Health Benefits And Risks of Chocolates

What are the benefits of eating chocolates?

These are just a few of the ways research has shown that dark chocolate can benefit you:

• Increases heart health: The antioxidants in dark chocolate have been shown to lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of clotting and increase blood circulation to the heart, thus lowering the risks of stroke, coronary heart disease and death from heart disease.

• Balances the immune system: Flavonols prevent the immune system from going into overdrive and reduce oxidative stress, which is an imbalance caused by cells fighting against free radicals and a common cause of many diseases.

• Combats diabetes: Epicatechin protects cells, makes them stronger and supports the processes that help the body to use insulin better, which might prevent or combat diabetes.

• Improves brain function: Flavonols in dark chocolate have a positive impact on brain function, including better reaction time, visual-spatial awareness and stronger memory. Though research is ongoing, one reason for this may be that flavonols increase blood flow to the brain.

• Boosts athletic performance: The epicatechin in dark chocolate increases the production of nitric oxide in the blood, which supports circulation and reduces the amount of oxygen an athlete uses while engaged in moderately intense exercise. This allows the athlete to maintain workout intensity for longer.

• Reduces stress: People who ate dark chocolate reported that they felt less stressed, and researchers confirmed that after eating dark chocolate, there were reduced levels of the stress hormone cortisol. This may be related to dark chocolate’s effects on heart health, since stress is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

What are the disadvantages of chocolate?

Chocolate may have health benefits, but it can have some negative effects, too.

• Weight gain: However, chocolate can have a high calorie count due to its sugar and fat content. Anyone who is trying to slim down or maintain their weight should limit their chocolate consumption and check the label of their favorite product.

• Sugar content: The high sugar content of most chocolate can also be a cause of tooth decay.

• Migraine risk: Some people may experience an increase in migraines when eating chocolate regularly due to cocoa’s tyramine, histamine, and phenylalanine content. However, research is mixed.

• Bone health: There is some evidence that chocolate might cause poor bone structure and osteoporosis. 

• Heavy metals: Some cocoa powders, chocolate bars, and cacao nibs may contain high levels of cadmium and lead, which are toxic to the kidneys, bones, and other body tissues.

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Top 10 Luxury Chocolate Brands 2024

1.Godiva

Godiva is perhaps the most mainstream chocolate on this list, and due to its popularity, it's also the cheapest option. You can find a Godiva bar at any grocery store for about $5, and according to The Penny Hoarder, it's one of the best supermarket chocolates available. 

Godiva has been around since 1926 when Pierre Draps Sr. began making chocolates with his two sons, who would eventually take over the family business.  In 1968, Godiva became an official chocolatier to the Royal Court of Belgium, which was a high honor for the once-small, family-owned company.

Godiva only grew from there — they now operate over 800 stores across 105 countries (via AP News) and sell everything from chocolate bars to chocolate-dipped strawberries. If you're looking for something special on a budget, Godiva truffles come in affordable boxes that start at $12.95 — the best part is, they don't taste like it.

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2. La Madeline au Truffe 

Looking for the most extravagant chocolate in the world?Well you've found it. Knipschildt's La Madeline au Truffe was recognized by Forbes Magazine as the most expensive chocolate in the world.

La Madeline au Truffle starts with a decadent 70% Valrhona dark chocolate, heavy cream, sugar, truffle oil and vanilla as the base for the rich decadent ganache. A rare French Perigord truffle (a rare mushroom) is then surrounded by this rich decadent ganache; it is enrobed in Valrhona dark chocolate and then rolled in fine cocoa powder. The result is pure extravagance! Lying on a bed of sugar pearls in a gold box tied with a ribbon.

Each La Madeline au Truffe chocolate is made to order and takes about 14 days to deliver. It has a shelf life of about seven days, so if you’re thinking about presenting it as a gift for a special occasion, you’ll want to take all this information into account. You might also want to know the price, which is a hefty $250 – quite a bit for a tiny bit of candy, but totally worth it!

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3.Cadbury Wispa Gold

When you Google, “most expensive chocolate bar in the world” the Wispa Gold is what comes up. If you’ve ever been to the UK or Europe, you’ll recognize the Wispa wrapper and the iconic Cadbury logo adorned in the top right corner of every wrapper. For over 120 years Cadbury has lined the shelves of supermarkets and convenience stores over the pond.

