Tag Archive: chocolate science
Eat Chocolate Cake Without The Guilt
December 20, 2013
Studies have shown that people who eat sweet treats with an attitude of celebration are more likely to stay fit compared with those who are often plagued with guilt after eating. Those who experience guilt are more likely to gain some unwanted pounds.
This study was published in the current online edition of the journal Appetite, and it shows that how we see treats, such as chocolate cake, is just as important as its caloric value when it comes down to expanding waistlines.
Violent Video Games and Chocolate
December 13, 2013
This particular research took place in Italy, involving 170 teenagers showing their skills in a violent video game, like Grand Theft Auto III, or a non-violent game like MiniGolf 3D, in a span of 45 minutes. A bowl of chocolate was beside the gaming console while they were playing. They knew they could eat the candies, albeit they were told that it was unhealthy to devour so much chocolates in a short period of time.
Those who played violent video games ate three times as much chocolates as those who played non-violent ones. After playing, the participants went through a 10-item logic test where they got one ticket for a prize raffle for every question they answered correctly. After learning the number of answers they got right, they were told to get the corresponding number of tickets from an envelope while not being watched.
Eat Chocolate And Lose Body Fat
November 15, 2013
Based on the studies done by the researchers from the University of Granada in Spain, European adolescents who eat chocolate on a regular basis, even those who weren’t necessarily going on a diet or exercising, tend to be slimmer.
1,458 teenagers aged between 12 and 17 in nine European countries, including Spain and the UK were the subjects of this particular research. Turns out, those who are fans of chocolate and consume a lot of it had lower body fat.
Furthermore, those teenagers who swear by chocolate had better circulation, blood pressure and heart health. The study was published in Journal Nutrition. However, it wasn’t specified what they deemed “high chocolate consumption.”
Chocolate Scent Can Boost Bookstore Sales
August 9, 2013
Belgian researchers did a 10-day experiment at a general-interest chain bookstore which involved comparing the behavior of customers with and without the scent of chocolate. There were dispensers that released a scent of chocolate set in two different locations.
Researchers observed every fifth customer who came into the store, for a total of 201 customers. They were able to notice different “purchase-related” customer behaviors such as closely checking many different books, going over the summaries of books, hanging out in the store, speaking with and inquiring the staff.
Dark Chocolate Lovers Tolerate Bitterness In Ice Cream
July 26, 2013
According to senior author John E. Hayes, Assistant Professor of Food Science and Director of the Sensory Evaluation Center, College of Agricultural Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, their main objective in this particular study zeroed in on identifying whether rejection thresholds for added bitterness in chocolate ice cream has a direct correlation with personal preferences for solid milk or dark chocolate.
"Estimating rejection thresholds could be an effective, rapid tool to determine acceptable formulations or quality limits when considering attributes that become objectionable at high intensities," he said.
A Cup Of Hot Chocolate A Day Can Prevent Diabetes?
July 19, 2013
Mice that were fed a high fat diet that is known to be a causative factor for type 2 diabetes (the obesity-related type) suffered less inflammation after having been given cocoa powder. Scientists assumed that such finding could be applicable to humans.
Dark chocolate is packed with flavanols, plant chemicals that enhance blood flow by widening vessels. It has always been associated with tons of health benefits. In this particular study, the mice were fed the human equivalent of 10 tablespoons of cocoa powder, about four or five cups of hot cocoa, in a 10-week span.
Professor Joshua Lambert said: "What surprised me was the magnitude of the effect. There was not as big of an effect on the body weight as we expected, but I was surprised at the dramatic reduction of inflammation and fatty liver disease."
Heat-resistant Chocolate
June 28, 2013
We have all tried buying chocolate on a hot day, only to pull it out of your bag later and find it melted. This problem could now be a thing of the past, at least for some parts of the world.
After almost 10 years of meticulous research, the manufacturers of Cadbury and Toblerone chocolates are claiming they are now nearing launching of a heat-resistant chocolate to the world.
The top chocolate, biscuit and candy company, Mondelez International told Reuters that the product they will be introducing in the near future is able to endure temperatures as high as 104F and not melt.
Chocolate Genome For Better Tasting Chocolates
June 14, 2013
Weekends are always fun for me. I always like to keep it fun and filled with activities I can't do during weekdays. However, when things don't go my way and they don't go as planned for my weekend, I get devastated. Do I sound bratty if I say I get upset when my weekend plans don’t pull through? A little bit?
Times like this, the idea of some chocolate going into my mouth is not so bad. Nice to hear about the open access journal Genome Biology backing me up. They have launched a fully sequenced genome for the cacao plant which could supposedly yield even better tasting chocolates.
Chocolate Is Better For Your Teeth Than Fluoride?
May 10, 2013
A recent groundbreaking study published in the dental journal, Caries Research, verified what the inventors of Theodent™ toothpaste have always been claiming.
Chocolate and Acne
April 26, 2013
Researchers at the Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center in the Netherlands, collected blood samples from seven participants before and after consuming exactly 48 g of chocolate on a daily basis. This happened consecutively for four days.
The chocolate consumed had approximately 30% cocoa. The blood cells collected were then exposed to bacteria known as Propionibacterium acnes.
These bacteria are said to be a contributory factor for developing acne when they grown inside clogged pores. When it happens, the pores become inflamed. It leads to growth of Staphylococcus aureus, which is another type of skin bacteria that could worsen acne.
The blood cells produced more interleukin-1b after the participants had chocolate. Interleukin-1b refers to a marker of immune system inflammation when they were exposed to Propionibacterium acnes.
The researchers claimed that such findings indicated that eating chocolate may increase the inflammation which adds up to acne. Chocolate consumption also increased production of another immune system factor, known as interleukin 10, after having been exposed to Staphylococcus aureus, according to a report at MyHealthNewsDaily.
Interleukin 10 allegedly lowers the immunity against microorganisms. That being said, higher levels of interleukin 10 may end up in conditions that would pave way for bacteria to infect pimples, and aggravate them, according to the researchers.
Despite the many talks about chocolate and some other foods that are linked to acne, little is known as evidence to show they actually cause acne, said Dr. Kanade Shinkai, a dermatologist at the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, who has acne treatments as specialty.
However, past studies have shown that high-glycemic foods, like white bread, could be associated with acne. This is because they are known to release sugar into the bloodstream rather quickly. While the acne problems of some people are affected by diet, others’ acne issues are not influenced by diet at all.
Shinkai made a warning against broad dietary restrictions, like avoiding diary, considering dairy products are significant sources of calcium and vitamin D for a lot of people, and the health advantages that come with the products outweigh the effects of acne, she claimed.
This research was published in the journal Cytokine.