Chocolate Equals Exercise?
A recent study shows that moderate amounts of high quality dark chocolate can be as good as working out.
Cocoa was found to have a particular compound called epithacin and this supposedly improved muscle like exercise does.
Researchers at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, performed a test on three sets of 12-month-old mice, the counterpart of middle aged humans: one was given epithacin twice a day for 15 days, the second one was also given epithacin and spent 30 minutes on a treadmill, while the third exercised without receiving the extract.
Scientists have seen an increase in the number of energy-producing mitochondria, the ‘powerhouses’ of cells, in the mice that only took epithacin and they had considerably better muscle performance and took a longer time to get tired compared to those that only exercised. It was strange as these mitochondria are normally a byproduct of getting aerobic exercise such as running on the treadmill.
More mitochondria mean more energy, thus, allowing you to perform longer. The research team is hopeful that their experiments could eventually help in working against the dreaded age-related muscle wasting.
According to research leader Dr Moh Malek: “Those getting only epicatechin had a significantly better muscle performance and took longer to tire than those that only exercised. The group doing both showed even greater improvement, so it appears epicatechin combined with exercise may be a viable means to offset muscle ageing.” They were enthralled to learn how natural products can copy and improve the effects of exercise.
Unfortunately though, they are too early in their studies for them to come up with any conclusions about humans getting the same benefits as those of the mice’s.
Dr Malek also added: ”At the moment it would be a leap of faith to say the same effects would be seen in humans. But it is something we hope to identify in future studies.”
Categories: chocolate articles Tags: dark chocolate, research, Science, Studies
Free Chocolate, Anyone?
Yes, chocolates are heavenly. No argument there. But sometimes, they can be pretty costly. Did you ever hear about free chocolates? Sounds too good to be true, but it is.
Go to your nearest local chocolate shop that has an array of chocolate items. These shops almost always give away free samples of chocolates to lure in prospective customers. These chocolate makers know the game and play it quite well.
You can avail of your free chocolates mostly on weekends when people are crowding. Some ambush you with free chocolates on weekdays though, if you’re lucky enough.
However, some boutiques have selected dates for free tasting and giveaways. To make sure you don’t miss the chance, sign up for the store’s mailing list. Say, a certain chocolate shop gives away several coupons for reasons like buying chocolates from them and your bill has reached a certain amount. Moreover, they will mail you their monthly catalog wherein additional coupons. This is a promotional strategy to have you back in their store, so why not use it to your advantage?
Just ask around if you can have free samples, it wouldn’t cost you a leg. Don’t go around I the store pretending to buy some chocolates when all you are after is free chocolate in the first place.
If you are eyeing on something, ask about it, and maybe you can get it without spending a single dime. If not, at least you already know what to buy the next time you come around.
Related Chocolatier Articles
Categories: chocolate articles Tags: CHOCOLATE, chocolate shops, FREE, Promotional
Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball
Yes!! Now people who are both chocolate and cheese fans can eat it all together, and it actually tastes….WONDERFUL! You can make it a dessert or a side dish, whatever fits your fancy. 🙂 I am a firm believer that chocolate tastes good in just about everything and anything…don’t you agree?
Step 1
Check you fridge/pantry for the avalibility of these listed items and then gather together all the ingredients for this recipe, Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball:
•1 8-oz. pkg., softened
•½ cup butter, softened
•¼ tsp. vanilla
•¾ cup confectioner’s sugar
•2 T. brown sugar
•¾ cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
•¾ cup finely chopped pecans
Step 2
In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla until they are nice and fluffy. Then preceed to Step 3.
Step 3
Gradually add the sugars to the mixture; beat them until just combined – don’t over-do. Then stir in the chocolate chips. This is your secret ingredient!
Step 4
Cover your bowl and refrigerate for around 2 hours. Place mixture on a piece of plastic wrap then shape it into a ball. Refrigerate for at least one hour. It might be best to just go ahead and whip up and bake something else in the mean time!
Step 5
Just before serving, roll the whole ball in pecans (finely crushed pecans are the best to use for this recipe) until coated as much as possible. It is best to serve this cheese/chocolate ball with graham crackers or cracker/chip of your choice (you can use about anything).
Enjoy your Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball!
Written by racheltexas
More Chocolate Tasting Articles
Categories: chocolate articles, chocolate recipes Tags: Ball, cheese, Chip, CHOCOLATE
How to Make Chocolate Covered Popcorn
Chocolate and popcorn: who can resist the temptation of enjoying either of these great treats? When you combine chocolate and popcorn, you really can experience heaven on earth. Who needs those expensive pre-made chocolate covered popcorn baskets or tins when you can make your own at home? Here’s how:
Step 1: Pop the bag of popcorn in the microwave. Remove the popcorn from its bag and put in a large bowl.
Step2: Add salt to the bowl of popcorn. Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave. Once the chocolate chips are fully melted, pour the chocolate over the popcorn in the bowl.
Step3: Toss the popcorn in the bowl with two large wooden spoons to evenly distribute the chocolate and the salt.
Step4: Lay a sheet of wax paper over a baking sheet–or two baking sheets if you need! Use the spoons to place the popcorn on the wax paper.
Step5: Once all of the popcorn is on the baking sheet(s), place the baking sheet(s) into the refrigerator to let the chocolate set over the popcorn. When the chocolate looks hard enough, remove the baking sheet(s) from the refrigerator and serve.
