Posted on 22 June 2008
Consumers are advised to eat two CocoaVia Heart Healthy Chocolate Snacks bars each day to achieve health benefits. The chocolate should be consumed as part of a lifestyle that includes a healthy diet and exercise. Mars’ line of CocoaVia products included dark chocolate bars, milk chocolate candy, and the Rich Chocolate Indulgence beverage, as of the spring of 2007. Calorie amounts and fat content varied by product.
According to the nutritional label, the 22-gram (0.78-ounce) Original Chocolate bar contained 100 milligram of cocoa flavanols and 1.1 gram of natural plant extract (sterol). Each bar had 100 calories with 60 calories from fat. There were 6 grams of total fat, 3.5 grams of saturated fat, 2 grams of fiber, 9 grams of sugars, 12 grams of carbohydrates, and 1 gram of protein.
A 5.65-ounce (.167-liter) bottle of the chocolate beverage contained 100 milligram of flavanols, 150 calories, 25 fat calories, 3 fat grams, 1 gram of saturated fat, 3 grams of fibers, and 6 grams of protein.
Posted on 21 June 2008
Details about Neimark’s diet on the Internet were limited to what foods were allowed and what were excluded. There was no information about how long the diet lasted or how much weight a dieter could expect to lose. There were limited recommendations for serving sizes. The specified portions included 1 ounce (28.3 grams) of chocolate. This is the equivalent of one baking chocolate square.
The online versions of the diet showed a menu plan for one day, with several meal selections for the dieter to choose from. Other variety in the diet came from choosing different fruits, vegetables, and low-fat pasta sauces. Popcorn could be topped with nonfat butter substitutes or a bit of parmesan cheese. Salt was not permitted.
The diet of three meals and three snacks consists of:
- Breakfast of fresh fruit, fruit salad, or shredded wheat with non-fat milk and strawberries.
- A morning snack of air-popped popcorn or fruit.
- Lunch of salad, pasta salad, or spaghetti. Pasta sauces should be meatless, low fat, and low sodium. Low-calorie salad dressing is allowed
- An afternoon snack of popcorn or a fruit smoothie made with 1 cup (236.6 milliliters) non-fat skim milk.
- Dinner of fettuccini with garlic tomato sauce, wholewheat pasta primavera salad, or steamed vegetables.
- Evening snack of popcorn or 1 ounce (28.3 grams) of chocolate.
The dieter should drink 2 quarts (2 liters) of water but could not consume
- Coffee or other caffeinated beverages or carbonated soft drinks.
- Sugars, raisins and dates because of the high sugar content, and snack foods like cakes and pie.
- Oils, fried foods, and oily foods like avocados, olives, and coconut.
- Oils, fried foods, and oily foods like avocados, olives, and coconut.
- Red meats and dairy products.
- Nuts, seeds, and snack foods like chips.
Posted on 21 June 2008
Cocoa beans contain approximately 50% fat, and one ounce (28.3 grams) of chocolate contains approximately 150 calories and 8.5 grams of fat. While the calorie and fat gram count could produce a weight gain, the fats in chocolate won’t raise cholesterol levels. The cocoa butter in chocolate contains oleic acid, which is a monounsaturated fat. That means that it is low in saturated fat, which is connected to cholesterol levels. Chocolate also contains forms of saturated fat known as stearic and palmitic acids. Saturated fats are connected to increases in LDL (Low-Density Lipo-protein). Also known as bad cholesterol, increased LDL cholesterol can clog arteries, raising the risk for heart disease. Palmitic acid, which affects cholesterol levels, forms one-third of the fat calories in chocolate. The stearic acid appeared to have no effect on cholesterol levels.
Chocolate also contains caffeine and theobromine, a chemical similar to caffeine. There’s also some phenyl-ethylamine, a chemical that creates the sensation people feel when they’re in love.
Cacao beans also contain flavanoids, a broad category of plant products that act as antioxidants Flavanoids relax blood vessels, allowing blood to circulate. Antioxidants are thought to be effective in helping to prevent cancer, heart disease, and strokes. Sources of flavonoids include citrus fruits, onions, green tea, red wine, and dark chocolate with a cocoa content of 70% or higher. Chocolate belongs to a subgroup of flavonoids called flavonols.
The presence of plant chemicals like flavonoids is related the color of the chocolate. There are more flavonoids in darker chocolate than there are in milk chocolate. Dark chocolate is also known as semisweet or bittersweet chocolate because it contains little or no sugar. It is frequently identified by the percentage of cocoa. The cocoa content in dark chocolate ranges from 30% for sweet dark chocolate to 70% or sometimes above 80%. A higher percentage indicates there is more of a bitter after-taste.
