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Yay! Dark chocolate is good for the arteries!!!


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Yay! Dark chocolate is good for the arteries!!!
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Windswept
On Pacific time
 
Join Date: May 2004
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2004-08-30, 22:31

Quote:
Chocolate Offers Blood Vessel Boost: Study

Chocoholics may have another reason to smile. A new study finds that dark chocolate appears to aid cells that line blood vessel walls, making the vessels more flexible and perhaps preventing hardening of the arteries, the Associated Press reported.

Some experts approached the finding by Greek researchers at Athens Medical School with caution, however, noting that the probable weight gain from eating lots of chocolate would cancel any cardiovascular benefit, the wire service account said.

Dark chocolate contains lots of flavonoids, which are natural antioxidants that have been shown to prevent heart disease. But chocolate also is high in fat, which is why experts aren't suggesting that binges could prevent heart attacks, the AP reported.

But eating chocolate isn't all bad, either. Recent studies show that chocolate consumption releases serotonin, a brain chemical involved in regulating a person's happy mood, the wire service said.

Results of the Greek study were presented at a European Society of Cardiology meeting in Munich.
I *love* dark chocolate. Yuuuummm. Don't eat it very often, though.

I really like this piece of news. Any other chocolate-lovers out there?

What is your favorite chocolate treat? I make a delicious chocolate mousse - so rich that it seems to melt right from the mouth into the bloodstream.

I think it was Luca who asked me to post the recipe awhile back, and I will do so. I just have to dig out the cookbook... no small feat, since I have so many.

And this chocolate mousse is made with...you guessed it....*dark* chocolate! I haven't made any for SO long. Pardon me while I dance and skip and sing!!! Oh, happy day!!!

(Fifth article down on the page.)

http://www.ajc.com/health/content/sh...ss/520939.html

Last edited by Windswept : 2004-08-30 at 22:38.
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ast3r3x
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2004-08-30, 22:45

Of course the sick chocolate is good for you. Why not just say white chocolate cures cancer while your at it.

Either way, I can't eat too much chocolate at one time. I think I've OD'd on it too many time as a child.
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Eugene
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2004-08-30, 22:53

Did anyone else hate white chocolate as a child, but love it now?
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Windswept
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2004-08-30, 22:54

Hi ast3r3x. Once you make chocolate desserts from scratch, you'll never enjoy an ordinary candy bar ever again. The chocolate in the average American candy bar seems to be full of wax, or something.

But *real*, unadulterated chocolate....ohhhhh....to die for!

Last edited by Windswept : 2004-08-30 at 22:59.
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Windswept
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2004-08-30, 22:58

Quote:
Originally Posted by Eugene
Did anyone else hate white chocolate as a child, but love it now?
Maybe it's psychological, but white chocolate has no taste to me. Maybe my taste buds have been dulled, or something. But I don't see the point in white chocolate. I can't taste it, for some reason!!! It seems like such a rip-off somehow.

Does white chocolate *really* taste like chocolate to you, Eugene? Just wondering.
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Snoopy
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Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Portland, OR
 
2004-08-30, 23:57

It's the cocoa solids that are good for you. Trader Joe's has half kilo bars of dark chocolate imported from Belgium. It is 70 percent minimum cocoa solids. Mmmm good. I usually have two or three pieces after lunch.
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_Ω_
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2004-08-31, 00:13

Is anyone else disappointed that Murbot has not posted his "chocolate bunnies" (as in playboy bunnies)
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iBrowse
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2004-08-31, 00:49

A while ago Defiant mailed me some 'real' chocolate, and it was delicious.

Off topic: Did Defiant come over here? I liked him, but haven't seen him around.
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murbot
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2004-08-31, 01:16

Hmm? What's that?

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Eugene
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Join Date: May 2004
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2004-08-31, 02:59

Quote:
Originally Posted by iBrowse
A while ago Defiant mailed me some 'real' chocolate, and it was delicious.

Off topic: Did Defiant come over here? I liked him, but haven't seen him around.
'Real' chocolate as in the stuff that is like 90% pure cacao/cocoa? Bitter and powdery as all hell.
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Koodari
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2004-08-31, 04:35

When I was over in France, I noted that all the chocolate had cacao percentages printed on top, for many of the packages that was the most visible graphic element. I suppose think 70%-90% were common?

