Do you adore chocolate sauce? Then you'll love knowing it can be a source of good health. Recent medical research shows dark chocolate is good for you. But take note: Only dark chocolate qualifies, because it contains less fat than milk chocolate or white chocolate. Just make your chocolate sauce as dark or unadulterated as possible, and you've got the ultimate guilt-free treat you can enjoy in moderation.
Proper Ingredients
"Black" chocolate sauce isn't really black, but a deep brown. You achieve this color by not diluting the chocolate with too much sugar, cream, milk, butter or other fats, apart from natural cocoa butter. It's not only healthier, it tastes better. Top pastry chef and cookbook author David Lebovitz claims the best chocolate sauce is one that's made out of plain water, sugar, light corn syrup or glucose, unsweetened cocoa powder, and bittersweet or "black" chocolate. The amount of sugar is left to your discretion, but try keeping the sauce on the bittersweet side. Simply melt and whisk all these ingredients together over medium heat until it simmers, then let it cool for a few hours to thicken.
Healthy Fats
Of course, black chocolate sauce still has fat. But according to the Yale-New Haven Hospital, two-thirds of it comes from stearic and oleic acids, and only a third of the fat comes from cocoa butter. These fatty acids do not raise LDL cholesterol -- "bad cholesterol" -- levels in the blood. In fact, people who ate butterfat in test studies developed higher cholesterol levels than those who ate chocolate. It's because stearic acid, while a saturated fat, is readily converted by the body into oleic acid, an unsaturated fat.
Antioxidants
Plant-based foods are rich in tissue-repairing antioxidants, and chocolate is no exception. It's rich in flavanols, a specific type of flavonoid which can lower blood pressure. "Science Daily News" reports that one particular flavanol in dark chocolate, called epicatechin, is linked to improved cardiovascular health and prevention of arterial plaque formation. But what if you want your chocolate sauce really dark brown? You can switch to "Dutch-processed," or acid-neutralized, cocoa powder, which creates a darker-colored, less pungent product. However, the Miller Family Heart & Vascular Institute at Cleveland Clinic warns that "Dutch processing" somewhat reduces the amount of flavanols in the cocoa.
Emotional Effects
Black chocolate sauce also has the power to improve your emotional health. According to Huffington Post, it's loaded with mood-elevating substances. One of them is theobromine, a substance similar to caffeine and the asthma drug theophylline. Another is phenethylamine, which makes the body release happiness-making endorphins and sexually arousing dopamine. There's also anandamine, which produces feelings of elation and exhilaration. Best of all, chocolate increases the levels of serotonin in your brain, which is a known natural anti-depressive.
Extra Ingredients
There are flavor-enhancing ingredients that make chocolate more "chocolate-y" without adding a lot of calories or fat. Try vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon or coffee with your chocolate. Coffee, in particular, greatly enhances the health benefits of black chocolate sauce. Medical website RealAge says coffee has its own set of antioxidants; unlike with chocolate, these don't get lost in roasting or cooking. However, be sure to use brewed coffee instead of instant coffee to inject a really rich flavor into your chocolate sauce.
Posted in: Food and Drinks