Devil's Food

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Diet & Nutrition

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Food for thought

ATribute to Chocolate We need to thank the Olmec Indians in South and Central America for discovering the fruit of the cocoa tree and opening the road for our enjoyment of chocolate. Later, the Aztecs considered cocoa beans a delicacy, using them as part of their religious services and for gift-giving.
Montezuma, the great Aztec ruler, and his chosen few, enjoyed up to 50 pitchers of a chocolate elixir daily. It's no wonder that chocolate was dubbed "the food of the gods." If you are not a fan, read on anyway about some facts about this smooth food.
Eating chocolate does not raise your blood cholesterol levels Cocoa butter (the fat in chocolate) contains high levels of stearic acid, a fatty acid that behaves differently from other saturated fats. Eating a small amount of chocolate should not raise your cholesterol.	One ounce of chocolate contains as much caffeine as eight ounces of decaf coffee. Chocolate can give your day the same jump-start as that coffee does. An ounce of milk chocolate has 3 milligrams of caffeine -- about the same amount as in an 8-ounce mug of decaf coffee.
More than a billion people in the world eat some form of chocolate every day. Yes, it's hard to believe, but it's true. More than a BILLION people in the world eat something chocolatey daily. And it is believed that women are more prone to chocolate cravings than men.	White chocolate comes from white cacao beans. Cacao beans are actually purple. (They turn brown during the fermenting and drying process.) White chocolate isn't chocolate but just cocoa butter, milk, sugar and flavoring. Also it doesn't contain any caffeine!
Good for your teeth? Chocolate bars may be better for your teeth than other types of candy because chocolate clears the mouth quickly, limiting the time it is in contact with our teeth. Eating chocolate results in fewer dental caries than eating foods with the same sugar content. Chocolate also contains tannins, which seem to inhibit the action of bacteria on teeth, preventing them from creating cavities.	Chocolate has some nutrients Protein, calcium, riboflavin, iron, Vitamin A and thiamine, in very modest amounts, of course. Despite these new, positive, interesting facts about chocolate, remember, it still contains lots of calories, so eating it in moderation is still a good idea.

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