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Actually, chocolate contains many compounds and nutrients essential to basic nutrition. In this article, you'll read about the various nutritional components of chocolate and how they contribute to the diet. Yet, because chocolate tastes so good, it is often perceived as a guilty pleasure. However, chocolate contains many basic essential nutrients. With millions of people around the world consuming chocolate, i t is important to understand these components and their significant roles in the diet. Sugars: Sugars are carbohydrates, which are macronutrients that serve as the main source of energy for the body. Most carbohydrates consist of a combination of one or more of three single-molecule sugars: glucose, fructose and galactose. Starch consists of long chains of glucose molecules linked together. Table sugar, or sucrose, consists of two sugar molecules (one glucose and one fructose) linked together. Sugars, or simple carbohydrates, are found in fruit, milk, confectionery and many other foods. Sugars and starches both provide the same amount of energy, 4 kcals per gram. This energy is not only needed to fuel physical activity but is also essential for other aspects of life. For example, the brain needs a constant supply of glucose to function properly (1,2). The main sugar in milk and dark chocolates is sucrose, which, as noted above, is made up of one glucose molecule and one fructose molecule. Milk chocolate also contains lactose, which is a disaccharide consisting of one galactose molecule and one glucose molecule, and is found primarily in dairy products . Confectionery products may also contain corn syrup, which contains maltose (two glucose molecules) and dextrose (altered glucose molecule) and is obtained by partial hydrolysis of cornstarch. Protein: Protein is a macronutrient, composed of amino acids, that promotes the growth and repair of body tissue such as skin, muscle and hair. The daily-recommended intake of protein, depending upon age and gender, can range between 40 grams and 105 grams. Protein is most often found in meat and animal products such as milk and eggs, but can also be found in plant foods like nuts and beans. A chocolate bar, such as SNICKERS or DOVE Dark, has between two and three grams of protein . Fat: Also macronutrients, fats are essential to life and provide a useful source of energy while insulating the body and its organs against the cold. They also build and maintain body tissue while assisting in the transport of fat-soluble vitamins throughout the body. The fat in chocolate, from cocoa butter, is comprised almost equally of oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat also found in olive oil, and stearic and palmitic acids which are both saturated fats. Palmitic and stearic acids are the major saturated fats in the diet and are consumed primarily through dairy products, meat and processed grain products. Although stearic acid is chemically classified as a saturated fat, it does not physiologically function as one. Numerous studies have been conducted using stearic acid, cocoa butter and chocolate itself to determine how these food ingredients affect cholesterol levels and other biological function. One regression analysis study found that stearic acid had a neutral effect on total, low-density-lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density-lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol in men. However, in women, it appeared that stearic acid may lower HDL cholesterol . Feeding studies conducted at Pennsylvania State University also found that milk chocolate did not elevate total and LDL cholesterol concentrations in the blood (6,7). There also have been multiple test tube studies and human feeding studies that have found stearic acid to decrease platelet activity, which may help contribute to cardiovascular health (8,9). Antioxidants/Flavonoids: While looking at the unique flavor profile of chocolate, scientists discovered that cocoa contains naturally-occurring compounds called flavonoids. Flavonoids are found in plant-based foods and may have certain health-benefiting properties. Research initially focussed on the antioxidant properties of flavonoids (10,11,12). Antioxidants help the body's cells resist damage by free radicals, which are formed by numerous processes including when the body's cells utilize oxygen for energy. Most recently, research has shown that high amounts of flavonoids may also positively affect mechanisms involved in the maintenance of cardiovascular health. These mechanisms include platelet aggregation, endothelial function and eicosanoid balance (13,14,15). Flavonoids, are found in a variety of foods and beverages, including cranberries, peanuts apples, chocolate and red wine. Essential Minerals: Chocolate also contains a variety of minerals that are essential to good nutrition. These include calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, iron, zinc and copper. Each of these minerals plays important roles in a variety of biological functions, including growth, bone formation, metabolism and oxygen transport within the blood.
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