added fat, as well as a high percentage of cacao solids and correspondingly less sugar. Although chocolate will never be considered a health food based on its nutritional value, it is still good for you! Good for your heart and soul-anything that helps relieve stress and makes you feel so good must be.

Receiving a nicely wrapped box of chocolates causes a sense of anticipation. The pleasure of unwrapping the box, the sensual smell, lifting the soft seductive papers, the look of the smooth dark chocolates. When it finally passes your lips and starts to instantly melt filling your mouth with exquisite pleasure. The taste and smell flood your senses with overwhelming ecstasy. Eating it slowly, taking time to enjoy and savor every bit. What better way to start off an evening of love?

David Eisen is owner of Euphoric Chocolate, come visit us at http://www.euphoricchocolate.com Our large variety of novelty chocolates, chocolate truffles, and elegant gift boxes are the perfect touch to add to any occasion. We can help you creat the perfict wedding favor, bridal shower favor or baby shower favor for your special event.

Buy A Chocolate Fountain

Writen by Dianne Davies

Some people (with little vision or desire to entertain) would be forgiven for wondering why anyone would want to buy a chocolate fountain? It all depends. If you are the type of person who invites people around then rations the food and drink and expects your guests to like it or lump it, then perhaps it's not for you. (I've certainly been to those kind of parties, where the hosts were so mean you were searching for takeout on the way home!)

However if you are a generous host or hostess who wants to really send your guests away happy, then the thought that you might buy a chocolate fountain won't seem so strange to you. Sure, the sort of person who wants to show off would also want to buy a chocolate fountain for their next party, but there's nothing wrong with trying to make an impression on your guests.

Entertaining is just that – it's your turn to make sure that your guests are amused, fed and watered to the very best of your ability. You might want to buy a chocolate fountain if you are planning a grand party like a wedding reception, or a retirement party or special birthday. Conversely you might want a fountain just to make a small, intimate party have that "wow" factor which will put a smile on the face of your guests.

Imagine if at dessert time at the end of a dinner party you produced a chocolate fountain and a big dish of strawberries? How great would that be? If you go ahead and buy a chocolate fountain you won't regret it because you can use it in so many different circumstances. Once you've used it once, you can rest assured your guests will be hoping to see it again, so it's probably best to buy a chocolate fountain rather than rent.

In order to obtain a fountain you can try Party Rental firms who might be selling off used ones, try a manufacturer, try local party good suppliers and also of course surf the internet in search of the bargain you really want when you go to buy a chocolate fountain.

Dianne Davies has written more about chocolate fountains at http://www.chocolate-fountains.without-tears.com

Is Chocolate More Than Just Candy

Writen by Gary Gresham

If you are a true chocoholic, just thinking about chocolate is enough to put a smile on your face. Most people will actually experience a pleasurable feeling after consuming chocolate.

Scientists have been working on identifying specific chemicals and chemical combinations in chocolate with hopes to better explain these pleasurable responses.

Not only have they found that chocolate contains over 300 known chemicals, but they also found it is a very efficient energy source for your body.

A single chocolate chip can provide enough food energy for an adult to walk 150 feet. Many Armies issue their soldiers rations of chocolate containing over 80% chocolate solids, for use in emergencies. Even Napoleon carried chocolate on his military campaigns.

But cocoa, which is used to make chocolate, is used for a lot more than for just making candy. You may have recently heard the news that cocoa contains a powerful mixture of health-enhancing antioxidants.

Cocoa is actually a rainforest herb technically known as Theobroma Cacao. The cocoa bean has been used for thousands of years by indigenous tribes in South and Central America.

These tribes use cacao to combat parasites, to counteract the effects of snakebites and as a general antiseptic. Western researchers are just beginning to recognize the powerful healing properties of this amazing gift from nature.

Scientists are also studying the fact that chocolate may contain psychoactive compounds that create genuine chemical addictions that alter the mood of those who eat it.

So when people say they are addicted to chocolate, it's possible they could be correct. For chocohalics everywhere let's hope the FDA doesn't find out and try to regulate it.

Copyright © 2006 1 Stop Shopping Online.com All Rights Reserved.

