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Meltingly good: the ultimate sweet-toothed recipes

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Chocolate fueled truck to Timbuktu

Recent facts about Healthy Cocoa

Fortified cocoa fights colds, a manufacturer claims. A new cocoa product with added Chinese herbs can help protect against colds and flu, the manufacturer claims.According to Enerhealth Botanicals, Cocoa Mojo is the first product of its kind to contain Cordyceps, traditionally used to treat respiratory disorders and chronic fatigue, as well as Ganoderma, which strengthens the immune system."Since most consumers are fighting colds and flu during the winter months it makes sense to provide a healthier herbal hot cocoa that boosts immune systems during the flu season," the US based company said.

The product is totally natural, the company added, as the cocoa is organic and sweetened with Rapadura, a sugar cane crystal sweetener.Cocoa has for some time been promoted as health benefits, with nutritional experts claiming the product lowers cholesterol, boosts blood flow and reduces hypertension.According to Barry Callebaut scientist Hans Vriens, chocolate contains 750 different components identified by the company, of which 230 can contribute to better human health - be it antioxidant capacity, brain health, relaxation or any number of other benefits.

This article was written by Charlotte Ayre and published on the 30 November 2007.

Editor:
Our full acknowledgement for the information in this article and if you wish to read further then go to:
http://www.confectionerynews.com/news/ng.asp?n=81761&m=1CNED03&c=fcwwwewrlvwrnky 0 Comments

Boosting brain power — with chocolate

A recent report from the Nottingham university states that, eating chocolate could help to sharpen up the mind and give a short-term boost to cognitive skills. A study led by Professor Ian Macdonald found that consumption of a cocoa drink rich in flavanols — a key ingredient of dark chocolate — boosts blood flow to key areas of the brain for two to three hours. Increased blood flow to these areas of the brain may help to increase performance in specific tasks and boost general alertness over a short period.

The findings, unveiled at one of the biggest scientific conferences in America, also raise the prospect of ingredients in chocolate being used to treat vascular impairment, including dementia and strokes, and thus for maintaining cardiovascular health. The study also suggests that the cocoa flavanols found in chocolate could be useful in enhancing brain function for people fighting fatigue, sleep deprivation, and even the effects of ageing. Ian Macdonald, professor of metabolic physiology at The University of Nottingham, used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to detect increased activity in specific areas of the brain in individuals who had consumed a single drink of flavanol-rich cocoa. The effect is linked to dilation of cerebral blood vessels, allowing more blood — and therefore more oxygen — to reach key areas of the brain.

Full acknowledgment for the source of this information is to the Nottingham University and,
If you would like to read more about this work please go to the University of Nottingham Web site.

This report was first published on 19th February 2007

Labels: Chocolate, cocoa, flavanols

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Cocoa could be good for your heart - Latest!

We found this report in an edition of Beverage Daily (14th June 07)

Consumption of the polyphenol-rich cocoa may cut cholesterol levels, says a new study from Japan that adds to the ever-growing body of science supporting the potential heart health benefits of chocolate.

The new study, published in the Journal of Nutrition, followed the effects of different levels of supplementation of cocoa powder on cholesterol levels of 160 normocholesterolemic and mildly hypercholesterolemic humans."The results suggest that polyphenolic substances derived from cocoa powder may contribute to a reduction in LDL cholesterol, an elevation in HDL cholesterol, and the suppression of oxidized LDL," wrote lead author Seigo Baba from Meiji Seika Kaisha Ltd and collaborators from Ochanomizu University.High levels of LDL cholesterol in the blood increase the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) which causes almost 50 per cent of deaths in Europe, and is reported to cost the EU economy an estimated €169 billion ($202 billion) per year.

Full acknowledgment for this report is given to Beverage Daily, and you can read the complete report here 0 Comments

Slimmers Tea - Wu Long tea

Wu Long (Slimmers Tea) also known as oolong Wu Long is a brand name and trade mark associated with slimming and dieting.

Guru comment:
There is a very interesting article written by Gary Gause of Dragonwater Tea and we reproduce some of it here with full acknowledgement to the source. If you would like to read more details there is a link at the end of the entry.

ARTICLE

The truth about wu long tea

Note: This blog discusses semi-fermented tea, historically known as Oolong or Wulong tea. This blog does not in any way refer to the "Wu-Long" brand of tea or any specific brand of tea. Wu-Long Tea is a specific brand and trademark. We have been asked to provide you with this clarification. wu long, or oolong tea, has been around for a long time, but lately, there's been a growing buzz about the tea and its ability to help with weight loss. it's time to take a look at the facts and see what all the hype is about. the study that set it all off was published in august of 2003 in the journal of medical investigation titled, "oolong tea increases energy metabolism in japanese females". This study sought to follow up on an earlier (and lesser known) study involving 120 japanese women who consumed oolong tea for 6 weeks and saw a reduction in weight. in the current study, the intent was to compare the effects of oolong tea to green tea, the traditional choice of the japanese.

The study was conducted by the university of Tokushima school of medicine along with several other japanese universities. it involved 11 japanese women who consumed either water, green matcha tea, or oolong tea after a meal. the results were interesting. oolong tea appeared to increase energy expenditure by 10%, green tea by 4%, and water not at all. this means that you burn more fat when you drink oolong or green tea after a meal. the study also found that oolong tea has half the caffeine of green tea and half the levels of EGCG, green tea's cancer killing compound. the level of polymerized polyphenols was higher in oolong tea and is loosely associated with the weight loss results by the authors. all other polyphenol levels were identical between green and oolong tea. the differences between the two were seen as a result of the different processing performed on the teas. it is amazing how quickly oolong tea has been marketed as a weight loss miracle.

Even more interesting is the fact that the name it has been marketed under is wu long tea, one of many variations of the spelling of oolong tea. as if it was somehow unique from the oolongs we have all enjoyed for so long. but hype aside, it does appear that there is yet another benefit to our favorite teas. it looks like we drink green tea for its cancer fighting ability (EGCG) and oolong, excuse me, wulong tea for its fat burning ability. of course, oolong tea is my favorite kind of tea with its wonderfully complex flavor profiles and variety. its my daily choice regardless.

References: 1. "Oolong tea increases energy metabolism in Japanese females", The Journal of Investigative Medicine, p170, Tatsushi Komatsu, Masayo Nakamori, Keiko Komatsu, Kazuaki Hosoda, Mariko Okamura, Kenji Toyama, Yoshiyuki Ishikura, Tohru Sakai, Daisuke Kunii and Shigeru Yamamoto

Source: http://blog.dragonwater.com/index.tf/20060328/8/the_truth_about_wu_long_tea.html 0 Comments

Microsoft Coffee table with a difference!

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