Hot Chocolate - Around the World and Healthy

Hot chocolate (also known as hot cocoa, chocolate drink, or just cocoa) is a heated beverage that typically consists of shaved chocolate or cocoa powder, heated milk or water and sugar. Although generally thought of as a drink consumed for pleasure, recent studies have shown that there are health benefits of antioxidants that are found in cocoa. To 19 century, was even used medicinally to treat diseases such as stomach diseases.

Around The World

first chocolate beverage is believed to have created the Mayan peoples around 2000 years ago, and cocoa is an essential part of the culture of the Aztecs in 1400 AD beverage became popular in Europe, having been introduced from Mexico uNovi world, and has undergone several changes since that time. Today, the warm, salty chocolate milk is consumed worldwide and comes in several variations, including a very thick cioccolata densa served in Italy, and the thinner hot cocoa that is typically consumed in the United States.

Americans have come to use the terms "hot chocolate" and "hot cocoa" to replace, obscuring a significant difference between the two. "Hot cocoa" is made of powder by extracting most of the rich cocoa butter from cocoa beans of the country. On the other hand, the chocolate version of the drink directly from a bar of chocolate, which already contains cocoa, sugar and cocoa butter. So the main difference between the two is the cocoa butter that makes hot cocoa significantly lower in fat than chocolate version, while still keeping all the internal health-giving properties of chocolate.

Again, when comparing versions of chocolate and cocoa, chocolate version of the drink is made ​​with dark, semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, and chopped into small pieces and mixed in milk with added sugar. In contrast, American hot cocoa powder often includes powdered milk or other dairy ingredients, so it can be without milk. In the UK, "hot chocolate" is a sweet chocolate drink with hot milk or water, a powder containing chocolate, sugar and milk powder. "Cocoa" usually refers to a similar drink with just hot milk and cocoa powder, then sweetened to taste with sugar.

in continental Europe, the most common form of this delightful drinks are very thick because it is directly from the chocolate. In Britain, however, it is often thinner variety. Some types of chocolate powder drinks in the UK are actually as thick as pure chocolate varieties. Such as Europe, where he first popularized, there are many different forms.

Among the several forms of thick hot chocolate served in Europe, the Italian cioccolata densa. German variations are also known for being very dense and heavy. In Spain, churros is the traditional working man's breakfast. This style can be very dense, often have the consistency of warm chocolate pudding. The Netherlands is known as chocolademelk, and is often served at home or in cafes. In France, it is often served at breakfast time, and sometimes sliced ​​French bread or croissant, spread with butter, jam, honey or Nutella are dunked in chocolate drink,. There are pecially formulated brand of breakfast time, especially Banania

further variations exist. In some cafes in Belgium and elsewhere in Europe, one that commands "Warm chocolade" or "chocolat chaud" would receive a cup of steamed white milk and a small bowl of bittersweet chocolate chips melt in the milk.

potential health benefits of Hot Chocolate

While it is generally consumed for pleasure, this drink has several potential health benefits associated with it. Studies have shown that in the form of chocolate drink contains high amounts of antioxidants that may be beneficial to health. From 16 to 19 century, it was valuable as a medicine, as well as piće.Istraživač Francisco Hernández wrote that chocolate beverages helped treat fever and liver disease. Another explorer, Santiago de Valverde Turices, it is believed that consuming large amounts is beneficial in treating diseases of the chest, but in smaller amounts could help stomach disorders.

When chocolate was introduced to France in the 17th century, it was allegedly used "in the fight against fits of anger and bad moods," which can be attributed to the phenylethylamine in chocolate content. Today, hot chocolate consumed for pleasure, not curative, but new research shows that there May be other health benefits attributed to drinking.