This article is provided by http://www.1stopshoppingonline.com/chocolates-desserts.html

Chocolate Gifts

Writen by Eddie Tobey

Chocolate is a popular gift item that you can give to anyone for any special occasion. You can give chocolate to your amour with a bunch of red roses. You can wish your friend good luck with this delightful treat. Or you can greet your parents a happy anniversary with a chocolate basket. Whatever the celebration is, chocolate gifts are sure to bring a smile to the faces of the people who are close to your heart.

One of the most popular forms of chocolate gifts is the chocolate gift basket. A variety of chocolates can be included in the basket, which is artfully decorated for artistic appeal. Chocolate gift baskets are noted for the variety of chocolate they carry. If the recipient is a chocolate lover, he is sure to be delighted with a miscellany of white chocolates, dark chocolates, chocolates with nuts, fruits, and almonds, and those with different flavors such as raspberry or caramel. The more chocolate variations, the better.

If there is a chocolate gift basket, there is also a chocolate gift box. A chocolate gift box can include either a single flavor of chocolate or a variety of chocolate flavors. Some people prefer giving chocolates in a box instead of a basket because it is more presentable. Also, in giving chocolates packed in a box, there is less risk of melting. This would be a good choice if the recipient lives miles away and won't be able to open your gift till a later time.

Lastly, you can simply give a piece of chocolate as a gift. Choose the favorite chocolate bar of that special person and tie a small ribbon around it for a more presentable look.

Chocolate gifts are indeed ideal for any occasion. Whether it is a basket bursting with chocolate variants, a neatly wrapped chocolate gift box, or a simple chocolate bar, it is sure to make that special day more memorable.

Chocolate provides detailed information on Chocolate, Gourmet Chocolate, Chocolate Gifts, Organic Chocolate and more. Chocolate is affiliated with Cookie Baskets.

Enjoy Chocolate Its Healthy For You

Writen by Lisa Andrews

It's true…eating chocolate, especially dark, has health benefits. But, can it prevent heart disease, fight cancer cells and also be considered a sunscreen?

Yes, it can! A recent study from a German research company discovered women who drank hot cocoa, which is high in "flavanol" anti-oxidants, daily for three months had a 25% decrease in redness after UV irradiation. Their skin was less scaly and more moist than the women drinking low-flavanol cocoa.

Flavanols, which is a photochemical found chocolate, fruits and vegetables, can boost the levels of nitric oxide in blood vessel functioning which affects the heart. Dark chocolate contains high amounts of flavanol.

A recent study by Holland's National Institute of Public Health and Environment found that dark chocolate contains 53.5 mg of catechins per 100 grams. The anti-oxidants in catechins are powerful enough to fight off cancer causing cells and help prevent heart disease.

FYI: Drinking green tea also contains high amounts of catechins, which again, help fight off cancer cells and prevent heart disease.

Be aware, though, that chocolate does contain high amounts of sugar and saturated fats which mean you may want to eat it in moderation. The average candy bar is 250 calories.

What I do is buy a large, dark chocolate candy bar (the more expensive brand the better) and break off a couple of squares a day to eat. I let it melt in my mouth which allows me to savor the flavor and satisfies me longer. This way I can enjoy it without too many extra calories while receiving all the health benefits.

You can learn more by clicking the resources below!

Drink green tea it has many antioxidants like chocolate does! Many Home Remedies can relieve common ailments and help with household problems.

Read This Article If You Love Chocolate

Writen by Lance Winslow

Greetings fellow Chocolate lover, I am here to tell you I have good news! No, I did not save a lot of money on my car insurance by switching to Gieko, as I already had Gieko in the first place. No, I am here to tell you that Chocolate is really good for you. That's right, the dark chocolate type has some great new research showing that in fact it can help against diarrhea symptoms. This is because cocoa beans have flavonoids, a chemical in them that binds with a protein in the intestines that secretes fluid.

Of course this wonderful finding was already known by Europeans in the sixteenth century, but since now scientists have proven this, it means we need to have plenty of dark chocolate around the house just in case, the really tasty expensive type. YES.

