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Rated: ASR · Article · Food/Cooking · #932755
Some facts about chocolate
Ramblin Rose Author IconMail Icon
Together with:
fillerlady2
Invites you to come right in. Sit right down. Pull off your shoes. Have something CHOCOLATE and we will talk about it. You have just entered Chocolate Country!

Associates & Friends:




























SOME INTERESTING FACTS from the:

American Diabetic Association


In the book, Why Women Need Chocolate, Debra Waterhouse, M. P. H., R. D., points out that chocolate is loaded with mood enhancers that contribute to your sense of well-being and lift your spirits.
Studies show that chocolate does not cause acne or trigger migraine headaches.
Confections made with carob (touted as a healthy alternative to chocolate) usually have enough fat added (including artery-clogging oils) to make them just as high in fat and calories as chocolate.


DID YOU KNOW?

Recent research shows that chemical compounds in chocolate called flavonoids may help reduce the blood clotting that can lead to heart attacks and strokes.
Deep Chocolate Brownies


makes 12

Store airtight at room temperature up to 1 week or freeze up to 2 months.

3 Tblps. trans-fatty-acid-free spread
1 tsp. vanilla extract
(such as Smart Balance) or butter
¾ c. all-purpose flour
1 oz. unsweetened baking chocolate
½ c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup sugar (or) ½ sugar + ½ splenda
½ tsp. each baking powder and salt
1 lg. egg and whites of 2 lg. eggs


1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8-in. square pan with foil, letting foil extend about 2 inches above pan at opposite sides. Coat with nonstick spray.
2. Melt spread and chocolate in a medium saucepan. Remove from heat; stir in sugar. Briskly whisk in egg, egg whites and vanilla. Gently stir in remaining ingredients. Spoon into prepared pan (batter is thick); smooth surface.
3. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out with some crumbs attached. Cool in pan on a wire rack 5 minutes. Holding foil, lift from pan to a wire rack to cool. Transfer to a cutting board; cut in 12 bars.
Per brownie: 145 cal, 3 g pro, 25 g car, 2 g fiber, 5 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 18 mg chol, 155 mg sod.


Chocolate Puddin’ Pie

serves 8

If desired, sprinkle the pie with grated chocolate.
2/3 cup sugar (or) 1/3 sugar + 1/3 splenda
1/3 c. semisweet chocolate chips
3½ Tblps. each cornstarch and unsweetened cocoa powder
One-6 oz. Ready to fill graham cracker crust
1½ cups Thawed frozen reduced-calorie whipped toppings
2 cups 1% low fat milk
1½ tsp. Vanilla extract

1. Whisk sugar, cornstarch and cocoa in a 2-quart saucepan until blended. Slowly whisk in milk. Stir over medium heat, taking care to get into corners of pan, until mixture comes to a boil and thickens. Boil, stirring, 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Add vanilla and chocolate chips; stir until chips melt.
2. Scrape into pie crust; smooth top (pudding won’t come to top). Cover surface with wax paper (to keep skin from forming). Refrigerate 1 ½ hours or until cold.
3. Swirl topping over pudding to serve.
* per serving: 285 cal, 4 g pro, 46 g car, 2 g fiber, 9 g fat(4 g saturated fat), 2 mg
chol, 167 mg sod.

Chocolate: Facts and Fiction

Most people enjoy chocolate and agree that it tastes wonderful, yet they also have misconceptions about its effect on health. Here are some facts about chocolate that you may not know.

Did you know.... Chocolate and fat


Chocolate contributes less than two percent of the fat in the American diet. The main sources of fat are meat, full-fat dairy products, and fried foods.

Chocolate and saturated fats

While chocolate contains some saturated fats, studies have shown that not all types of saturated fats raise blood cholesterol levels. For example, stearic acid is a saturated fat that makes up one-third of the fat in chocolate. Stearic acid does not raise blood cholesterol levels. In addition, oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat also found in olive oil, makes up one-third of the fat in chocolate. Eating foods with oleic acid as part of a healthful eating plan has been shown to be beneficial for heart health.

Chocolate and caffeine

Chocolate contains very little caffeine. See the chart on the previous page for the caffeine content of a few foods and beverages.

Chocolate and obesity

Obesity is a disease in which a person has an excessive amount of body fat. Most often it is caused by regularly taking in more calories than burned off with physical activity. Obese people often eat the same amount or fewer sweets, including chocolate, than people who are not obese. Obesity can also stem from genetic or hormonal disorders, or from taking some types of medications for a long period of time.

Chocolate and Polyphenols

Chocolate is made from cocoa beans which come from the cocoa tree Theobroma cacao. As a result, chocolate contains many of the same healthy compounds from plants, including minerals (copper, iron, zinc, and magnesium) and specific antioxidants called Polyphenols. Polyphenols, like those found in tea and red wine are currently being studied for their potential health benefits.

