Ye olde chocolate
The Olmecs were the first to discover cacao and process it to get to the goodness within, followed by the Mayans and Aztecs. They didn’t have scientific studies, yet they knew that this was a gift to humanity. In fact, they believed it was a gift from the gods. For this reason, in 1753, Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus named the cacao tree Theobroma Cacao. Theobroma is Greek for ‘food of the gods’, ‘theo’ meaning ‘gods’ and ‘broma’ meaning ‘food’. The Mesoamericans would mix fermented cacao with water, vanilla, cinnamon and sometimes chilli to make a drink called xocoatl. The explorer Hernan Cortes is widely credited with bringing chocolate over to Europe, but he may not have been the first. Yet, the story goes that the Mayan Emperor Montezuma II drank 50 cups of xocoatl a day to stimulate his virility. During his meetings with Cortes, he is said to have gifted some cocoa beans to him, which Cortes then brought to Europe. The Spanish queens took an interest, sugar was added, edible chocolate in block form was made and the rest literally is history.How is chocolate made?
To understand what goes into a block of chocolate, we need to look at how the bean is processed. In a nutshell: Cacao pods are harvested. They are then broken apart (usually with a machete) and the white beans coated in a soft, white mucus are scooped out and allowed to ferment. This fermentation is what activates the enzymes that give chocolate a rich taste and reduce its bitterness. They are then dried in the sun, roasted, and winnowed (cracked) to remove the outer shell and get to the inner bean. The beans are then ground into cocoa liquor, which is separated into cocoa powder and cocoa butter. It’s this cocoa liquor that has 300+ chemical compounds that give chocolate its health and euphoric properties. The cocoa powder and butter are blended with sugar, milk powder and vanilla in different proportions to make different types of chocolate.The healthy elements of chocolate
So, now that we have the history and the process, let’s look at chocolate on an elemental level. The cacao bean is made up of about 50% fat. Then it has the alkaloids, caffeine, and theobromine, which are organic compounds with a nitrogen attached. Theobromine makes up about 1-2.5% of a bean and caffeine 0.06-4%. Around 20-25% of the bean’s weight is made up of starches and sugars. It also contains flavonoids and serotonin, tryptophan, phenylethylamine, tyrosine, tryptamine, and tyramine, as well as magnesium. What a mouthful!Theobromine and caffeine
Named after the cacao tree itself, theobromine works in a similar way to caffeine, although it has a much milder stimulant effect. You can also find it in tea and coffee in smaller amounts and interestingly, this is the substance that makes chocolate toxic to dogs.
This, along with caffeine, gives chocolate its energy-boosting effect.
Studies have suggested that theobromine increases high-density lipoproteins, which are widely known to be the ‘good’ cholesterol. This means that chocolate consumption may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Of course, chocolate also contains sugar and fat, so it needs to be eaten in moderation.
Theobromine also dilates blood vessels, which means it can help with high blood pressure.
Flavanols
Flavonoids are compounds that are found in fruit and vegetables and flavanols are a subgroup of these that are found in cocoa beans, tea and grapes.
We won’t go too far into the complicated science, but the basic idea is that flavonoids are antioxidants.
Free radicals are the body’s waste products. They’re basically unstable atoms or molecules with an odd number of electrons and they roam around your body wreaking havoc by stealing electrons from other healthy molecules and so stopping them from functioning properly.
If you have too many free radicals your body suffers oxidative stress which can lead to a number of diseases and cell damage. An antioxidant is a substance in food than can donate electrons to these free radicals to neutralise them. Your body can naturally neutralise free radicals to some extent, but you can give it a helping hand by eating natural foods rich in antioxidants.
According to a paper published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, flavanols have a neuroprotective effect, meaning they protect the brain in the following ways:
- They protect the neurons from neurotoxins.
- They reduce inflammation.
- They may promote learning, memory, and cognitive function.
- They may reduce cognitive decline in old age, and potentially even delay or reduce the effects of dementia and Alzheimer’s.
- They may reduce the risk of stroke.
Tryptophan, serotonin, and endorphins
Tryptophan is a helpful little chemical that is the precursor to serotonin, the mood-stabilising neurotransmitter.
The body doesn’t make tryptophan, so you need to get it from the food you eat. If you have a deficiency of tryptophan, this can lead to a serotonin deficiency and depression, and can also affect your brain function and memory.
Luckily, chocolate has a good amount of tryptophan as well as serotonin.
Chocolate also contains the precursor to dopamine, tyramine. Dopamine is the neurotransmitter that controls the reward centre of your brain, which fires up when you receive a treat.
There is some debate among the scientific community as to whether the good feelings and satisfaction you get from eating chocolate are more to do with the chemical elements or rather to do with the pleasure of the taste and texture of chocolate. What we do know is that eating chocolate releases endorphins (the feel-good hormone) in your brain.
Phenylethylalanine
This is the chemical that is produced when you are in love or in a state of attraction or excitement.
The consensus is that when you eat chocolate, most of this chemical is metabolised before it hits your central nervous system, but some people may be more sensitive to it than others.
Chocolate has the highest concentration of it than any other food, so if you’re lucky you just might get that warm fuzzy ‘in love’ feeling from eating a block of chocolate.
Magnesium and other minerals
Finally, chocolate is rich in magnesium, which plays a role in countless bodily functions. It also contains good amounts of copper, manganese, iron, and fibre.A helping hand to health… in moderation
What all of this goes to say is that good quality chocolate, with a high level of cocoa powder, eaten in moderation, can have some convenient healthy benefits, in addition to the satisfaction and joy it brings you.
Here at Davies, our handcrafted, fine quality chocolates are made using only the best ingredients and ethically sourced cocoa. They are also gluten and palm oil-free.
Give your day a boost and check out our full range here.