Virtual Chocolate

A second on your lips forever on your hips never happens with virtual chocolate. 

Chocolate begins from a seed. A cacao seed. It is then fermented, roasted, shelled, grounded, and melted into other forms and tastes. It is also exactly how a product is created. Whether a car or an article. 

The process begins with an idea--another way of seeding. We ferment it--we let it roll around in our imagination, sprinkle on a little creativity, and even place it into a state of aggravation in order to deshell it. 

Next, we roast the idea, melt it, add this and that, and mold it into some delectable small, large, round or square piece that will tingle taste buds, yours, and mine too. It could be building a book, an article, a building, or sending food to a starving country. 

Sometimes we remove something to change it's color or to make it fat free. With chocolate, they remove the extra shell and then make it into white chocolate. For a writer, it's the editing process, the removing of that inner shell to find the white sweeter spot or to make it fat free. 

Everything leads up to one thing whether it's making virtual chocolate or anything else. It's the user's result. When someone pops that piece of chocolate into their mouth and that smile of delight lights up their face, it doesn't matter whether they're young or old, an American or of Australian descent. A smile is a smile on any human being. And a smile on a child is forever on our hard drive. 

So, what is the difference if you are making chocolate or writing an e-mail that makes someone smile. Send virtual chocolate everyday and make them smile.

Is Chocolate A New Health Food?

Could it be possible that our beloved chocolate may actually be good for us? This is the nutrition news we have all been waiting for. So here is the scoop on chocolate and its health benefits. Yes, you read right, health benefits!

Recent studies show that cocoa and dark chocolate with a high cocoa content contain many heart-healthy antioxidants. They contain a compound called flavonoids which may help prevent the oxidation of LDL (bad) cholesterol and raise HDL (good) cholesterol levels in the blood. There is also some evidence that these flavonoids may prevent certain cancers.

It is important that we are all on the same page here, not all chocolate have these health benefits. The healthy flavonoids found in chocolate are found in the cocoa butter and cocoa solids. Milk chocolate is diluted with milk and sugar and contains little amounts of these substances, therefore providing fewer health benefits. So, for those of you who love dark chocolate this is your lucky day! The darker the chocolate, the higher the cocoa content and the more antioxidants it contains. The quality of the chocolate you consume is also important. The cocoa butter is quite pricey so less expensive brands will replace the cocoa butter with milk fats and hydrogenated oils which are bad for our health. Look for high quality chocolates with their main ingredients being cocoa butter and cocoa solids. Unsweetened cocoa powder is one of the purest forms of chocolate you can eat and is lower in fat and calories than other chocolates.

Although this is great news for all chocolate lovers, don't forget that most chocolate (unless you use unsweetened cocoa powder) does still contain sugar and saturated fat.

And please remember calories. An ounce of chocolate contains around 135 calories. So enjoy a cup of hot cocoa or an ounce of chocolate once in awhile to contribute to your health and not to your waistline!

Owner of Real Living Nutrition Services, Meri Raffetto is a recognized professional in the area of nutrition and wellness. She has received a bachelor’s degree in both nutrition and psychology and has extensive experience in nutrition counseling and medical nutrition therapy. She offers individual nutrition counseling and has developed one of the only non-diet online weight management programs available on the internet. Meri specializes in weight management, cardiovascular health, and sports nutrition and consults with professional athletes at Titan Sports Performance Center. Her practice includes teaching people how to eat for endurance, improve vitality, and lose weight healthfully.

7 Tips on Giving Chocolates to Your Valentine

Every year millions of people exchange chocolates on February 14th for Valentine's Day. This trend has grown very popular in recent times, especially with the rise of quality chocolates (...and the number of chocoholics). Still, even in these modern times there are a few things you need to consider before you run out and grab a chocolate gift.

Fresh chocolates are the best to get

Some of the larger chocolate candy makers make their chocolates for the "busy season" (December through February) as early as summer time. That means that some of the packaged chocolates you can purchase are several months old. Also, some of these chocolates are made with added preservatives which allow the chocolates to stay good longer, but can affect the taste. 

To get around this it is recommended you buy from a local chocolatier, candy store, or bakery who can produce a fresh chocolate treat for you (or at least one that is only a day or two old). If you are sending your chocolates to someone far away, check to see if there is a good local place that could deliver fresh chocolates for you and lessen the chance of shipping mishaps.

Nothing beats a homemade gift

For a more personal touch you can make your own box of chocolates to give to your valentine. Don't worry if you are not a whiz in the kitchen - even if your gift does not turn out perfectly, it will earn extra points because you made it especially for them. There are many books, magazines, and websites to turn to for help and guidance so you do not have to go it alone. This is also a chance for you to personalize the chocolates an make them extra special by adding your valentine's favorite fruits, nuts, liqueurs, flavors, etc. See the Chocolate Truffle recipe below for a good way to make your own homemade gift.

The shape of love

While hearts are often a common theme used for shaping chocolates and gift boxes, you can use any shape that would appeal to your valentine, such as flowers. You can be creative with cookie cutters, stencils, or decorator's icing to give your chocolates extra flair, such as drawing a heart, smiley face, or bow on your chocolates. Also consider the different ways you can dress up the gift box with ribbons, flowers, handwritten love poems, etc.

Milk chocolate is not the only chocolate out there

While most Americans favor milk chocolates, don't be afraid of using dark chocolate in your gift; for instance, you can do a mixed selection of 1/2 milk chocolate and 1/2 dark chocolate. If you are not sure if your valentine likes dark chocolate you might want to go for the mild and sweet taste of semisweet chocolate. If you want to go for intense chocolate flavor then go with the bittersweet dark chocolate. 