When they decided to relaunch their iconic Wispa Gold Bar, they did it  with style, electing to create a small batch gold chocolate bar. I’m not talking about 24k gold leaf on the outside of the bar, this is a completely covered golden chocolate bar.

With a price tag of $1,628 per bar the Wispa Gold holds the no. 1 spot as the most expensive candy bar in the world. Luckily this promotion ended quite awhile so most of us candy lovers can get our hands on a regular Wispa Gold for a few bucks. 

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4.Guylian

Another Belgian favourite is Guylian, famous for its iconic chocolate sea shells and sea horses. These are made with 100 per cent pure cocoa butter, and a hazelnut praline filling made from caramelised and roasted hazelnuts.

Their signature pralines promise ‘melt in the mouth’ goodness created by founder and master chocolatier, Guy Foubert.Guylian creates all its great tasting chocolates with only the finest Belgian chocolate, originating from an exceptional blend of West African cocoa beans that meet our high demands. The cocoa beans must be produced and sourced in a sustainable way and the manufacturer must guarantee absolute food safety while helping to improve the lives of the cocoa farmers they purchase from.

Try their Luxury Assorted Seahorse tasting box where you can enjoy dark praline, milk truffle, crunchy biscuit and vanilla.

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5.Vosges Haut Chocolat

Vosges is well-known for creative flavor selections like bacon truffles or smoked truffles. They make a variety of products and even offer some products inspired by other countries such as their Indian Curry chocolates. 

Explore a plethora of assorted chocolates carefully crafted by founder and chocolatier Katrina Markoff. Made with vibrant cacao and superiorly-sourced ingredients, our artisan chocolate is meant to balance the body, mind and spirit when eaten mindfully. Indulge in gourmet chocolate with exotic chocolate flavor profiles, such as Dulce de Leche Bonbons, Machengo and Cherry Dark Chocolate Bars, Caramel & Chocolate Ganache Truffles and Ginger Turmeric Milk Chocolate. Widen your senses and experience fine chocolate like you've never experienced before. The perfect gift for the chocolate lover in your life, Vosges Haut Chocolat offers premium chocolate gifts and chocolate gift baskets. Online gourmet chocolate delivery has never been easier with our carefully-packaged, signature purple chocolate boxes and chocolate bars.

An order with Vosges will come in around $69.00 a pound and is well worth the price for creative flair and unique presentation.

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6.Richart

The French know how to make good chocolate, and French chocolatier Richart knows how to make it better than most. Since starting their business in 1925, the Richart family have won the Ruban Bleu (the most prestigious honor a confectioner can obtain) a record seven times. With their distinctive designs, incredible flavors, and heavenly aromas, Richart chocolates are in a league of their own.

Richart’s chocolates give you an experience of herbal, fruity, floral, spiced, and citrusy combinations that make your mouth water. Richart acquires his beans from Venezuela, Madagascar, and Haiti, top cocoa bean growers.

If you don’t mind blowing some cash on something truly special, try the $850 burlwood vault with seven drawers of chocolate, each of which comes with its own temperature and humidity gauge.

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7.Amedei Porcelana

Amedei Porcelana, a dark chocolate made by the Amedei chocolatier of Tuscany, Italy, was called the world's most expensive chocolate.It has won various awards from the "Academy of Chocolate", including "Best bean to bar", "Best Dark Chocolate Bar",[ and the "Golden Bean award."

The word “artisanal” gets thrown around a lot, but these Italian masters are the real deal. From their boutique in Pontedera, they control all aspects of production from raw material to the final product shipped to your door.

You’ll find only a few, simple ingredients here: Criollo and Trinitario cocoa beans, cane sugar, milk, and fruit. Their Porcelana chocolate bar uses a genetically-pure cocoa bean that’s almost translucent. Their high-end bars sell for $90 a bar, although you can find some cheaper options, too.   

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8.Hotel Chocolat

When the very first Hotel Chocolat shop opened its doors to guests in North London in 2004, it was the start of a revolution in British chocolate. The British chocolatier has reinvented traditional chocolate products by selling it in their iconic curvy giant slabs.

The company even grows its own cocoa in Saint Lucia, and their chocolate contains less sugar and more cocoa than other chocolatiers, making it a healthier option!

Try their Billionaire’s Shortbread Giant Slab. It’s a luxurious blend of caramel and 50 per cent milk chocolate, sprinkled with shortcake biscuit.

