Hello my friends welcome to my 4th post about food chemistry. Today I will write about the king of all candies the Chocolate!! I think those who do not like chocolate are very few. Also very few are those who are not addicted to this unique candy and to the different types of chocolates. Chocolate, milk, white, couverture (either health, milk or white), colored chocolates of various flavors, Gianduja etc.
TYPES ΑΝD COMPONENTS OF CHOCOLATE
Chocolate is a very complex food, in which have been detected at least 400 ingredients. Cocoa seeds with bark consist of 50% fat, 10% protein and carbohydrates. The remaining 40% concerns biochemical and pharmacological components, such as polyphenols, mainly flavonoids and tannins, organic and phenolic acids, metal salts, and serotonin that affects mood. The composition of chocolate differs depending on its type. It contains nutrients, which vary depending on the percentage of ingredients added by the manufacturer such as dried fruits, nuts, currants affecting the final composition. Also, the composition is influenced by the type of milk added if it is in fresh or dried form and by the other ingredients that may be added to improve the final product.
MILK CHOCOLATE
Μilk chocolate is the product which contains cocoa, sugars, milk or milk products. Milk chocolate must contain at least 25% total cocoa solids, at least 14% dry milk solids or derivatives of them, 3.5% at least defatted dry cocoa solids, at least 3.5% fat milk and total fat at least 25% (cocoa fat and milk fat). Milk chocolate contains milk powder or concentrated milk, and contains 20% cocoa paste on average. A high quality chocolate milk contains at least 40% genuine cocoa. Milk chocolate is softer and sweeter than black.
WHITE CHOCOLATE
White chocolate is the product which contains at least 20% cocoa butter, at least 14% dry milk solids or products of milk, of which at least 3,5% must be milk fat. White chocolate contains no cocoa paste, but gets chocolate taste from cocoa butter. It usually contains cocoa butter, milk or milk solids, lecithin, sugars and some flavorings. It has a very sweet taste and the good quality chocolate has a rich and soft feel. Many times it contains flavors such as vanilla.
The Chemistry of Chocolate
The substances to which the "magic properties" of chocolate are attributed are mainly 2-phenylethylamine, anandamide and theobromine.
2-phenylethylamine, also known as PEA, (PhenEthylAmine), it activates a receptor, in the brain, the receptors of trabodies and may cause norepinephrine (noradrenaline) and dopamine release.
Theobromine is found to be psychoactive, passes joyfully into the blood and the brain and is in sufficient quantities in chocolate. Theobromine is an alkaloid found mainly in cocoa and chocolate, but in a small percentage it is also a caffeine metabolite in our body. This substance is comparable to caffeine and although it is similar it does not guarantee that it will have the same or similar action as the "maternal" molecule. Its psychoactive effects reminiscent of caffeine. In addition, theobromine has a diuretic, cardiotonic and vasodilatory effect and with these actions, it has been used in medicine.
In addition, chocolate contains other substances such as caffeine, serotonin and tryptophan.
Anandamide is the substance which exists in chocolate as well as inside our body. From what has been seen so far, it acts on cannabinoid receptors such as THC which weed contains. The problem with anandamide is that it is easily deactivated in the body. However, chocolate gives us the solution because it contains substances that prevent the decomposition of anandamide!
References
worldofchemicals
wikipedia
wikipedia
mentalfloss
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