Milk chocolate contains fewer flavonoids than dark chocolate and tastes sweeter. American chocolate contains milk; European varieties often contain condensed milk.
White chocolate lacks flavanoids because there are no cocoa solids in it. It is considered a chocolate because cocoa butter is usually an ingredient. Some white chocolate is made with vegetable fats.
Posted on 20 June 2008
Chocolate originated during the Classic Period Maya (250–900) in Mesoamerica, an area that encompassed the Tropic Cancer in Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, and parts of Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. The Maya and their ancestors developed a method of converting the beans from the Theo-broma cacao tree into a chocolate beverage. This process started with the harvesting, fermenting, and roasting of the beans. The beans were then ground a paste and mixed with ingredients including water, chile peppers, and corn meal.
The Maya and the Aztecs in the 15th century used the bitter-tasting beverage in religious and royal ceremonies. Those were just some uses for the products of the cacao tree. Christopher Columbus saw that the Aztecs used cacao beans as currency. He took some cacao beans back to Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand. Later explorers brought back the knowledge about how to convert the beans into a beverage. The Spanish added spices like cinnamon and sugar to the beverage to make it sweeter. The new beverage remained Spain’s secret for a century.
Then other Europeans found out about the chocolate drink. It was an expensive indulgence, only affordable to the upper classes. That changed with the Industrial Revolution of the 1800s. Mass production brought down the cost of manufacturing treats including solid chocolate. Another milestone occurred in 1875 when Daniel Peter and Henri Nestle; created milk chocolate by adding condensed milk to chocolate.
Posted on 18 June 2008
The front cover of The Chocolate Diet promised that the reader could eat chocolate and lose seven pounds in two weeks. Voak’s book contains quizzes to determine whether a person is a chocoholic and which of the six diets a person should follow. Each weight loss plan includes selections that fit within the calorie count for meals, strategies for a person to follow, and recommendations for exercises and other activities. The book also includes recipes and a calorie guide for chocolate candies that fit within the diet plan. British and American brands of chocolate are listed.
Each of the diets starts with a week of withdrawal from chocolate. During this time, Voak wrote, people start to control their cravings for chocolate. All weight-loss plans include unlimited amounts of vegetables from a list of 28 low-calorie selections. The free vegetables include asparagus, broccoli, mushrooms, red and green peppers, spinach, tomatoes, and watercress. The six diets include items from all of the food groups. The diets were designed for women; men consume 300 more calories each day.
Voak’s diet plans are for:
- Secret Bingers, people who hide chocolate and don’t want others to know they eat it. The plan consists of a 250-calorie breakfast, two light meals of 350 calories each, a 400-calore main meal, and a 100-calorie treat. In the second week and in following weeks, there is a daily chocolate allowance of 150 calories. Dieters may also have a 200-calorie dessert or beverage, with choices selected from recipes in the book
- Romantics are often single and use chocolate as a substitute for love. Their menu plan is a 250-calorie breakfast, 350-calorie light meal, 400-calore main meal, and a 100-calorie treat. After the second week, they may spend 300 calories on a chocolate treat three times a week
- Comfort eaters consume chocolate when tired or faced with a problem. Their plan consists of a 250-calorie breakfast, 350-calorie light meal, 400-calore main meal, and two 50-calorie treats. In the second week, there is a daily chocolate allowance of 200 calories. In following weeks, the allowance is 50 calories
- Weekend Indulgers associate chocolate with celebrations. Their daily calorie allowance is 1,350 during the week and 1,600 on the weekend. The menu plan is a 250-calorie breakfast, 350-calorie light meal, 400-calore main meal, and two 100-calorie treats. After the second week, 300 calories in chocolate is allowed on each weekend day
- Sugar addicts often get most of their calories from carbohydrates and may use chocolate as a fix when tired. Their plan consists of a 250-calorie breakfast, two light meals of 250 calories each, a 400-calore main meal, and a 100-calorie treat. In the second week and in following weeks, there is a daily chocolate allowance of 200 calories
- Premenstrual cravers overindulge in chocolate during some days of the month. Their plan is followed as needed one to two weeks before or during a menstrual period. The diet consists of a five 250-calorie meals and a 100-calorie treat. In the second week, and in following weeks, the daily chocolate allowance is 100 calories
