Science & Technology

Scientists invent new 'healthy' chocolate

By T.K. Randall
October 3, 2015 ·  15 comments

Dark chocolate actually has several health benefits. Image Credit: CC BY-SA 3.0 SKopp Chocolate is one of the most universally loved foodstuffs in the world with millions of people wishing that they could eat it more often without having to worry about the size of their waistline afterwards.

Cacao, the key ingredient in chocolate, is actually quite a healthy thing to eat as it contains large amounts of antioxidants and minerals which protect the nervous system and lower blood pressure.

Some brands of dark chocolate offer high concentrations of cacao for this reason, but because cacao is very bitter without lots of added fat and sugar it hasn't been as popular with consumers.

Now however scientists at Boston-based firm Kuka Xoco believe that they have come up with a solution to the problem by developing a new way to remove the bitterness from the cacao."This eliminates the need for sugar, sweeteners and much of the fat in chocolate, unleashing the medical benefits of cacao," said the company's president and chief scientist Gregory Aharonian.

The key lies in a special plant extract that can de-bitter large amounts of unsweetened cacao.

The firm argues that sugar, which is considered a major factor in our increasingly unhealthy eating habits, is the "next nicotine" and that by making chocolate in to a healthy food by removing as much sugar and fat as possible it could serve to double the anual profits of the industry.

Source: Independent | Comments (15)

Tags: Chocolate