Byline: By Lindsay Clydesdale
SWEET-TOOTHED cinema-goers are in for a treat this week as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory opened across the country. But forget young Charlie Bucket and Johnny Depp's factory owner,Willy Wonka - the real star of Roald Dahl's classic tale is the chocolate
Whether in bars, cakes, sauces or biscuits, chocolate, or more specifically cacao, is not just a tasty treat - it's also good for you.
Chocolate has even been dubbed nature's Prozac because of its links to well-being.
And there are many ways to enjoy it. A new book, Naked Chocolate - The Astonishing Truth About the World's Greatest Food, contains 60 delicious recipes as well as tips for chocoholics. Most important is to use real chocolate, from chocolate or cacao beans. Not only are cacao beans packed with health benefits, they're also less addictive
A BRIEF HISTORY
Human use of the cacoa fruit and its seeds may be anywhere from 5000 to 15,000 years old.
# Chocolate has a long history of being used as a medicine. In the 16th century it was used to improve a person's resistance to disease and raise their stamina.
# In India, homeopathic preparations of cacao are used to fight hypertension (low blood pressure).
# Europeans combined cocoa with refined sugar to create the main kind of chocolate sold in the UK today. Refined sugar draws minerals out of the body, causes blood sugar disorders, dehydration and is highly addictive. So stick to chocolate with a high cacao content.
# As much as 70 per cent of the world's cacao crop is grown in West Africa. The Ivory Coast is Africa's biggest producer and the world's largest supplier of cacao. Five million farmers produce 85 per cent of the world's cacao, but many live in poverty and child slavery has also been linked to the industry. So make sure you buy chocolate that is certified organic or fair trade
HEALTH BENEFITS# Dark chocolate can soothe nerves, lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease. The American Heart Association identified the cacao flavanoids as responsible for this. #Raw chocolate beans are a massive 2587 per cent higher in health-boosting antioxidants than a typical orange. # Cacao is a source of magnesium which supports the heart, increases brain power, relaxes menstrual cramping and helps build strong bones.
# As well as easing PMS symptoms, cacao has a hormone balancing effect and boosts natural endorphins called anandamide, which promote happy feelings.
# To relax, muscles need magnesium which increases flexibility and strength.
Chronic magnesium deficiency leads to excessive muscle tension, including spasms, twitches and restlessness. This can be especially true of the hands, feet and facial muscles# The Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported that the antioxidant polyphenols in chocolate protect the heart and circulatory system# Cacao is a great source of serotonin, dopamine and phenylethylamine, which help alleviate depression and are associated with feelings of well-being. # It also contains a host of B vitamins which are associated with brain health
BAKING TIPS
Chocolate Fudge (Makes 30-40 pieces) - Two cups of cashew nuts, soaked - One cup of dates, stoned and soaked - One cup of raisins, soaked - One cup of chocolate powder (crushed cacao beans or nibs) - Half a cup of water - Half a cup of golden flax seeds, ground - Half a cup of carob powder Put all the ingredients into the food processor, except the ground flax seeds. Process until very smooth.
Add the ground flax seeds and process again until you can't see the flax. Scrape the mixture into a deep, three-quarter inch tin (lined with greaseproof paper if you wish), and spread it evenly.
Freeze for two hours. Cut into one-inch squares and freeze for a further hour before removing and eating Black Forest Cookies (Makes 24 One cup of oat groats (soaked for two days, change water four times in this period One cup of dry oat groats, finely ground to a powder - One cup of dried apricots, soaked overnight - One cup of cashew nuts, soaked for two to four hours - One cup of broken, raw cacao bean pieces or cacao nibs - Two cups of mixed fruit such as black cherries, blueberries, blackberries, blackcurrants and black grapes Put both types of oats along with the cashews and fruit in a food processor and process until everything is well mixed together and the apricots broken down.
Stir in the cacao pieces by hand. Divide the mixture into 12 and dollop onto baking sheets.
Shape the mixture to look like cookies and leave to dry out for eight to 10 hours.
They don't have to be hard all the way through so keep testing them
CAPTION(S):
# Naked Chocolate and a 227g bag of raw organic chocolate beans can be ordered from Health By Chocolate on 0800 956 2606, priced pounds 24.99
