Our favorite hot chocolate, the benefits and harms of which have been thoroughly studied by experts, appeared in the 19th century. Scientists have found that hot dessert increases vitality, invigorates, improves mood and has general strengthening properties. As a result of the use of hot chocolate, brain activity increases, which significantly affects the increase in working capacity. The components that make up the dessert affect mental and physiological health.
8 reasons to drink a cup of hot chocolate!
1. Uplifting. Cocoa beans contain phenylethylamine, a natural neurotransmitter that improves mood and vitality in a matter of minutes. The presence of a stimulant in a dessert drink has a general strengthening effect, invigorates, affects the emotional state. The surge of strength persists for a long time.
A cup of hot chocolate, drunk in the morning, will charge you with vivacity and energy for the whole day. Recommended for stressful situations, depression and anxiety.
2. Improves brain function. As a result of research, it has been proven that drinking a cup of hot dessert drink improves memory, stimulates brain activity, and concentrates attention. All this is due to the biologically active substances contained in the drink. Hot chocolate enriches the brain with oxygen, increases blood circulation, so a person begins to think better. According to scientists, you should drink a cup of chocolate a day, but without sugar.
3. Treats colds. A delicious dessert is recommended to drink with colds. But the method of its preparation is slightly different from the usual. In a cup with a hot drink prepared with water, add honey, a pinch of cinnamon and red pepper. This recipe helps to strengthen the immune system and resist many infectious diseases.
4. Contains antioxidants, flavonoids and gallic acid. Scientists at Cornell University have shown that hot chocolate contains far more antioxidants than green tea, wine, or hard chocolate. They are absorbed much faster and have a beneficial effect on the body.
5. Hot chocolate for colds:
The antioxidants in the drink help to:
remove free radicals;
reduce age-related skin degeneration;
prevent cancer and cardiovascular diseases;
slow down the aging process.
Flavonoids:
prevent the development of tumors;
kill parasites;
thin the blood (like aspirin);
prevent the formation of blood clots.
Gallic acid:
stops internal bleeding;
enhances the effect of medicines in the treatment of diabetes and kidney disease.
6. Chocolate strengthens blood vessels and normalizes the work of the heart. Thanks to useful substances, pressure is stabilized and reduced, the walls of blood vessels are strengthened, and the risk of heart disease is minimized. Thanks to polyphenols, the possibility of strokes and heart attacks is reduced. Health professionals recommend drinking no more than 2 cups of hot chocolate a day.
7. He struggles with extra pounds. The drink contains fewer kilocalories than sugar, so it is recommended for dietary nutrition. If sweets are excluded from the diet, and chocolate is drunk instead, kilograms will not be added at such a speed. The drink itself is sweet, so the desire to eat sweets will soon disappear.
A bit of history
A chocolate drink is a mixture made from chocolate pieces melted in hot milk with the addition of spices and sugar at the request of gourmets. Usually, cinnamon and vanillin are added to flavor the drink. To give airiness and the formation of a thick foam, the milk-chocolate mixture is whipped before serving. In the article, we will present readers with recipes for making an exquisite drink. It is classified as a hot dessert drink or gourmet treat.
In some European countries and in America, chocolate hot mix is prepared from ordinary cocoa powder in water or milk. In Russia, hot chocolate (hereinafter referred to as GSH) is a drink made from slices (slabs) of chocolate dissolved in hot milk. In both the first and second cases, sugar is added to it, if desired, vanillin, cinnamon and other spices. It is not necessary to add sugar, since chocolate is a sweet product in itself, but this will not be enough for those with a sweet tooth.
A hot thick chocolate drink can be ordered or bought at the store. Particularly popular varieties are:
classic black;
cocoa butter drink (white);
black with milk;
flavored.
The progenitor of modern hot chocolate is an Indian drink made from crushed cocoa beans. In those days in pre-Columbian America, it was considered a drink of wisdom and a gift from heaven. There are historical facts that it was General of Spain E. Cortes who first tried it and took the recipe to Europe. Treated by the leader of the Aztecs Montezum II, he could not refuse the drink and was forced to try it. Drinking was with the addition of vanilla and hot pepper. The general really liked the taste and aroma of a kind of delicacy, and he, of course, learned the secret of its preparation. Thanks to him, the recipe ended up in Europe, and then spread throughout the world.
