FROM THE  kosherkooke©
City of Refuge Publications
7101 North Mesa #235               Volume 7  Issue 2
El Paso, Texas 79912
MENORAH LIGHTS BOOKS
February 2007

         

SPONSORED BY:  The International Institute for Health and Wellness, Inc, of Orem, Utah
An affiliated institution with Rio Verde University Graduate School

 


I LOVE CHOCOLATE
The sweet stuff has a way with your heart — but not all chocolate is equal
-by Lorie Parch

  
 


Can chocolate be sweet for your heart? A growing body of research suggests the answer is a qualified yes. The latest is a small study done in Italy indicating that eating chocolate could have an effect on blood pressure and protect against diabetes. Participants who ate 100 grams of dark chocolate — equivalent to a little more than two 1.45-ounce Hershey's Special Dark chocolate bars — every day for 15 days had lower blood pressure and improved sensitivity to insulin, meaning they were better able to metabolize blood sugar. Those who ate roughly the same amount of white chocolate every day saw no improvement in these areas. The compounds in dark chocolate responsible for heart benefits are called flavanols. These substances, which are found in plant-based foods, stimulate production of chemical messengers that help keep the lining of blood vessels healthy, explains Sandra M. Hannum, a research dietitian at the University of Illinois' division of nutritional sciences in Urbana. "Flavanols also delay — but don't stop — blood clotting. So you have less platelet aggregation, which means you're less likely to get a blood clot that might cause a heart attack or stroke," she says.  As potent antioxidants, flavanols also help fight free radicals, destructive molecules that are implicated in heart disease and other ailments, says Stephanie Moritz, a spokeswoman for the Hershey Foods Corp.
advertisement
 

  
 

A little more equal

 

  
  Not all chocolate is the same. Cocoa powder and dark chocolate have the highest amount of flavanols. Most Americans eat milk chocolate, which has few of these heart-healthy compounds, says Cindy Moore, director of nutrition therapy at The Cleveland Clinic and a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. And white chocolate doesn't have flavanols at all. Flavanols contribute to chocolate's naturally bitter taste; people started making milk chocolate to cut down on the bitterness, Hannum says. Unfortunately, picking the best chocolate for your heart isn't as simple as grabbing a dark-chocolate candy bar. Several factors can influence just how beneficial the chocolate you buy is, says Marlene Machut, director of health, science and nutrition communications for Mars Inc. in Hackettstown, N.J. These include the choice of cocoa beans, how long the beans were fermented (more fermentation kills more flavanols), the roasting process and the alkalinization process, explains Machut. Mars Inc., which makes M&Ms, Milky Way, Dove and Snickers, puts a symbol — a hand holding a cocoa bean — on some of its flavanol containing products, including CocoaVia and Dove Dark. The symbol guarantees 100 milligrams of flavanols per CocoaVia bar and 150 milligrams per 1.3-ounce Dove Dark bar, says Machut. (Since its debut in the fall of 2003, CocoaVia bars can only be ordered online at Cocoavia.com.) There's a candy-bar-free option too, especially if you're watching your weight: Sprinkle some cocoa powder in hot cereals, yogurt, smoothies and on fruit, suggests Moore. Cocoa powder has a higher amount of flavanols and virtually no fat or calories.

 

  

Kosher Kooking            volume 1           Page 95


SUGAR PLUM RUM BALLS
 
 
Ingredients:
60 vanilla wafers (8 ounces)
1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, toasted
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/3 cup dark rum
2 tablespoons corn syrup
Powdered sugar or
cocoa powder for coat
1 package (5-oz) Sunsweet® Plum
Passion or Cherry-Berry Fruitlings™

 
 
 
  Instructions:
Process wafers in food processor to fine crumbs measuring 2 cups turn into medium bowl. Process Fruitlings in food processor until finely chopped; add to bowl. Pulse (on and off) in food processor several times until finely chopped. Add to bowl. Stir in 1/2 cup
powdered sugar and cocoa; blend well. Stir in rum and corn syrup. Form into 1 inch balls and place on wax paper. Roll in additional powdered sugar or cocoa powder. Store between layers of wax paper in airtight container for 2 days before serving for best flavor. Roll in powdered sugar or cocoa powder again before serving or offering as a gift.
 

Makes about rum 40 balls. Recipe by SunSweet Fruits

 		  
 
Note: see  our website at:  www.kosherkooking.com for all the latest news and views regarding the recipes enclosed in the series.  Or email us at: KosherKooking		  
  Return to Newsletters