Chocolate

Chocolate comprises a number of raw and processed foods that are produced from the seed of the tropical cacao tree. Native to lowland, tropical South America, cacao has been cultivated for at least three millennia in Central America and Mexico, with its earliest documented use around 1100 BC. The majority of the Mesoamerican peoples made chocolate beverages, including the Maya and Aztecs, who made it into a beverage known as xocolātl, a Nahuatl word meaning "bitter water". The seeds of the cacao tree have an intense bitter taste, and must be fermented to develop the flavor. After fermentation, the beans are dried, cleaned, and roasted, and the shell is removed to produce cacao nibs. The nibs are then ground and liquified, resulting in pure chocolate in fluid form: chocolate liquor. The liquor can be further processed into two components: cocoa solids and cocoa butter.

Pure, unsweetened chocolate contains primarily cocoa solids and cocoa butter in varying proportions. Much of the chocolate consumed today is in the form of sweet chocolate, combining chocolate with sugar. Milk chocolate is sweet chocolate that additionally contains milk powder or condensed milk. "White chocolate" contains cocoa butter, sugar, and milk but no cocoa solids (and thus does not qualify to be considered true chocolate). Chocolate contains alkaloids such as theobromine and phenethylamine, which have physiological effects on the body. It has been linked to serotonin levels in the brain. Scientists claim that chocolate, eaten in moderation, can lower blood pressure. Dark chocolate has recently been promoted for its health benefits, including a substantial amount of antioxidants that reduce the formation of free radicals, though the presence of theobromine renders it toxic to some animals, such as dogs and cats.

Chocolate has become one of the most popular flavors in the world. Gifts of chocolate molded into different shapes have become traditional on certain holidays: chocolate bunnies and eggs are popular on Easter, chocolate coins on Hanukkah, Santa Claus and other holiday symbols on Christmas, and hearts on Valentine's Day. Chocolate is also used in cold and hot beverages, to produce chocolate milk and hot chocolate.

Chocolate in Popular Culture

Chocolate is one of the most popular treats given on holidays. On Valentine's Day, a box of chocolate is given, usually with flowers and a greeting card. It is given on other holidays, including Christmas, Thanksgiving, and birthdays, although no special chocolate creation is common on these holidays.

On Easter, chocolate eggs are popular gifts. A chocolate egg is a confectionery made primarily of chocolate, and can either be solid, hollow, or filled with cream.

Chocolate has been the center of several successful book and film adaptations. In 1964, Roald Dahl published a children's novel titled Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The novel centers around a poor boy named Charlie Bucket who takes a tour through the greatest chocolate factory in the world, owned by Willy Wonka. Two film adaptations of the novel were produced. The first was Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, a 1971 film which later became a cult classic. Thirty-four years later, a second film adaptation was produced, titled Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The 2005 film was very well received by critics and was one of the highest grossing films of its year, earning over US$470,000,000 worldwide. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was also recognized at the 78th Academy Awards, where it was nominated for Best Costume Design for Gabriella Pesucci.

Chocolat is a 1999 novel by Joanne Harris. It tells the story of Vianne Rocher, a young mother, whose confections change the lives of the townspeople through magic. The 2000 film adaptation, Chocolat, also proved successful, grossing over US$150,000,000 worldwide, and receiving Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for Best Picture, Best Actress, and Best Original Score.

Realita atau Rekayasa?

COKLAT MENYEBABKAN KEGEMUKAN?

Selama ini, coklat seringkali dipandang sebagai penyebab kegemukan, serta bertanggung jawab terhadap timbulnya caries pada gigi. Tak dapat disangkal lagi bahwa kegemukan adalah salah satu faktor risiko berbagai penyakit degeneratif.

Tetapi studi di Universitas Harvard ini menunjukkan bahwa jika Anda mengimbangi konsumsi coklat dengan aktivitas fisik yang cukup dan makan dengan menu seimbang, maka dampak negatif coklat tidak perlu terlalu dikhawatirkan.

Lemak pada coklat-sering disebut cocoa butter- sebagian besar tersusun dari lemak jenuh (60%) khususnya stearat. Tetapi lemak coklat adalah lemak nabati yang sama sekali tidak mengandung kolesterol. Untuk tetap menekan lemak jenuh agar tidak terlalu tinggi, ada baiknya membatasi memakan cokelat hanya satu batang saja per hari dan mebatasi mengkonsumsi suplemen atau makanan lainnya yang mengandung catechin seperti apel dan teh.

Sering timbul pertanyaan seberapa banyak kita boleh mengkonsumsi coklat? Tidak ada anjuran gizi yang pasti untuk ini, namun demikian makan coklat 2-3 kali seminggu atau minum susu coklat tiap hari kiranya masih dapat diterima. Prinsip gizi sebenarnya mudah yaitu makanlah segala jenis makanan secara moderat. Masalah gizi umumnya timbul bila kita makan terlalu banyak atau terlalu sedikit.