Oh but it gets even better you see dark chocolate as better anti-oxidants in it, meaning it can help the heart and arteries too. Milk chocolate does too, but the milk is not always so good. There is more! Indeed, it was discovered that dark chocolate might even help against cancer on top of protecting the heart from heart disease and preventing diarrhea. If dark chocolate can boost the blood anti-oxidant levels by 20% and we all love dark chocolate and it does all these wonderful other things then how come it tastes so good? While, I'll bet that God created Chocolate on the seventh day, but forgot to tell anybody, because he was busy enjoying himself. Think on this.

Lance Winslow

Chocolate Exposed

Writen by Brianna Stanley

"There are four basic food groups: milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate, and chocolate truffles." This anonymous quotation expresses the commonly-felt sentiment towards this "food of the gods." Our love for chocolate is played out in the many roles that we equate it with: we give it as gifts on Valentine's Day, we binge on it when we're depressed, we crave it as a comfort food, and in general most of us just need a daily fix. It would be great news for most of us if there was truth to the report that chocolate isn't as bad as it is frequently thought....because then we might not feel so guilty after we indulge. Does chocolate indeed possess beneficial qualities?

We've all heard the conflicting reports that chocolate is either a healthful treat or a plague to be avoided, but the truth falls somewhere in the middle. While it is true that it contains many good-for-you benefits, it is also extremely calorie-dense and usually has too much added sugar and other detrimental ingredients. But on a good note, cocoa is a rich source of flavenoids, or naturally-occuring antioxidants that are also found in fruits in vegetables as well as tea and red wine. These properties help to guard against cancer and even heart disease--more specifically, they prevent fat-like substances from oxidizing and clogging the arteries. In addition the nitric acid that is present in cocoa is a compound necessary for maintaining a healthy blood pressure.

A study done on an island near Panama may give us an idea of the effect that cocoa has on blood pressure. The residents of Kuna are known to drink about five cups of cocoa a day, as well as including it in many of their recipes. Accordingly, they very seldom develop high blood pressure until they move off the island; the study found that it was not related to salt intake or obesity.

Chocolate is not just good for your heart, but studies are showing that it does in fact help improve your mood. More than 400 chemicals have been identified in chocolate, many of them pertaining to your mental state. The consumption of chocolate has also been found to stimulate the secretion of endorphins, or the "feel-good" hormones that have been acquainted with the mood-lift you feel after an intense workout. This could explain the cravings many women endure around their menstrual cycle.

It is important to realize that the health benefits mentioned are specific to certain types of chocolate. Many factors, including different processing methods and ingredients, reduce the flavenoid content and increase the fat and sugar levels. In particular, Dutch processing has been found to reduce the healthful qualities the most, and obviously white chocolate is not included in the category because it is not a real chocolate. Dark chocolate has been found to be the best choice due to its higher flavenoid and lower sugar content. Care must be taken when consuming chocolate; moderation is always the key.

There is hope for all of the chocolate lovers out there. Despite the fact that it is high in sugar, a little (dark) chocolate as a treat now and then won't harm you too much, and it may help to keep your arteries free and clear. Of course the best sources for flavenoids are still fruits and vegetables, it is reassuring to know that we're at least getting something back when we satisfy our cravings.

Brianna Stanley has turned her passion for health and wellness into her business. To find out more about the Freedom Project's simple 3-step process, click here: http://www.miniofficeoutlets.com

Easter Chocolate All You Need To Know About Choosing Healthy Chocolate This Easter

Writen by Elizabeth Martyn

You don't have to give up eating chocolate just because you want to eat healthily. But you do need to choose the right chocolate this Easter, the type that brings positive health benefits and isn't laden with disastrously unhealthy added fats and sugars.

When you're choosing chocolate Easter eggs this year, remember these facts:

• Healthy chocolate What does chocolate contain, that's good for you? The cocoa bean, from which chocolate is made, contains antioxidants, as well as the minerals copper, magnesium and iron, and vitamins A, B1, B2, D and E. Research into chocolate shows that it can improve boost immunity, lower blood pressure and may even help to protect against cancer properties. Dark chocolate can lower cholesterol levels. And the chemical serotonin found in chocolate is a great natural anti-depressant.