I don't eat chocolate. It's pretty much the only thing I don't touch, this for health reasons. I've noticed it makes my skin feel worse if I eat a lot, and I doubt it's healthy in other regards either. Cacao powder is the thing that has been scientifically proven to be healthy. I have used dark cacao for taste in my after-gym recovery drink, but the quantity is only a couple spoonfuls, I don't notice any effect on the skin. It's not that good in a water based drink though
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kscherer
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2004-08-31, 14:41

Apparently, it is also good for your skin! (and sex life!)
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Windswept
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2004-08-31, 18:08

Quote:
Originally Posted by Snoopy
It's the cocoa solids that are good for you. Trader Joe's has half kilo bars of dark chocolate imported from Belgium. It is 70 percent minimum cocoa solids. Mmmm good. I usually have two or three pieces after lunch.
Are you a chemist or something? You seem to know a lot about all this stuff.

Trader Joe's is on my errand list for the week. Thanks for the 'heads-up' about their chocolate.

I started taking milk thistle yesterday. I hope it works. I think I caused problems taking too much tylenol and Black Cohosh.
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k squared
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2004-08-31, 19:53

Quote:
Originally Posted by Koodari
When I was over in France, I noted that all the chocolate had cacao percentages printed on top, for many of the packages that was the most visible graphic element. I suppose think 70%-90% were common?
That's common on all quality chocolate. "Lesser" brands, such as Godiva, Lindt or Gharardelli typically leave this out, although Godiva does have a 70% cacao bar I believe. Quality milk chocolate should have only four ingredients: cocoa, sugar, vanilla and milk. Sugar should never be the first ingredient listed and only real vanilla and milk should be used. Look at the ingredients on a Hershey or Lindt bar the next time your standing in line at the grocery store.
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psmith2.0
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2004-08-31, 20:25

I KNEW murbot was into those scat sites! Ewwwww!

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709
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2004-08-31, 20:37

Quote:
Originally Posted by pscates2.0
I KNEW murbot was into those scat sites! Ewwwww!
Hmmm....I'd be careful there Paul....Carol might read that post and come up with a whole slew of new names for you.



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Windswept
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2004-08-31, 21:07

Quote:
Originally Posted by iBrowse
A while ago Defiant mailed me some 'real' chocolate, and it was delicious.

Off topic: Did Defiant come over here? I liked him, but haven't seen him around.
Yes, he was here for awhile. Maybe if you PM'd him, he'd come back.
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xionja
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Join Date: Jul 2004
 
2004-08-31, 22:33

Defiant was mad cool. . .

On topic, Chocolate is good. I ate a lot of it for a long time. but a few years ago I just stopped eating it, acne went away, but it was probably placebo effect. Basicly I eat chocolate a few times a year, but never really feel like it.

As for health effects of various foods and drugs, everything has it pro's and cons. With food people only see the bad parts. "Meat has a lot of fat" "Sugar and candy are really bad for you" and with stuff like aspirin and presciption drugs they only see the good parts. "Damn, I feel good."

The latter part is what I don't like, but it nice to realize that all different foods are going to be good for you in some ways, and bad in others.
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alcimedes
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2004-08-31, 22:55

man, if they had chololate aspirin, i'd be in heaven.
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_Ω_
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2004-08-31, 23:01

Quote:
Originally Posted by alcimedes
man, if they had chololate aspirin, i'd be in heaven.

Ask and ye shall receive!

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Snoopy
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Join Date: Jul 2004
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2004-08-31, 23:50

Quote:
Originally Posted by Carol
Are you a chemist or something? You seem to know a lot about all this stuff.
Just trying to stay alive and healthy, so I read a lot about nutrition.

Quote:
Trader Joe's is on my errand list for the week. Thanks for the 'heads-up' about their chocolate. . . .
TJ's where I shop is often out of the good stuff, a bright pink wrapper with 70% Dark Chocolate in large print. They also have the bittersweet dark, but it is not the same. The 70% Dark Chocolate has no milk by the way.
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Dave
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Join Date: May 2004
Location: Bay Area, CA
 
2004-09-02, 16:48

Quote:
Originally Posted by Carol
The chocolate in the average American candy bar seems to be full of wax, or something.
Food-grade wax is added to American chocolate to stabilize it across the wide temperature and humidity variations that we've got over here. Or so my British roommate claims.

When I was a kid, people who did wrong were punished, restricted, and forbidden. Now, when someone does wrong, all of the rest of us are punished, restricted, and forbidden... and the one who did the wrong is counselled and "understood" and fed ice cream.
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