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cocoa

08/14/2018 / By Michelle Simmons

Chocolate is healthy…but that depends on the oils used to produce them

Chocolates, both white and dark, can be considered healthy and can be used as a carrier for bioactive substances like the omega-3 fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), depending on the sources of these oils and how they were made. A team of researchers from Yildiz Technical University in Turkey worked on […]

07/31/2018 / By Edsel Cook

Global chocolate makers promise to source only ethical cocoa by 2020, but data show that this is unlikely to happen

Big chocolate makers are putting a lot of effort into ensuring all their cocoa will come from ethical and sustainable sources by 2020. However, these “ethical cocoa” programs are not helping cocoa farmers as much as expected due to the drastic decrease of the premium for their products over the last few years, a report […]

06/29/2018 / By Janine Acero

Dark chocolate is good for fighting metabolic syndrome, unless you stress about it

Consumption of dark chocolate has been associated with the decrease in risk of cardiometabolic problems. However, a team of researchers found that the efficacy of dark chocolate in this regard may be significantly affected by levels of anxiety. The following study, which was published in the Journal of Nutrition & Intermediary Metabolism, aimed to examine the association between […]

05/17/2018 / By Zoey Sky

The best way to boost the health benefits of cocoa beans lies in how you roast them

Several studies have already determined that chocolate offers various health benefits, but according to researchers from Penn State University (PSU), roasting cocoa beans for a specific length of time and at a certain temperature can both “preserve and even boost the potency of some bioactive and antioxidant compounds while protecting desired sensory aspects of chocolate.” […]

05/06/2018 / By Edsel Cook

Rebuilding the Amazon forest with chocolate: How cocoa could be the key to making South America green again

For decades, Brazilian ranchers have been part of the wide-scale destruction of the Amazon rainforest. Now, they – and chocolate – could be the keys to make South America green again. According to a Reuters report, many ranchers are planting cocoa trees with the support of environmentalists who believe cocoa plantations can serve as new forests. […]

05/01/2018 / By Janine Acero

Sensual sweet seduction: Why chocolate is good for your heart, brain, and mood

People from all over the world collectively consume more than three million tons of cocoa beans a year, according to the World Cocoa Foundation. Chocolate comes from the fruit of the Theobroma cacao tree, whose name means “food of the gods” in Greek, an apt name for the most popular sweet treat in the world. Theobroma cacao is native to […]

02/11/2018 / By Ralph Flores

Stressed-out cacao trees produce more nutritionally potent chocolate – new research

A bite of your favorite chocolate bar can take off the stress for most people – studies have already looked into it – but research has shown that putting cocoa trees under stress can lead to better-tasting chocolate. In particular, drought and other weather conditions have more impact on cocoa production than how the tree themselves are grown. The […]

10/31/2017 / By Michelle Simmons

Cocoa found to prevent type-2 diabetes

Research has found that cocoa contains certain compounds that can help the body release more insulin and respond to increased blood glucose (or blood sugar) better. But do not stock up on too much sugar-rich chocolates at the check-out counter just yet. Jeffrey Tessem, study author and assistant professor of nutrition, dietetics, and food science […]

09/20/2017 / By Tracey Watson

How high demand for chocolate is wiping out Africa’s rainforests

It would take some serious searching to find someone who does not love chocolate. Who can resist a chocolate bar after a long and stressful day? Or what about some delicious chocolate ice-cream in the sweltering summer heat? Chocolate milkshake anyone? The list goes on and on, and it is true to say that the […]

05/25/2017 / By Earl Garcia

Eating REAL chocolate may lower your blood pressure, study suggests

A recent study published in the World Journal of Cardiovascular Diseases revealed that while magnesium levels may play a role in the onset of hypertension, consuming magnesium-rich foods like cocoa and dark chocolate may lower blood pressure levels. According to the study, magnesium may help mitigate hypertension by regulating the body’s blood flow. To carry out […]

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