Chocolate

When I was in the newsagent at uni the other day I noticed a stand of choclate bars with a sign saying “Buy one and try one free!” These chocolate bars are made by Australian Chocolate who I assumed must be a newish company trying to get people hooked on their brand by making you get two. The excellent part of this deal was that you didn’t have to decide between three or more flavours and only get one but you could get two flavours that appealed. I bought Crikey (it’s nuts) and Red Ripper. The Crikey bar was really good! It was nuts and caramel coated in chocolate. The caramel was soft, not runny but soft and it was just the right amount of sweet – not that I was able to eat it all at once. That inspired me to go to their site and it turns out they’ve been around for a while. I’m not sure when they started but they won an award for their Verve bar in 2003 (Red Ripper and Crikey won awards in 2005). I think they are still a growing company trying to get their name established.

Some things you may or may not have know about choclate:

Chocolate is rich in nutrients and minerals such as calcium, magnesium and phosphorus, it contains trace elements such as iron and copper and last but not least you will find the vitamins A, B1, B2, C, D and E.

Cocoa is the highest natural source of magnesium.

The use of cocoa is known for over 2600 years and its origins go back to the ancient Aztecs in Mexico.

Cocoa contains phytochemicals, plant compounds that work together as anti-oxidants to help relax artery walls.

Dark chocolate improves endothelial function and decreases arterial stiffness in healthy young adults.

Eating chocolate triggers the same chemical response in the brain as powerful anti-anxiety drugs.

You may have heard this one before – I like it.

Chocolate is derived from cocoa beans.

Beans = vegetable

Sugar is derived from either sugar cane or sugar beets.

Both are plants in the vegetable category. Therefore chocolate is a vegetable.

Chocolate candy bars contain milk which is dairy.

So candy bars are a health food.

Chocolate-covered raisins, cherries, orange slices and strawberries all count as fruit, so eat as many as you want.