• Choosing good chocolate Sad to say, a lot of mass-produced chocolate bars do not give you all these health benefits. Why? Because they contain very little cocoa solids, and way too much sugar, fats and other additives. Also, manufacturing processes have probably robbed them of what little nutritional value they had. To get the health benefits of chocolate, choose dark varieties, containing 65 per cent or more cocoa solids. These types of chocolate taste rich, with a complex flavour – and provide you with all the health benefits of the cocoa bean.

• Recognising good chocolate Look for a glossy surface, and dark colour with reddish-black undertones. The chocolate should break crisply when you snap it. Look for brands with no or low added sugar and a cocoa-solid content of 60% or more. Try to find trade brands, and also look out for organic chocolate such as Green & Blacks.

• How much chocolate to eat Top quality chocolate should be savoured, so don't wolf those eggs down at a sitting. Make them last over 3-4 days. At other times of year, one or two squares of good chocolate, eaten twice or three times a week, can be part of a healthy diet, as long as you're also getting plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables.

This year, at Easter, remember these chocolate facts, and buy an egg that tastes great and does your health a good turn.

Elizabeth Martyn is webmaster at http://healthy-eating-made-easy.com, where she provides information, tips and recipes on using seasonal, fresh ingredients to feed the family healthily and without hassle.

Now you know how to choose chocolate, find out how to use it, in delicious chocolate recipes. There are also over 120 easy healthy recipes for family meals on the site.

This article may be published electronically or in print in its entirety as long as the author by-lines in the resource box are included and urls kept live.

Five Reasons Why We Love Chocolate

Writen by Janette Vince

It's one of the most popular sweets of all time. Women crave it, men hoard it, and Aztec kings were said to have been the first to eat it. But why do we love chocolate so much? Following are just a few reasons why chocolate is so popular—and why you shouldn't give it up completely, even if you're on a diet!

It melts in your mouth - Chocolate contains fat—that's no surprise. The cocoa butter in chocolate gives it a rich, creamy consistency that also transmits the cocoa's flavor perfectly. It also has a melting point that's just a bit lower than the average human body temperature, which gives you that melt-in-your-mouth feeling every time you pop a piece of chocolate in your mouth. Chocolate lovers often describe this melting feeling as a true moment of ecstasy.

Just the right chemistry - According to a study done at the University of Michigan in the United States, chocolate contains chemicals called opioids. Opioids are also found in opium, and they serve to dull pain and give a feeling of well-being to people who ingest them. According to the study, people who eat chocolate produce natural opiates in their brains that soothe their nerves and make them feel good. When the receptors that detected opioids were blocked, that chocolate craving was lessened.

Chocolate also naturally contains "uppers" like caffeine, sugars, and phenylthalymine, which will make your heart pound a little harder, your breathing come a bit more quickly, and give you a feeling of alertness. The effect is not dramatic enough to be uncomfortable in most people; it's mild enough to produce a pleasant "high," which is often equated to the feeling of being in love.

Chocolate equals love - Speaking of love, the association might not be completely physiological. Women crave chocolate more often than men do. Women are also habitually given chocolate as birthday and Valentine's Day presents. In our culture, chocolate is thought of as a romantic gift. It's outside the realm of mundane, day-to-day food, reserved for special occasions—and, for women especially, it's associated with love and romance. That could be another reason why women particularly love chocolate: deep down, it makes them feel loved, cared for, and pampered.

It really is good for you - Recent studies suggest that chocolate—especially dark chocolate—contains chemicals that lower the risk of cancer and heart disease. Flavanoids and antioxidants in dark chocolate have been shown to make a difference in cardiovascular health. Until recently, tea was considered the main source for these chemicals. Now, scientists recommend that you have a chocolate cookie or biscuit with your tea so your body gets more of those life-lengthening chemicals. Don't have milk with your dark chocolate, however—the same studies show that milk can cancel out the healthful effects of eating chocolate by preventing those helpful chemicals from being fully absorbed in the body.

Chocolate does contain fats and sugars that you shouldn't eat a great deal of—but as long as you eat it in moderation, the science suggests you can add as much as a year to your life.

It's great for your sex life - Ever since the time of the Aztecs, people have believed that chocolate has aphrodisiac properties. But there may be some deeper truth to those old legends. Recent studies have shown that women who eat a little bit of chocolate a day have significantly more sex than women who don't. This could be because of those brain-soothing chemicals that are found in chocolate, and that chocolate encourages the brain to release more of as it's eaten. Chocolate just makes us feel good—which is a key ingredient for a healthy sex life.