In Europe of the 16th century, cocoa bean drink began to be consumed hot, replacing hot spices with sugar. That is how everyone’s favorite hot chocolate appeared, which became a favorite of the local aristocracy in those days.
Until the 19th century, chocolate drink was affordable only for the elite, it was prepared on water with the addition of sugar, if the client required it. For cooking in those days, special dishes were used in the form of a vessel with a short spout. A long handle made of wood was attached to it. The lid of the dish was with a small hole in which it was easy to place a tool for whipping and foaming. The drink was quite thick and greasy. Sometimes an oily film formed on the surface, which was easily removed with a spoon. Chocolate was served hot in cups and saucers in order not to spill a tasty and expensive drink.
With the onset of the 19th century, the Dutch began to produce cocoa powder and butter separately, thereby dividing the familiar product into two components. Thanks to this, the drink has significantly fallen in price and has become affordable for ordinary citizens.
What is the difference between hot chocolate and cocoa
Many people think that hot chocolate and cocoa are the same drink. Indeed, in some cafes and restaurants, they prepare such hot chocolate that it is almost impossible to distinguish it from cocoa. Such establishments obviously save on ingredients, misleading visitors, and most importantly, depriving them of true pleasure.
The recipe, calorie content, taste and appearance of these two drinks are completely different.
Hot chocolate is prepared with milk and is always made from a whole bar of dark or milk chocolate, with vanilla, cinnamon and sugar. Gourmets can add crushed nuts, spices, a small amount of rum or liquor. The consistency is thick and the taste is rich. The number of calories is approximately 250 per cup.
Cocoa is made using cocoa powder, sugar, milk or water. The drink is liquid and low-calorie, since the powder contains practically no cocoa butter. One serving contains approximately 30 calories.
Cocoa is easier to prepare and much cheaper, so you can drink it every day. Hot chocolate is a delicacy that is equated with dessert, it is enjoyed and pampered.
Both drinks are good for the body due to the content of cocoa beans, regular use improves immunity, improves mood and relieves stress.
Which is healthier: hot chocolate or cocoa?
There is no need to talk about the usefulness of drinks, since the composition of both hot chocolate and cocoa contains a sufficient amount of substances useful for the body. Therefore, it is difficult to give a definite answer to this question.
Judging by the calorie content, hot chocolate is many times higher than cocoa in terms of calories. Despite this, there is no fundamental difference in terms of the usefulness of drinks. Both of them have a beneficial effect on the body, cheer up, save in stressful situations, activate brain processes.
It is recommended to drink drinks for people:
often faced with stressful situations and nervous overload;
with chronic fatigue;
with neurotic disorders;
in a state of anxiety;
with muscle spasms.
It is worth knowing that a drink prepared not with milk, but with water will be more useful. Cream and dairy product will reduce the activity of nutrients.
So what to choose: hot chocolate or cocoa? The answer to this question lies in the situation itself.
If you need to calm down and fall asleep, then a warm cup of cocoa with milk is the best option. Such a drink will quickly calm the nerves and provide a restful sleep for the whole night. If you need to recharge and gain energy, then a cup of hot chocolate will be the best option. A thick stimulating drink will relieve fatigue and give vitality.
Benefits of hot chocolate
Since the composition of the hot chocolate drink includes cocoa beans, it is able to invigorate the body and strengthen the immune system. These properties were known to people in past centuries, so it was cooked and eaten with pleasure.
We list the main useful properties of hot treats:
- Due to the presence of zinc in its composition, the processes in the body are activated. With the participation of this element, DNA molecules and RNA are correctly aligned, and protein is also synthesized. Zinc is indispensable during puberty.
- By drinking regularly, you can avoid sunburn.
- Gallic acid present in the composition will stop internal bleeding, which has been proven by American scientists.
