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    • Don’t Get Cold, Get Chocolate!

    by | Jul 15, 2022 | Gluten Free Chocolate

    Davies Chocolates for winter
    There are many ways to keep warm in winter. You can wear multiple layers of clothing, carry a hot water bottle wherever you go, or close yourself in a room with a heater to ward off the winter chills. We think a tastier way to face winter, though, is with a nice warm drink and a perfectly paired chocolate. That way, you’re warming from the inside out and giving your happiness receptors a hit at the same time with your winter chocolate treats.
    Do you know the health benefits of chocolate in winter and what chocolate matches your favourite winter drinks? In this article, we’re going to look at how chocolate makes you feel good and which winter drinks to enjoy with which chocolate for maximum belly-warming effects.

    The history of drinking chocolate

    Hot chocolate is a popular winter drink, but did you know the very first way people consumed chocolate was in a drink made with cacao? The ancient Olmec civilization, which existed from around 1600 BCE to 350 BCE and was based in Mesoamerica (current-day Mexico), would make a chocolate drink to use as medicine and in rituals.
    The Mayans and Aztecs kept this tradition going and made a mixture of water, xocolatl (cacao), cornmeal and chilli pepper. The Mayans would drink it daily with meals. The Aztecs took it to the next level and believed this ‘bitter water’ to be a gift of the gods and to have spiritual properties, as well as health benefits.
    The Aztec Emperor Montezuma II was so enamoured with his chocolate drink that he’s said to have drank litres of the stuff daily to boost his virility. Once drinking chocolate was brought across to Europe, sugar was added, and only then was edible chocolate developed.

    Health benefits of eating chocolate in winter

    In our previous article, we explained many of the health benefits of eating chocolate. One we didn’t touch on and one that is particularly relevant in winter is that chocolate is a good source of vitamin D.
    This vitamin is what your body produces when you get out into the sunlight. As the sun is weaker or hidden a lot during winter, many people develop a lack of vitamin D in the colder months. Vitamin D is important to build and maintain healthy bones, reduce the risk of respiratory diseases, and some studies have shown it reduces inflammation, cancer cell growth, and can help to control infections.
    A study conducted by researchers at Martin Luther University (MLU) Halle-Wittenberg and the Max Rubner-Institut found that there are significant amounts of vitamin D2 in chocolate. This is the vitamin D that is made in plants (as opposed to animals that produce D3). The results showed that dark chocolate had the highest amount of vitamin D2, while white chocolate had the lowest amount of it.
    Of course, you can’t get all your vitamin D needs from chocolate, as you’d have to eat way too much for it to be healthy. Chocolate does contain some fat and sugar, so needs to be eaten in moderation, but it can give your vitamin D levels a boost. Plus, chocolate contains antioxidants that help rid the body of free radicals, which are responsible for many illnesses and cellular malfunctions. And it releases endorphins, the feel-good hormone. So, eating high-quality chocolate in moderation can help to promote both a healthy body and a healthy mind.

    Chocolate pairing with hot drinks

    Coffee

    Coffee is the beverage of choice for most people to start their morning. This is because it has a nice little hit of caffeine to up your energy for the day ahead. Chocolate contains theobromine, which is a milder stimulant than caffeine but can be a good complement to it. Plus, the flavours of chocolate and coffee lend themselves to cosy belly feelings. Just as there is a range of chocolates to choose from, there is a range of coffees. If you like your coffee bitter, a white or milk chocolate will pair with it nicely. Try our milk chocolate Creams or Roughs. If you tend to go for a sweeter coffee blend, go for a darker, bolder chocolate like our Orange, Caramel Salty or Raspberry dark chocolate Creams.

    Tea

    There’s nothing like a cuppa on a chilly day to give you some soothing heat. And thankfully, tea makes a perfect pairing with chocolate to bring out each other’s flavours and make your soul feel good. For pairings with milk chocolate, try teas that you usually drink with a bit of milk in them, such as English Breakfast, Chai and Earl Grey, as well as Nepalese Black Tea, and Darjeeling. Try our Nutty Clusters or assorted flavours of our milk chocolate Creams with one of these teas for a palate-pleasing combination. For pairings with dark chocolate, white and flower teas are a good option, as well as strong black teas or a herbal or citrus blend. Try our dark chocolate Creams with Ceylon black tea, Earl Grey, mint tea, Red Robe Oolong and Lapsang Souchong. Or have a ginger tea along with a bag of our Ginger dark coated chocolates.

    Hot chocolate

    You might think that eating chocolate while drinking chocolate is not the best match but actually, a creamy hot chocolate goes really well with a dark chocolate or caramel chocolate. The strong flavours contrasted with the softer flavours are sure to hit the spot. Pair your favourite hot chocolate with our Caramel Salty dark chocolate Creams or our Hard Caramels covered in milk chocolate.

    Wine

    Wine may not be a hot drink, but it certainly warms the insides and is a perfect accompaniment to chocolate. After all, there’s a reason they’re often given together as a gift. When pairing wine and chocolate, you need to be careful not to mix a wine too high in tannins, and therefore dry, with a dark, bitter chocolate that also has a drying effect on the mouth. Rather, combine dark chocolate with fruit-forward wines. The rule of thumb in terms of intensity is to match the intensity of the chocolate and the intensity of the wine. So, if you’re having white chocolate, pair it with a lighter wine or a champagne. If you’re having milk chocolate, go for a medium-bodied wine. Try our soft-centred milk chocolate Creams with a glass of Pinot Noir, Merlot, Gewurztraminer or a sweeter sparkling. If you’re having dark chocolate, opt for a full-bodied wine. Pair our mandarin, cherry, mango or raspberry dark chocolate Creams with a fruit-forward, full-bodied Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot.

    Craving chocolate now?

    The above is a guide to what generally works, but really, you can experiment and make up your own pairing to suit your tastes. Grab a box of our assorted chocolates and try a few combinations at home to find your favourite pairing. For a fun indoor activity on a rainy day, invite your friends over and have a pairing party to see what chocolate and drink combinations you can come up with.

    And now, if you can’t think of anything but chocolate, why not treat yourself to some decadent Davies chocolate, made from sustainably sourced cocoa and completely gluten- and palm oil-free? We have winter-warming chocolate to suit every taste. Check them out here.

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