Retaining Nutrition Of Chocolates

It is no secret that the dark side of chocolates is actually healthy one.

- Jyotismita Sharma

Emerging evidence from several studies suggests that eating chocolates is not only delicious but also good for our brain and heart. Chocolates can potentially lower blood pressure and cholesterol and reduce stroke risk. And much of chocolate’s nutrition comes from a compound called flavanols.

According to the Mars Center for Cocoa Health Science, flavanols are a distinct group of naturally occurring compounds that can be found in a variety of food products such as tea, red wine, blueberries and raw cocoa.

Cocoa flavanols are plant-derived bioactives from cocoa beans. Cocoa is an especially rich source of flavanols and the type and mixture of flavanols and procyanidins found in cocoa is unique. Many studies show cocoa flavanols have a range of proven health benefits, including improved circulation and cardiovascular health, the research arm of the makers of leading chocolate brands such as Twix, and Snickers, said.

But do we actually get this nutrition from antioxidant activities and from flavanols of cocoa when we eat a chocolate cake or a chocolate cookie? It may depend on the preparation as there is a risk of loss of nutrition during food processing and baking. So finding a way to retain chocolate’s nutrition in baking could help people indulge in the delicious muffins, cakes and cookies with less guilt.

Preventing Nutrition Loss

In a study published in the Journal of Food Science, scientists from The Hershey Company -- a global leader in chocolate and sugar confectionery -- and US-based Brunswick Laboratories showed that in chocolate cakes, antioxidant activity and cocoa flavanols could be largely retained by using a combination of baking powder and baking soda.

With this method, over 85 percent of the cocoa flavanols were preserved in recipes for chocolate frosting, hot cocoa drink and chocolate cookies, the findings showed.