Types of Chocolate

Alongside milk chocolate, white chocolate and dark chocolate are also common chocolate varieties.

White chocolate is formed from a mixture of sugar, cocoa butter, and milk solids. Although its texture is similar to milk and dark chocolate, it does not contain any cocoa solids; thus not officially qualifying as true chocolate. Because of this, many countries do not consider white chocolate as chocolate at all. Although first introduced by Hebert Candies in 1955, Mars, Incorporated was the first to produce white chocolate within the United States. Because it does not contain any cocoa solids, one benefit of white chocolate is that it also does not contain any theobromine, meaning it can be consumed by animals.

Dark chocolate is produced by adding fat and sugar to the cacao mixture. The U.S. Government calls this "sweet chocolate", and requires a 15% concentration of chocolate liquor. European rules specify a minimum of 35% cocoa solids. Dark chocolate, with its high cocoa content, is a rich source of the flavonoids epicatechin and gallic acid, which are thought to possess cardioprotective properties. Dark chocolate has also been said to reduce the possibility of a heart attack when consumed regularly in small amounts. Semisweet chocolate is a dark chocolate with a low sugar content. Bittersweet chocolate is chocolate liquor to which some sugar (typically a third), more cocoa butter, vanilla and sometimes lecithin have been added. It has less sugar and more liquor than semisweet chocolate, but the two are interchangeable in baking.

Unsweetened chocolate is pure chocolate liquor, also known as bitter or baking chocolate. It is unadulterated chocolate: the pure, ground, roasted chocolate beans impart a strong, deep chocolate flavor.

Coklat bagi Kesehatan

Kata coklat berasal dari xocoatl (bahasa suku Aztec) yang berarti minuman pahit. Suku Aztec dan Maya di Mexico percaya bahwa Dewa Pertanian telah mengirimkan coklat yang berasal dari surga kepada mereka. Cortes kemudian membawanya ke Spanyol antara tahun 1502-1528, dan oleh orang-orang Spanyol minuman pahit tersebut dicampur gula sehingga rasanya lebih enak. Coklat kemudian menyebar ke Perancis, Belanda dan Inggris. Pada tahun 1765 didirikan pabrik coklat di Massachusetts, Amerika Serikat.Dalam perkembangannya coklat tidak hanya menjadi minuman tetapi juga menjadi snack yang disukai anak-anak, remaja, maupun orang dewasa.

Selain rasanya enak, coklat ternyata berkhasiat membuat umur seseorang menjadi lebih panjang. Suatu studi epidemiologis telah dilakukan pada mahasiswa Universitas Harvard yang terdaftar antara tahun 1916-1950. Dengan menggunakan food frequency questionnaire berhasil dikumpulkan informasi tentang kebiasaan makan permen atau coklat pada mahasiswa Universitas Harvard.

Dengan mengontrol aktivitas fisik yang dilakukan, ditemukan bahwa mereka yang suka makan permen/coklat umurnya lebih lama satu tahun dibandingkan bukan pemakan. Diduga antioksidan fenol yang terkandung dalam coklat adalah penyebab mengapa mereka bisa berusia lebih panjang. Fenol ini juga banyak ditemukan pada anggur merah yang sudah sangat dikenal sebagai minuman yang baik untuk kesehatan jantung. Coklat mempunyai kemampuan untuk menghambat oksidasi kolesterol LDL (kolesterol jahat) dan meningkatkan fungsi kekebalan tubuh, sehingga dapat mencegah risiko penyakit jantung koroner dan kanker.

Menurut kepercayaan suku Maya, coklat adalah makanan para dewa. Rasa asli biji coklat sebenarnya pahit akibat kandungan alkaloid, tetapi setelah melalui rekayasa proses dapat dihasilkan coklat sebagai makanan yang disukai oleh siapapun. Biji coklat mengandung lemak 31%, karbohidrat 14% dan protein 9%. Protein coklat kaya akan asam amino triptofan, fenilalanin, dan tyrosin. Meski coklat mengandung lemak tinggi namun relatif tidak mudah tengik karena coklat juga mengandung polifenol (6%) yang berfungsi sebagai antioksidan pencegah ketengikan.

Di Amerika Serikat konsumsi coklat hanya memberikan kontribusi 1% terhadap intake lemak total sebagaimana dinyatakan oleh National Food Consumption Survey (1987-1998). Jumlah ini relatif sedikit khususnya bila dibandingkan dengan kontribusi daging (30%), serealia (22%), dan susu (20%). Salah satu fungsi antioksidan adalah mencegah penuaan dini yang bisa terjadi karena polusi ataupun radiasi. Katekin juga dijumpai pada teh meski jumlahnya tidak setinggi pada coklat. Orang tua jaman dahulu sering mempraktekkan cuci muka dengan air teh karena dapat membuat kulit muka bercahaya dan awet muda. Seandainya mereka tahu bahwa coklat mengandung katekin lebih tinggi daripada teh, mungkin mereka akan menganjurkan mandi lulur dengan coklat.Coklat juga mengandung theobromine dan kafein. Kedua substansi ini telah dikenal memberikan efek terjaga bagi yang mengkonsumsinya. Oleh karena itu ketika kita terkantuk-kantuk di bandara atau menunggu antrian panjang, makan coklat cukup manjur untuk membuat kita bergairah kembali.