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9.La Maison du Chocolat

This brand has been around since 1955 and has long been revered for their chocolate eclairs alongside a whole host of other chocolate creations. While spendy, it is not unreasonably priced for a luxury chocolate brand with most products coming in around $65.00 a pound. La Maison du Chocolat is a special treat no matter what the occasion and is a solid choice for anyone looking to purchase a high-quality chocolate gift.

The chocolate-making process is perfectly precise. The finest cocoa beans in the world are sought by an expert sourcer. Farmers are responsible for growing these beans, which are then roasted and conched by couverture chocolate producers. The final stage involves the chocolatier who creates dark chocolate as you know it.

Discover in their signature boxes topped with chocolate candies and / or truffles and their elegant hat boxes, a whole range of chocolate creations varying flavors and appearances to delight the eyes and taste buds. So many refined and gourmet incarnations of their vision of chocolate served today by the talent and experience of Nicolas Cloiseau.

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10.Valrhona

Valrhona has been producing the world’s finest chocolate in the small village of Tain L’Hermitage, France since 1922. From the beginning, company founder and Pastry Chef Albéric Guironnet was dedicated to the creation of unique, artisan quality chocolate with complex, balanced and consistent flavors. 

This mission of excellence continues as the gastronomic traditions of the renowned Rhone Valley find expression in every mouthwatering taste of Valrhona’s superb chocolate. For almost a century, Valrhona has created a range of unique and recognizable aromatic profiles by perfecting techniques for enhancing the flavor of rare cocoa beans, grown on land masterfully selected for its terroir. 

Chocolates don’t get much more luxurious than those that come out of French brand Valrhona’s kitchen in the Rhone Valley. Beans are meticulously sourced from plantations in the Caribbean and South America before being blended to create a unique flavor profile. The selection is wide enough to offer an excellent choice (the Valrhona Equinoxe Noir and Valrhona Grands Crus assorted chocolate ganache are two of the must-tries) and although the prices are high in comparison to everyday brands like Dove or Hershey, they’re actually very reasonable in comparison to most luxury brands.

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How to Make chocolates at Home?

Wondering how to make milk chocolate at home? This easy homemade chocolate recipe will help! 

Ingredients of Homemade Chocolate (10 Servings)

• 2 cup cocoa powder

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 1/4 teaspoon flour

• 3/4 cup butter

• 2/3 cup milk

• 1 cup Water

How to make Homemade Chocolate?

Step 1: Mix the ingredients

Place cocoa and butter in the processor and mix until they form a paste. Now, heat a pan and fill it about 1/4 full with water and then place the bowl on top of the pan.

Step 2: Whisk the chocolate paste

Now, put the chocolate paste in the bowl and then heat until the mixture is hot enough. Put the mixture back in the processor and mix till smooth.

Step 3: Pour the mixture in the moulds and refrigerate

Then warm the milk to room temperature. Add sugar, flour and milk to the cocoa paste and mix the batter well so that no lumps are formed. Now pour the mixture into chocolate moulds and place it in the fridge till they become solid. Take the pieces out and munch away!

Tips:

• To make it more delicious, you can add some nuts and dried berries.

• You can also add roasted nuts, this will a give it a crispy twist.

• You can also peanut butter to your chocolate mix. This will add a burst of new flavours to it.

Light vs. Dark Chocolate: Which is Healthier?

Manufacturers of light, or milk, chocolate, claim that their product is better for health because it contains milk, and milk provides protein and calcium. Supporters of dark chocolate point to the higher iron content and levels of antioxidants in their product.

How do the nutrients compare?

Here are some sample nutrient levels in light Trusted Source and darkTrusted Source chocolate,

The darker the chocolate, the higher the concentration of cocoa, and so, in theory, the higher the level of antioxidants there will be in the bar.

However, nutrients vary widely in commercially available chocolate bars, depending on the brand and type you choose. It is best to check the label if you want to be sure of the nutrients.

Unsweetened chocolates and 100-percent cocoa products are available for purchase online, and at some grocery and health food stores.

Read More:

10 Best 100% Cocoa Dark Chocolates in the World 2024 (Taste, Benefits & Nutrition)

14 of the Best 70-100% Cocoa Dark Chocolates (Benefits, Nutrition & Calories)

10 Most Popular 70% Cocoa Dark Chocolates in the World (Taste, Benefits & Nutrition)

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