Written by sherbert
Find More Making Chocolate Articles
Categories: chocolate articles, chocolate recipes Tags: CHOCOLATE, covered, Popcorn
Chocolate Zucchini Cake
Chocolate Zucchini Cake
This cake is super moist and chocolaty and you can pretend its healthy with all the zucchini in it. This is another recipe from my mom, a cook who used what she had and always made it great.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup margarine or butter
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 3/4 cup sugar
2 whole eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup sour milk (you can sour your own milk by adding 1/2 tsp. of vinegar to 1/2 of milk)
2 1/4 cup unsifted flour
4 Tbsp. cocoa
1/2 tsp. Baking powder
1 tsp. Baking soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cloves (powdered, not whole)
2 cups of finely diced zucchini (or shredded)
1/4 cup chocolate chips
Cream the margarine, oil and sugar together. Add the eggs, vanilla and the sour milk and beat it all with a mixer. Next, mix together all of the dry ingredients and add it to the creamed mixture and beat well with a mixer. Stir in the zucchini. Spoon the batter into a greased and floured 9x12x2 inch pan. Sprinkle the top with chocolate chips (You don’t have to do this, but it really does taste good and looks good too). Bake the cake at 325F degrees for forty to forty-five minutes, or until a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean and dry. You do not need to frost this cake as it is moist and very tender, but you can if you wish once it has cooled. It tastes good with chocolate or fudge frosting, but it is also good with cream cheese frosting. Usually, I don’t frost it. I just sprinkle the chocolate chips on the top.
Written by AnnieHintsala
Freelance writer, artist, teacher, mommy, harpy
Categories: chocolate articles, chocolate recipes Tags: Cake, CHOCOLATE, Zucchini
Chocolate Milk: The New Sports Drink
Wouldn’t it be great if the yummy deliciousness of chocolate milk was beneficial to your health and exercise? Recent studies have shown that chocolate milk could be as beneficial (if not more so) as sports drinks. After working out and then drinking chocolate milk during their rest, athletes are able to work out longer during their second session and proved to have more power as well.
What Gives Chocolate Milk the Edge?
Chocolate milk proves to be a significant source of carbohydrates as well as protein, a source most sports drinks don’t offer. Both of these are necessary components for energizing the body and repairing muscle so the body can continue moving with the same amount of energy as before. Chocolate milk isn’t an all cure for exhaustion it just helps an athlete continue to perform at top level because the body is able to start repairing right away due to the carbohydrates and protein within chocolate milk.
In order to prove this theory scientists compiled a study using bicyclists as their subject. Nine bicyclists rode until they had no energy left then were able to rest for four hours before being put back on bikes until they were overcome by exhaustion. During the bicyclists’ break they were given one of three drinks:
-Fluid replacing (or traditional) sports drink
-chocolate milk (low-fat)
-Carbohydrate replacing sports drink
The second session of bike riding proved to show that those rehydrated with chocolate milk were able to work out almost twice the time compared to those that drank the carbohydrate replacing sports drink and could work out for the same length of times as those that had the traditional sports drink.
The Other Benefits of Choosing Chocolate Milk
Sports drinks are designed to help rehydrate the body after a workout and they work for that purpose, however chocolate milk has more essential nutrients that regular sports drinks just don’t have. From a variety of vitamins to iron and calcium, chocolate milk has seven of these essential nutrients to help keep an athlete healthier during a working out.
Chocolate Milk over Other Products
Because of the combination of components within chocolate milk that aren’t offered within other drinks chocolate milk proves to have more benefits for athletes. While the carbohydrates replacing sports drink is helpful to the body chocolate milk appears to be better in giving athletes a little extra push in energy and power because of the specific combination of proteins and carbohydrates.
It’s important to remember, however, that with milks comes some fat if you don’t buy the correct type. Obviously choosing skim milk (which has 0 fat calories) over whole milk (which has 48 percent of its calories coming from fat) is going to be more beneficial to your body. Aim for a low-fat choice in chocolate milk so your workouts will be worth your effort.
If chocolate milk isn’t the drink for you then there are drink options to help you have the best workout possible. Basically your goal is to have a combination of helpful proteins and simple carbohydrates. You can do this any way like combining simple carbohydrates with a sports drink containing proteins like hydrolysates.
For more useful information, please visit our website: THE KNOWLEDGE BASE, and look for the SPORTS & FITNESS section.
Written by ja_schmidt
Related Chocolate Information Articles
Categories: chocolate articles Tags: CHOCOLATE, Drink, Milk, Sports
How You Can Eat Chocolate And Still Lose Weight
Anyone who is trying to lose weight tries to steer clear of chocolate, some successfully and some less successfully. But did you know that there is a way that you can eat chocolate and still lose weight? The key to this is to eat healthy chocolate, and not just any kind of junk that you happen to find in the supermarket.
You see, unprocessed, dark cocoa is actually pretty healthy, and it even has some health benefits, so this is something you do not need to keep out of your diet by force, even if you are trying to lose weight.
The reason is that this type of cocoa actually is pretty rich on fibers, which both make you feel more full and also blocks fat absorption. It also gives you energy and makes your mood better, and contains various vitamins and minerals that are beneficial for the human body. It also creates a stability in your blood sugar levels, which makes various cravings less common and makes it easier to avoid over eating.
Processed cocoa, however, is not as healthy, since many other unhealthy things are added to it, such as fat, carbohydrates and other things we should be avoiding when on a diet. But if it is really the chocolate taste you are after anyway, why go for these cheap options anyway? Dark cocoa tastes more like chocolate than any other type of chocolate, so start eating that instead. Once you get used to this type of chocolate, you will not want to get back to milk chocolate anyway, which will make it easier for you to eat chocolate and still lose weight!
Written by JoJoGal
More Chocolate Tasting Articles
Categories: chocolate articles Tags: CHOCOLATE, Lose, Still, Weight