Chocolate and allergies

Allergies to chocolate are very uncommon. If you have been diagnosed with food allergies by a board-certified allergist, you must read labels and avoid the foods or ingredients that cause the allergic reaction. A registered dietitian can help you plan meals and select foods that exclude the food to which you are allergic.

Caffeine Content of Selected Foods and Beverages


Food or beverage
Caffeine content (mg)
Milk chocolate (1.4-ounce bar) 3 to 10
Dark chocolate (1.4-ounce bar) 28
Decaffeinated coffee (8 ounces) 6
Regular coffee (6 ounces) 65 to 150
Hot cocoa (8 ounces) 6
Cola beverages (12 ounces) 38 to 46
Cola beverages, decaf (12 ounces) 0

Chocolate and diabetes

Diabetes occurs when a person’s body doesn’t properly regulate blood sugars (blood glucose). Eating certain foods, even simple sugar, does not cause diabetes. All people with diabetes should follow their physicians’ and dietitians’ instructions for meal planning, physical activity, blood glucose monitoring, and medication. So, if you have diabetes, ask your health professional how to incorporate chocolate into your eating plan.

Chocolate and headaches

Research shows that most headaches and chocolate intake are not related. Experts agree that most often it is stress, irregular sleep patterns, hunger, and hormone changes that trigger headaches.

Chocolate and tooth decay

Tooth decay happens when carbohydrates (both complex and simple) mix with natural bacteria in the mouth. This creates acid that breaks down the enamel on teeth. Chocolate, which contains carbohydrates, is no more or less responsible for tooth decay than other carbohydrate-containing foods like bread, raisins, crackers, and fruit. In fact, chocolate actually clears the mouth relatively quickly, reducing the time it spends in contact with the teeth.
Chocolate cravings

A recent study looked at why we crave chocolate and concluded that people do not become addicted to chocolate. Instead, the study found that people desire chocolate because they enjoy the sensation of eating it.
Chocolate and hyperactivity

Pediatricians say there is no link between the sugar found in chocolate or other foods and restlessness or attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children.

Chocolate and health-the bottom line

Remember that chocolate can fit into a healthful eating pattern. Be sure to eat a variety of foods. Enjoy chocolate in moderation to add flavor and pleasure to eating.

For more information:

The American Dietetic Association/National Center for Nutrition and Dietetics.
ADA's Consumer Nutrition Information Line (800/366-1655) provides recorded messages with timely, practical nutrition information as well as referrals to registered dietitians. Messages are available 24 hours daily with new topics each month.
This fact sheet is supported by a grant from Mars, Inc. Acceptance of this grant does not constitute an endorsement by ADA of any company’s products or services.

©ADAF 2000 Reproduction of this fact sheet is permitted for educational purposes. Reproduction for sales purposes is not authorized.

Another good recipe to try.
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#318043 by Not Available.

Bailey's commemts; from message # 330702--
My favorite dessert: icebox cake. This is basically layers of chocolate pudding sandwiched between layers of graham crackers with whipped cream spread over the top.

diabetic-recipes@yahoogroups.com

Message #339503, posted on 04-27-02 @ 2:24 pm EDT, by: queenbea
P'nut butter and chocolate pancakes

Oh yeah...the perfect way to start the day. just make your pancake batter real thin so it's almost like a crepe. put lots of milk chocolate morsels (my preference is usually milk choc but you can use dark...or semi-sweet but the sweeter the better for me!) on top and let melt over pancake, on your plate smear p'nut butter on top (and jelly of course! strawberry or grape) then roll the pancake putting a layer of p'nut butter and jelly on the very top (looks pretty doesn't it?)

Ohh, delicious and will keep you going for about 6 or 7 hours...combine with coffee and you are ready to rock! ok, gotta go, I'm hungry and need to make some!

Posted by Bobby
< www.peggiesplace.com/chocolate.htm >

Posted by Phoenix
< www.Harryanddavid.com > The best fruit and treats around.

YUMMY
Lively Author IconMail Icon's forum message #92, ID #344294 has a recipe for the yummiest tarts in this or any other world.

~VAL♥sBaby♥Dylan~ Author IconMail Icon's forum message #96, ID #344615 has a fan-tab-u-lous chocolate strawberry shortcake recipe for you.

hiroshislady's forum message #98, ID #344949 has a Truffle Fudge recipe, with a kick

Captain Colossal Author IconMail Icon's forum message #118, ID #358426 suggests the best chocolate in the world is located at < www.sacofoods.com >

Would all who want to post a recipe please use the MSL Bitem-{ bitem: ###### } without the spaces. It will take up less space and we will be able to enter more recipes. Thank You

Sage Author IconMail Iconhas made a signature image for the group but I can not use images in my portfolio at this time.

Disclaimer: This complier, Ramblin' Rose, is not responsible for any weight gain observed while this forum is up and running!
© Copyright 2005 Ramblin Rose (sjking at Writing.Com). All rights reserved.
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