Generally, the higher the percentage of cocoa, the more bittersweet the chocolate will taste. If you are using unsweetened or baking chocolate, then you will want to mix it with something else, such as cream and sugar, to help bring down the intensity level.

Timing is everything

It is important to give the right amount of time towards your chocolate gift. If you are buying the chocolates you need to get your order in early to help avoid the last-minute rush. Some places have a cut-off date that they will take Valentine orders, especially if shipping or local delivery is involved. If you are making the chocolates you might want to try a practice run to work out any kinks that might come up and to help you get familiar with the recipe. 

The odds are good that you will do even better the next time you go through the recipe and you can make any adjustments you think would taste good to your valentine. Make sure you can get the ingredients you need from the store since the holiday rush can often deplete the local supply of chocolate, sugar, and other handy ingredients. If you purchase the chocolate early, store it in a cool, dry, dark place, not the refrigerator.

So much chocolate, so little time

There are a wide variety of chocolate gifts you can give: chocolate truffles, bonbons (chocolate shell with a creamy center), cake, brownies, fudge, cookies (chocolate, chocolate chip, chocolate dipped, etc.), chocolate dipped fruit/nuts/pretzels/whatever, and many others that you can purchase or make, so let your imagination run wild.

As a final tip, here is a recipe for making Chocolate Truffles to help you get started:

Chocolate Truffles

½ cup heavy cream

8 ounces semisweet dark chocolate (not chips), chopped

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature

powdered sugar

cocoa powder

Equipment needed: baking sheets, baking paper, pastry bag

1. Heat the cream in a saucepan until it is just boiling.

2. Remove from the heat and add the chopped chocolate and butter until it is completed melted.

3. Let cool a few minutes, then stir in vanilla.

4. Wait until mixture starts to thicken, then form ½ - ¾ inch mounds using a pastry bag with a No.6 plain tip, a melon ball scoop, or 2 spoons to form the right shape.

5. Place mounds on sheet pans lined with baking paper. Refrigerate for a few minutes to set.

6. Roll the mounds in powdered sugar, then roll into roughly round balls between your hands, using more powdered sugar to keep them from sticking to you.

7. Then roll balls in cocoa powder until they are completely covered.

8. Let the truffles set on baking paper for about 10 minutes to finish.

Makes about 35 truffles.

Can Chocolate Benefit Your Health?

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.

Ode to Chocolate

Chocolate delays reality. When I am eating chocolate, everything is on hold: anxiety, panic, frustrations, and insecurity. Chocolate offers a profound richness, a sweetness of life, a euphoric sensation of luxury. I love chocolate in many forms, from M&M's, to imported Lindt balls, to dark fudge frosting in a pop-top can, to Hershey's dark chocolate bite-sized morsels.

It is difficult to eat only a little chocolate. I cheat myself when I chew it up quickly and swallow it like other food. To eat chocolate correctly, one must let it melt in the mouth with eyes closed, feeling the tasty, thick smooth velvet coat the tongue. It is also difficult to eat really good chocolate silently. I usually purr a long ummmmmmm of feminine satisfaction when enjoying such a pleasure.

I have strategies to keep from eating chocolate. I meditate after lunch, enjoying the sweetness of life without calories, I brush my teeth after drinking my afternoon coffee, and I give chocolate away to my mother so that it's not in the house. But it comes back as gifts from other sources, knowing that it is loved and cherished in my presence.

My daughter loves chocolate, too. A hereditary trait, I guess. Sometimes my mother and my daughter and I enjoy chocolate together, a female bonding of sensuous gratification.

We give each other gifts of Easter Bunnies, Christmas balls, and Valentine confections, then share our blessed bounty with each other. We hide it from other family members, and never apologize for succumbing to such greedy decadence. We have trained the men in our lives to buy it for us as well by expressing our enjoyment and satisfaction as lip-smacking, vocalized bliss. It's as if we permit our chocolate gift givers to be voyeurs of our pleasure.

I have a girl friend who refers to chocolate as the fourth basic food group. She eats it publicly, in front of people, instead of holding private chocolate sessions where no one can count bites or pieces. Self-righteous jailers they are, those indignant souls who reprimand us. Sometimes it is us, ourselves, our split personalities loving and hating our obsession. My sister-in-law denies her children from chocolates' evil influence, but yields personally to its entrapment. Chocolate calls her name, beckoning her in a trance- like state to follow its' seductive aroma to the kitchen. I know that aroma well, it cannot be contained in a cardboard box, a foil wrapper, or an insulated refrigerator.

Sometimes I eat chocolate to wake me up, or to keep on working when I want to stop and take a nap. Much preferred to a carrot on a stick. A self-imposed bribe to keep pushing. Of course, this bribe has negative consequences when my jeans don't fasten.

I suppose the alligator here is the addiction. But addiction to what? Chocolate? Or pushing to achieve? What a shame that my time is spent in activities that don't burn calories. Striving, planning, dreaming, persisting, setting boundaries, checking off chores, reviewing goals, paying bills.

I refuse to give up chocolate. I know women who have. Women committed to thin. I'm committed to enjoying my life. I have accepted other limitations, and I refuse other desserts, bread, and wine during the week. But chocolate has its place.

Chocolate Is Good For You!

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 http://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.

Chocolate Splendor: Food For The Gods; Bodybuilding Nutrition

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

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