We are right in it! Besides Easter, the Christmas period is crucial for chocolate makers, who in December generate a good part of their annual turnover thanks to the sales of papillotes, tablets, filled candies and other sweets …
Chocolate is a separate food. Not only does it flatter the smell and the palate, but it has beneficial effects on morale and general health, provided it is consumed in moderation. Ten-point analysis thanks to the book “From cocoa to chocolate” (1).
1 / Eating a few squares of chocolate every day makes you fat
FALSE. For everyone with normal physical activity, two or three squares of chocolate per day, or 60 to 100 kcal, will not affect any weight gain. It would be wrong to deny it! However, it is a fairly caloric treat: 100 g of dark chocolate with more than 50% cocoa provides 560 kcal, 100 g of milk chocolate barely less, 550 kcal. Choose those rich in cocoa, which contain less sugar. Very energetic, chocolate allows athletes to recover quickly after exercise. For example, a 70 kilogram man having pedaled for an hour at 20 km / h can take up to 70 g of chocolate, 80 g for an hour of tennis and 100 g for an hour of climbing. Of course, we must not go overboard: devouring a bar of chocolate a day while lying in front of the television is not a good idea.
2 / Cocoa acts against the aging of the body
TRUE. Thanks to the polyphenols contained in cocoa, chocolate protects our cells, which effectively slows down our aging. These natural molecules, which are also found in large quantities in red wine and green tea, are antioxidants that trap free radicals produced by our body during exertion, stress, exposure to the sun, consumption. excessive alcohol or tobacco … These free radicals participate in the aging of cells, and even in the development of certain cancers and cardiovascular diseases. Cocoa powder contains 2%, dark chocolate 0.8%, milk chocolate 0.5%: it’s better than green tea (0.3%) and red wine (0.15%) !
3 / We can eat dark chocolate even if we have cholesterol
TRUE. Besides its trace element content, chocolate contains around 35% fat, which comes from cocoa butter, which is made up of triglycerides. The dark is fatter while that of milk is sweeter. Is this cocoa butter beneficial for health? Nutritionists believe so, because they are fatty acids that help eliminate cholesterol and prevent atherosclerosis. It thus plays a preponderant role in vascular protection, by reducing the risk of phlebitis, vascular accident or infarction. As for the triglycerides in cocoa butter, they are poorly absorbed by human adipose tissue. Better still: thanks to its methylxanthines (theobromine and caffeine), chocolate has lipolytic properties which break down fat. If you have cholesterol, you can eat dark chocolate with more than 60% cocoa. On the other hand, milk and white chocolate are not recommended because of the milk fat they contain.
4 / Chocolate is stimulating and antidepressant
TRUE. Thanks to its methylxanthines (theobromine and caffeine), arousal substances, chocolate is a tonic which will, among other things, stimulate the central nervous system, improve muscle performance, increase alertness and delay the onset of fatigue. It is reputed to have, moreover, antidepressant properties, associated with the presence of magnesium. In addition, it also contains a small amount of molecules close to endorphins, the famous pleasure hormones. These cousins of endorphins, associated with the real ones that are secreted by the body when biting into one or two squares, will have a significant effect on the body. What to switch into euphoria, even ecstasy!
5 / you can’t become addicted to chocolate
FALSE. You can become addicted to chocolate, like to a series, without it becoming a drug. If the supply of tablets in the cupboard is exhausted, the memory of the well-being felt, because of the endorphins, will cause the urge to consume them again, but there is no feeling of lack, nor of addiction or of dependency. It is also not necessary to increase the doses to maintain the same pleasure. Chocolate bulimics are actually guided by addiction to sugar: they prefer sweet chocolates, spread or milk chocolate confectionery rather than dark chocolate rich in cocoa.
6 / chocolate is responsible for constipation
FALSE. Chocolate contains at least 10% fiber, which promotes intestinal transit. But it is also rich in tannins which tend to slow it down. So ? Studies show that, provided you drink plenty of water, the two effects cancel each other out. Chocolate therefore does not play a role in constipation. However, since it is a dry food containing less than 1% water, it will take at least 100 milliliters of water to digest 100 g. As for the reputation of being responsible for difficult digestion or stomach aches, it is rather the fact that we will generally enjoy it at the end of a meal already rich in fatty foods.
7 / Chocolate promotes the appearance of cavities
FALSE. On the contrary. The richer the chocolate is in cocoa, the less sucrose it contains, the sugar responsible for cavities. Several components even act positively on teeth: polyphenols inhibit microbial development in dental plaque, fluorine strengthens enamel and phosphates buffer acids that can cause cavities.
8 / Chocolate is recommended for people with diabetes
FALSE. Even if, compared to jam, chocolate has a low glycemic index – especially when it exceeds 70% cocoa – it all depends on the form of diabetes the patient suffers from. The best advice is to talk to your doctor. As a reminder, the jam has a high glycemic index, at 65, against 45 for bread, 40 for milk chocolate and only 35 for dark chocolate.
9 / chocolate can affect your voice
TRUE. The tendency to gastroesophageal reflux will make you give up chocolate. Cocoa butter promotes dysfunction of the sphincter located at the junction of the esophagus with the stomach. It therefore amplifies the very acidic, irritating gastric reflections, which can cause lesions, or even alter the vocal cords. On the other hand, fatty acids from cocoa have a strong bactericidal activity on the bacteria responsible for ulcers of the stomach and duodenum. We can therefore enjoy a little chocolate on the grounds that it is preventive and curative.
10 / chocolate can trigger liver colic
TRUE. Through its sugars and the oleic acid in cocoa butter, chocolate increases the secretion of bile, which forces the gallbladder to empty more frequently. This repeated emptying does not promote stone formation. However, if the formation of stones is proven, the effect of chocolate becomes negative: since it increases the secretion of bile, this may block the gallstone even more, causing severe hepatic colic.
Chocolatey Yule log … and ice cream
The chocolate yule log (buttercream, mousse …) is a great holiday classic. To end the meal on a lighter note, we prefer the frozen version, the chocolate marrying wonderfully with vanilla, praline, hazelnut, caramel, fruit …
For example, at the frozen giant, Picard, the frozen log for 8, chocolate-vanilla flavor, decorated with chocolate, is sold for less than 18 euros. Without decoration, in the shape of a pine cone, another with three chocolates is displayed at less than 9 euros for 8. At the other friend of the freezer, Thiriet, the gourmet bar for 8 with peanuts, caramel and chocolate, which tastes like a famous chocolate bar, will cost less than 30 euros, while the small black forest-style frozen desserts will cost less than 14 euros for a box of six. You can also find products with good value for money in supermarkets or hypermarkets, such as Nestlé’s premium grand chocolate ice cream log (8 euros, 7 to 8 slices), the three-chocolate version of Pilpa (5.50 euros, 7 8 parts) or the frozen logs from private labels.
(1) “From cocoa to chocolate, the epic of a gluttony”, Michel Barel, published by Quae, 167 pages, September 2021, 25 euros.