Nutritive facts of chocolate | Nutrition tips
Chocolate is a food and a treat. In addition to delighting your taste, it brings plenty of nutrients, antioxidants and amines that improves our mood.
1. Fats, Carbohydrates and Proteins
Matter fat called cocoa and cocoa butter is about 30%.
It is primarily composed of stearic acid (35%), saturated fat has the ability to not raise blood cholesterol levels.
The other fatty acids are palmitic (25%), oleic (30%) which is a monounsaturated fatty acid and other fatty acids (5%).
It also has carbohydrates (about 14%), a percentage that increases when sugar is added.
Contains a lower proportion of protein (about 7.5%), being rich in amino acids such as tryptophan, phenylalanine and tyrosine, which are precursors of natural chemicals that exist in the (norepinephrine and dopamine).
It also contains Phenylethylamine , a substance also in the human brain, similar to amphetamine, whose production increases when one is in love and produces antidepressant effects.
2. Vitamins and minerals
The chocolate has a considerable amount of Potassium, Magnesium and Phosphorus, and a smaller amount of calcium.
Chocolate also contains vitamins such as B1, folic acid, B2, B6, B3, vitamin A and vitamin E.
3. Rich and healthy
Cocoa is rich in phytochemicals, among which the Theobromine and Polyphenols.
The Theobromine (40 mg per 100 g) is the group of xanthines like caffeine and tannins, but its stimulating power is much lower.
Caffeine but also has a very low percentage (1%).
The Polyphenols are antioxidant substances present not only in the cacao, but other vegetables (apples, grapes, tea …).
These antioxidants reduce the activity of free radicals to help prevent cell oxidation and prevent cardiovascular disease and cancer.
They have been linked to the prevention of other chronic diseases and the stimulation of the body’s defenses.
Among the polyphenols are the flavonoids that can reduce the risk of cardiovascular and of platelet aggregation, responsible for the formation of thrombus.
4. An energy food
Chocolate gives us a 500 calories per 100 grams consumed .
However the soluble cocoa provides about 350 cal per 100 g, for processing the fat is removed.
The energy capacity of cocoa makes it especially useful in situations that require consumption of concentrated energy intake, because it contains a lot of energy in a small volume of food.
Thus it is a suitable food for snacks, breakfast and for situations requiring additional energy input, as in sports for athletes.
This energy value increases when the cocoa is added with sugar, nuts, honey, etc.