But there are more creative ways to use chocolate in the bedroom besides just eating it. Adventurous and playful couples have incorporated it in the bedroom for years. For a sensual treat, make a chocolate fondue and feed your loved one strawberries dipped in the sweet sauce. Give your spouse fine chocolates for no reason—they're sure to show their appreciation later. If you're not afraid to get a little messy, use chocolate-flavored body lotions and lubricants—you can always share a shower to clean off afterwards!

It's important to remember not to overindulge in chocolate. It does contain high amounts of saturated fats and sugars that can cause health damage and obesity if you take in too much. However, when eaten in moderate quantities, chocolate truly can be a miracle food. Even better, it tastes wonderful—it's hard to find anyone who doesn't like some kind of chocolate, whether it's white, dark, or milk, Hershey or Belgian. So the next time you have to give up something for Lent or take up a new diet, think twice before giving up chocolate. It not only tastes good—its health benefits give you a great excuse to keep on enjoying it.

Janette Vince is managing director of the online business http://www.thanksdarling.com. Thanks darling offer a wide range of experience days out and breaks. For a memorable day out making chocolates visit http://www.thanksdarling.com/chocolate-making-with-lunch.htm

Nutritional Difference Between Dark Chocolate And White Chocolate

Writen by Natalie Aranda

There are as many stories associated to chocolate candy as brands available on the market. Different shapes, sizes, and colors are usually accompanied by a dilemma, which is better, dark chocolate or white chocolate?

Apart from taste, World's Finest Chocolates are characterized for their nutriments. Within your preferred brand, Hershey chocolate, Ghirardelli chocolate, Nestle chocolate, or Lindt Chocolates, you will find that they are available in dark chocolate and white chocolate presentations.

Nutritionally speaking, white chocolate is a new comer that has been promoted for the benefits of its higher content of milk. However, this type of chocolate candy is not exactly what a chocolate should be.

Standards of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) states that white chocolate is a combination of milk solids, butterfat, cocoa butter, sugar, lecithin and flavorings, but NO chocolate, but a similar tasting resulting from cocoa butter and sometimes artificial flavoring.

Although a white Hershey chocolate was introduced in 2005, it is White Nestle chocolate, which is more commonly found in this variety, which color is not due to milk content, but sublime or vegetable fat. You must be careful with this product more often referred to as confectionery or summer coating with very low nutritional value.

Lindt Chocolates has a white variety, the same as Ghirardelli chocolate, but labeled as baking chocolate. White chocolate is a great covering for desserts, cakes, dark chocolate candy, and more.

World's Finest Chocolates are dark whether bittersweet or semisweet. Chocolate candy is not only claimed as a sensual food, but also a product with true nutritional benefits including improvement of endothelial and platelet function, related to cardiovascular health.

Next time, you go to the grocery store, take a dark Hershey chocolate, and compare the information with that of a white Nestle chocolate. You will find differences in their ingredients, but especially in the higher proportion of fats in white chocolate. Although cardiovascular benefits of dark chocolate are still in debate due to risks associated with effects of glucose and lipid, in body weight, dark chocolate has anti-oxidative effects that benefit the heart.

Ghirardelli chocolate was associated to recent research studying the benefits of flavonoids in dark chocolate. Lindt Chocolates are also reputed for lowering high blood pressure. Whatever brand is your preference, balance your calories with up to a 100-gram serving a day, can help you to improve your health.

When it comes to the World's Finest Chocolates, apples have been left behind, substituting the saying with this phrase: "A Dark Chocolate a Day Keeps the Doctor Away", and this saying seems true, indeed.

Natalie Aranda writes on food and drinks. Although a white Hershey chocolate was introduced in 2005, it is White Nestle chocolate, which is more commonly found in this variety, which color is not due to milk content, but sublime or vegetable fat. You must be careful with this product more often referred to as confectionery or summer coating with very low nutritional value. Lindt Chocolates has a white variety, the same as Ghirardelli chocolate, but labeled as baking chocolate. White chocolate is a great covering for desserts, cakes, dark chocolate candy, and more.