Produk coklat cukup beraneka ragam. Misalnya, ada coklat susu yang merupakan adonan coklat manis, cocoa butter, gula dan susu. Selain itu ada pula coklat pahit yang merupakan coklat alami dan mengandung 43% padatan coklat. Coklat jenis ini bisa ditemukan pada beberapa produk coklat batangan. Belum ada bukti bahwa coklat menimbulkan jerawat. Coklat juga tidak bisa dikatakan sebagai penyebab utama munculnya plaque gigi karena plaque gigi juga bisa timbul pada orang yang mengkonsumsi makanan biasa sehari-hari. Hanya saja coklat perlu diwaspadai, khususnya bagi orang-orang yang rentan menderita batu ginjal. Konsumsi 100 g coklat akan meningkatkan ekskresi oksalat dan kalsium tiga kali lipat. Oleh karena itu kiat sehat yang bisa dianjurkan adalah minumlah banyak air sehabis makan.

History of Chocolate

Chocolate has been used as a drink for nearly all of its history. The earliest record of using chocolate dates back before the Olmec.In November 2007, archaeologists reported finding evidence of the oldest known cultivation and use of cacao at a site in Puerto Escondido, Honduras, dating from about 1100 to 1400 BC.

The residues found and the kind of vessel they were found in indicate that the initial use of cacao was not simply as a beverage, but the white pulp around the cacao beans was likely used as a source of fermentable sugars for an alcoholic drink.

The Maya civilization grew cacao trees in their backyard, and used the cacao seeds it produced to make a frothy, bitter drink. Documents in Maya hieroglyphs stated that chocolate was used for ceremonial purposes, in addition to everyday life. The chocolate residue found in an early ancient Maya pot in Río Azul, Guatemala, suggests that Maya were drinking chocolate around 400 AD.

In the New World, chocolate was consumed in a bitter, spicy drink called xocoatl, and was often flavored with vanilla, chile pepper, and achiote (known today as annatto). Xocoatl was believed to fight fatigue, a belief that is probably attributable to the theobromine content. Chocolate was also an important luxury good throughout pre-Columbian Mesoamerica, and cacao beans were often used as currency. For example, the Aztecs used a system in which one turkey cost one hundred cacao beans and one fresh avocado was worth three beans. South American and European cultures have used cocoa to treat diarrhea for hundreds of years. All of the areas that were conquered by the Azetcs that grew cacao beans were ordered to pay them as a tax, or as the Aztecs called it, a "tribute".

Until the 1500s, no European had ever heard of the popular drink from the Central and South American peoples. It was not until the Spanish conquest of the Aztecs that chocolate could be imported to Europe, where it quickly became a court favorite. To keep up with the high demand for this new drink, Spanish armies began enslaving Mesoamericans to produce cacao. Even with cacao harvesting becoming a regular business, only royalty and the well-connected could afford to drink this expensive import. Before long, the Spanish began growing cacao beans on plantations, and using an African workforce to help manage them. The situation was different in England. Put simply, anyone with money could buy it. The first chocolate house opened in London in 1657. In 1689, noted physician and collector Hans Sloane developed a milk chocolate drink in Jamaica which was initially used by apothecaries, but later sold to the Cadbury brother.

For hundreds of years, the chocolate making process remained unchanged. When the people saw the Industrial Revolution arrive, many changes occurred that brought the hard, sweet candy we love today to life. In the 1700s, mechanical mills were created that squeezed out cocoa butter, which in turn helped to create hard, durable chocolate. But, it was not until the arrival of the Industrial Revolution that these mills were put to bigger use. Not long after the revolution cooled down, companies began advertising this new invention to sell many of the chocolate treats we see today. When new machines were produced, people began experiencing and consuming chocolate worldwide.

Addicted to Chocolate

Makan coklat tidak akan menimbulkan kecanduan, tetapi bagi sebagian orang rasa coklat yang enak mungkin menyebabkan kerinduan untuk mengkonsumsinya kembali. Ini yang disebut chocolate craving.

Dampak coklat terhadap perilaku dan suasana hati (mood) terkait erat dengan chocolate craving. Rindu coklat bisa karena aromanya, teksturnya, manis-pahitnya dsb. Hal ini juga sering dikaitkan dengan kandungan phenylethylamine yang adalah suatu substansi mirip amphetanine yang dapat meningkatkan serapan triptofan ke dalam otak yang kemudian pada gilirannya menghasilkan dopamine.

Dampak dopamine adalah muncul perasaan senang dan perbaikan suasana hati. Phenylethylamine juga dianggap mempunyai khasiat aphrodisiac yang memunculkan perasaan seperti orang sedang jatuh cinta (hati berbunga).