Re: tidbit on chocolate

[Guest guest]

Hi folks:

Here is a little 'contest' for anyone who would like to participate.

No prize at the end, beyond the admiration of your peers for your

contribution!

Question #1: What are the three most beneficial herbs to consume?

Question #2: What are the three most beneficial spices?

I nominate rosemary in the herb category for its resveratrol content

(of course whether the resveratrol survives the digestion process

intact is an issue).

For the spices: cinnamon.

What else can we add to these lists? If we get enough on the list,

along with the apparent benefit (and a credible source for the

information?) perhaps the lists could eventually be added to the

files?

[Maybe the criterion for being a herb or spice should be whether the

product is available in the 'herbs and spices' section of your

average supermarket]

Rodney.

> it seems that the flavonoids have historically been deliberately

destroyed,

> because they don't taste good:

> http://www.atouchofgrey.com/flavonoids.html

>

> " Flavonoids occur naturally in cocoa, we believe, to help protect

the plant

> from pests and disease. Their presence gives the cocoa an

astringent, or sharp

> and pungent taste... When cocoa is processed into your favorite

chocolate

> products, it goes through several steps to eliminate the astringent

taste, and

> therefore, the levels of flavonoids are often decreased. "

>

> Hopefully, the trend towards preserving the flavonoids (like Mars'

Cocoapro)

> during processing will flourish. Ways to kill the flavonoids: high

temp (no

> shocker there) during roasting, duration of roasting, sun drying,

fermentation.

> Also " Dutching " , which in this case refers to treating with alkali.

(Alkali

> treatment is also bad in making whey, if you want the peptides to

stay

> undenatured.) Just back from the supermarket, I looked and do see

the word 'alkali' on

> some cocoa products. Does anybody know if that is required to be

reported on

> the ingredients label, or if the manufacturers choose to report it

because it

> indicates better smoother taste?

>

> --

>

> Ken

[Guest guest]

I pulled the Hershey's Cocoa, European Style, box from my shelf and under Ingredients: it states in all caps COCOA PROCESSED WITH ALKALI. - Ruth

From: bpinfo@...

Reply-

Date: Sun, 26 Sep 2004 20:03:24 EDT

Subject: [ ] tidbit on chocolate

it seems that the flavonoids have historically been deliberately destroyed, because they don't taste good:

http://www.atouchofgrey.com/flavonoids.html

" Flavonoids occur naturally in cocoa, we believe, to help protect the plant from pests and disease. Their presence gives the cocoa an astringent, or sharp and pungent taste... When cocoa is processed into your favorite chocolate products, it goes through several steps to eliminate the astringent taste, and therefore, the levels of flavonoids are often decreased. "

Hopefully, the trend towards preserving the flavonoids (like Mars' Cocoapro) during processing will flourish. Ways to kill the flavonoids: high temp (no shocker there) during roasting, duration of roasting, sun drying, fermentation. Also " Dutching " , which in this case refers to treating with alkali. (Alkali treatment is also bad in making whey, if you want the peptides to stay undenatured.) Just back from the supermarket, I looked and do see the word 'alkali' on some cocoa products. Does anybody know if that is required to be reported on the ingredients label, or if the manufacturers choose to report it because it indicates better smoother taste?

--

Ken