It's America's favorite flavor, but all the options (from dark to white) and news in the headlines still cause some confusion. Here's what you need to know about chocolate--from bean to bar.
Willy Wonka and his chocolate factory may be fictional, but there's still a mystique about chocolate and how it evolves from a lowly bean into a sweet treat. Here are answers to some commonly asked questions about chocolate:
Where does chocolate come from?
Cocoa beans are the star ingredient in chocolate. The beans grow inside cocoa pods on cacao trees, which thrive in warm and wet climates, including South and Central America, Africa, and parts of Asia. After harvesting, the beans are cleaned, roasted, crushed and liquefied before chocolate can be made.
What's the difference between cocoa and chocolate? According to the Chocolate Manufacturers Association (CMA), cocoa powder is made by applying pressure to remove some cocoa butter. Chocolate is made by adding cocoa butter to bring out flavor and make the chocolate more liquid. Cocoa butter, a vegetable fat, comprises about one-quarter of the weight of most chocolate bars.
What's the difference between dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and white chocolate?
Milk chocolate is a mixture of cocoa butter, milk, sweeteners, flavorings, and chocolate liquor. Despite its name, chocolate liquor is alcohol free; it's made by grinding the center of the cocoa bean into a liquid after roasting. All milk chocolate made in the United States must contain at least 10 percent chocolate liquor and 12% whole milk, according to CMA. Dark chocolate has fewer ingredients and more cocoa than milk chocolate. It's made with chocolate liquor, sweeteners, and cocoa butter. It must contain at least 35% chocolate liquor but often the amount is much higher. White chocolate contains no cocoa solids, which explains its white color. It's made with sugar, cocoa butter, milk, and flavorings. Read the label before you buy. Some white chocolate is made with vegetable oil instead of cocoa butter.
What does "cacao" on chocolate products mean?
The phrase "cacao" refers to the total percentage of ingredients, by weight, which comes from the cocoa bean, including chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, and cocoa powder. The label is required in Europe but is voluntary in the United States. In general, a higher percentage of cacao means a more intense chocolate flavor.
What's new in chocolate?
Flavors: Shop high-end chocolatiers and you'll find some pretty unusual pairings of chocolates with exotic ingredients such as wasabi, cumin, ginger, sweet curries, chilies, sea-salted caramel, paprika, and even green tea. And, once a novelty item, organic chocolate has gone mainstream. Flavonoids: The cocoa in chocolate contains flavonoids, which are antioxidants, says Cinda Chima, MS, RD, an assistant professor of nutrition and dietetics at the University of Akron. Some research suggests that diets high in antioxidants may help lower the risk of heart disease. But chocolate is loaded with fat and calories, so if you're looking for a boost of flavonoids, set aside the chocolate bar and try tea, apples, grapes, or red wine instead, Chima says. It's best to save chocolate for enjoyment—just watch the serving size, and work the calories into your daily allotment.
