Understanding Chocolate

Understanding ChocolateStudents Name: School Name:
Understanding Chocolate
Chocolate frenzy has swept the world like a tsunami. Its ability to appease the palate surpasses most, if not all foods. There is chocolate in candy, chocolate in main dishes, chocolate in desserts and chocolate in the science of love. It was blessed with the ability of drying tears without necessarily wiping them with a piece of cloth. It has the ability to create and retain smiles in harsh times. It blesses the soul and shines it with radiance comparable to the sun’s brilliance.History of Chocolates The first documented use of chocolate can be traced back to 1100 BC. Amongst the Mesoamerican people who included it in beverage making. The Aztecs too used it to make a beverage called xocolatl. Chocolate is processed food from the seeds of the tropical Theobroma cacao tree. It has been gown in Mexico, South America, and Central America for the past three millennia. However, Ghana in Africa remains the largest cocoa producer in the world.Chocolate and the Culinary Field Chocolate, as mentioned earlier, has and is playing a vital role in the culinary field. Because of its taste, it is useful in creation of countless recipes. It is almost compatible with any type of recipe in vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. Its health benefits are also immense. For instance, studies have shown that chocolate can help improve blood vessel responsiveness. Furthermore, it helps increase glucose tolerance (helps individuals using low-carb diets reduce blood sugar spikes). Moreover, it contains Flavanoids which help prevent cancer because of their antioxidant effect (Laura, 2008).
Cultural Importance of Chocolates Chocolates have been used as one of the most popular holiday gifts. A box of chocolate, greeting cards, flowers and a bottle of wine are traditional Valentine’s Day gifts. During Easter, Chocolate eggs are a must. Chocolates have also had a great influence on books and films, inspiring successful book and film adaptations. For instance, in 1964, Roald Dahl published a novel titled Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The novel attracted two film adaptations and both films went ahead to become big hits in the Box Office.Various Types of Chocolates and their uses The Various types of chocolates include milk, unsweetened, bittersweet, and semisweet chocolates. Bitters...