- Flavonoids help thin the blood and improve its circulation.
- A favorite delicacy of many, it inhibits the formation of cancer cells.
- With its help, you can successfully fight against vitamin deficiency.
- A cup of hot dessert will save you from coughing.
- The released endorphin, or as it is popularly called the hormone of happiness, will cheer up and provide a person with positive emotions.
- Procyanidins rejuvenate the skin and contribute to the speedy healing of wounds.
A hot treat without sugar can be taken by patients with high cholesterol levels. If you add a little cinnamon and hot pepper to it, then this will turn out to be an effective remedy for colds. The main thing is that hot chocolate will not harm health, but will give a person strength.
For women
Chocolate drink for women does not represent any harm. It is much more useful than a regular chocolate bar, as it does not affect extra pounds. A cup of a pleasant drink will cheer you up and vitality. In addition, regular consumption of HS improves memory and activates cerebral circulation.
The drink is famous for the presence of antioxidants, which:
- remove free radicals from the body;
- prevent cancer and heart attacks;
- slow down the aging process in the body;
- reduce age-related skin degeneration.
In addition, the gallic acid contained in the drink will help fight kidney disease and even diabetes.
For men
In addition to all the benefits and unique properties of the drink listed above, for the strong half of humanity, GSh will also be useful in that it can strengthen muscle tissue and increase male strength. This was known in ancient times, so the drink was especially popular.
Let’s add some more useful properties of chocolate drink:
- protects teeth from plaque formation;
- fights fatigue;
- eliminates wrinkles;
- improves heart function.
In addition, the flavonoids present in the hot treat thin the blood and prevent blood clots from forming.
During pregnancy
American scientists concluded that pregnant women who consume chocolate products during gestation give birth to healthy and active babies.
The fats, proteins and carbohydrates contained in it become a source of vital energy and good mood, which has a beneficial effect on the development of the fetus. But do not forget about moderation, so you should not consume a large amount of delicious dessert.
The usefulness of HS for pregnant women is obvious, since the endorphin contained in the drink, known as the hormone of happiness, brings peace and positive emotions not only to mommy, but also to the baby in the womb. True, doctors do not advise to get particularly carried away with it in the last stages of pregnancy due to the content of a large amount of active biological substances in the drink.
When breastfeeding
As you know, after the birth of a baby, the mother’s body is depleted and needs to be restored. A delicious, nutritious chocolate drink can help. But do not forget about the baby, who may have an allergy. For this reason, a nursing mother should carefully introduce a healing “dessert” into her diet. If no reaction is found in the child, then the dose can be gradually increased, thereby reducing the recovery time of the mother’s body.
For kids
Hot chocolate for a child will be useful, as it can:
- improve memory;
- activate brain activity;
- eliminate mental and nervous overexcitation;
- strengthen the body and increase immunity;
- cure a cold;
- increase efficiency, etc.
Hot chocolate can harm a child only if it is given in large quantities.
When losing weight
Dessert drink is able to fight extra pounds. It has far fewer calories than sugar itself. Nutritionists recommend that their clients consume delicious hot drinks even when dieting. If you exclude everything sweet from the diet and drink only GSH, then you can forget about adding excess weight.
The drink itself is sweet and very nutritious, so one drunk cup of a pleasant dessert will quickly satisfy the feeling of hunger for a long time.
Not all nutritionists allow you to eat chocolate dessert when dieting. But if the drink is prepared without sugar and on water, then there will be no restrictions. If it is impossible to do without milk, then you should choose low-fat products.
Hot chocolate gives a charge of vivacity, forcing a person to actively move.
Harm and contraindications
The drink has more beneficial properties than negative ones. It cannot harm human health if it is not abused. It should be taken with caution or completely excluded from the diet of patients suffering from:
- atherosclerosis;
- pathologies of the genital organs and urinary tract;
- obesity;
- metabolic processes;
- gum disease;
- diabetes mellitus;
- cystitis, etc.
If you follow the measure and do not abuse the dessert drink, then the negative impact can be avoided.
