Are You On A Diet? Then Have Some Chocolates!

March 23rd, 2016

If you are someone who is on a diet, one common suggestion which pops up from many people is to stay away from chocolates. If you are a chocolate lover, this could be heart breaking for you. However, the scientific studies have broken this taboo. Send chocolates by post to your friend, who is on a diet. It is found that dark chocolate can effectively aid your efforts of weight loss. Wondering how? Then check this out.

Accelerates metabolism:

The fat and carbohydrates metabolism are significantly affected by chocolates. The chocolates show their impact on fatty acid synthesis. In this way, they promote digestion in our body helping us to absorb carbohydrates effectively. A feeling of satiety can be experienced by including chocolates in our diet. However, not every chocolate is capable of producing same results. Dark chocolate has a great reputation in this context.

Controls appetite:

The appetite is controlled by the hormones like leptin, ghrelin and insulin. The sugar produced in our body is transported to various cells with the help of insulin. Leptin decreases the appetite and the ghrelin works exactly in the opposite way. If you can’t feel full, the major reason could be that your body is resistant to insulin. To regain this ability, start loving dark chocolates and send chocolates to your loved ones to help them lose weight. It can lower your resistance towards insulin and also retard the production of ghrelin hormone.

Sense of well being:

Are you wondering how the ‘sense of well being’ is related to weight loss? When you feel good, you don’t fell like having too much food. The dark chocolate constitutes polyphenols as one of its major constituents which has a significant effect on our sense of well being. Regular consumption of dark chocolate helps us to stay calm. It is also a good source of the lipid, “anandamide”. This chemical compound breaks down in no time and provides instant energy.

Calories produced by chocolates:

A chocolate which contains 60% cocoa content can provide us as much as 170 calories. Avoid over eating of dark chocolate. A moderate way of consuming it would be two to three times per week.

Fat content:

You need certain saturated fats to lose weight! You heard it right. Not all fats make you put on weight. Oleic acid, stearic acid and palmatic acid are the major types of saturated fats supplied by dark chocolates. These compounds are capable of lowering cholesterol levels.

Promotes your workouts:

Do you know that dark chocolates can kill the pain? When you feel less pain, you will be encouraged to spend some excess time in the gym. The chocolates contain anti-inflammatory chemicals, which on reacting with magnesium makes us feel lesser pain.

Tips to include chocolate in your diet:

  • Search for the ways to include chocolate in breakfast, lunch as well as dinner.
  • Start your day with a chocolate drink. Add cocoa power and artificial sweetener in skimmed milk to make a typical chocolate drink. Check out new such recipes every day.
  • Always carry chocolate bars with you.

Apart from weight loss, dark chocolate also fetches us many other health benefits. It stabilizes blood sugar levels in our body, makes you feel relaxed and curbs your desire to eat junk foods.

Double Your Love For Chocolates

March 21st, 2016

Chocolates are undoubtedly one of the most loved foods in the world. Earlier, there was a misconception that eating chocolates can increase the fat content in our body. It is also said to promote obesity, high blood pressure, diseases associated with arteries and diabetics. Prior to the discovery of chocolate benefits, physicians also warned their patients to avoid having chocolates for these reasons. However, the recent discoveries of chocolate benefits make you go “wow”. Here under, we present you the lesser known advantages of having chocolates.

Exercise recovery:

After a strenuous workout, there are good chances that your muscles can be depleted. When you supplement you diet with chocolates before work out, you can recover rapidly in your post work out sessions. Within 15 minutes of chocolate intake, you can increase the levels of plasma glucose significantly. So, what are you still waiting for? Send chocolates by post to your body building friend!

Promotes anti-tumor effects:

Recent studies have concluded that regular consumption of chocolates can inhibit the growth of cancer cells in our body. However, the anti cancer mechanism in this context is yet to be discovered.

Effects on neurons:

Cocoa intake can enhance the blood flow to the cerebral region of the brain. It is suggested that the conditions like stroke and dementia can be treated by cocoa. It can also enhance the cognitive performance. Including chocolate in our diet can help us to reduce the chances of heart stroke.

Good for obese people:

Much to the surprise of all the people, it is found in an experiment that chocolates help us to lose weight! DNA analysis of liver and mesenteric fat tissue cells relieve that chocolates can decrease the fat content.

Relieves stress:

Chocolates promote alertness and relive stress in our body. In a study it was found that prolonged consumption of chocolate has lowered the stresses parameters among adults. The ingredients present in chocolate promote the production of serotonin, which has a reputation as calming neurotransmitter. So, when you are having a busy day, order a chocolate UK to make your day better.

Retards platelet activation:

The affects of cocoa on platelets is similar to that of aspirin. The ingredients in chocolate inhibit clot formation. Apart from decreasing platelet aggregation, it also lowers adhesion. Chocolates with higher concentration of procyanidin are capable of lowering the leukotrienes levels and boost the production of prostacyclin in our body.

Effect on blood vessels:

Various studies suggest that chocolates can increase the endothelial NO and serum NO levels. The presence of the anti-oxidants is stated as the key reason behind this.

Control blood pressure:

In a recent study, it is concluded that regular consumption of cocoa can lower the blood pressure. Dark chocolate is capable of reducing the systolic blood pressure. The mechanism behind these antihypertensive effects of chocolate is yet to be discovered.  It is believed that chocolate can promote the bioavailability of nitric oxide.

Much to the reader’s surprises, the chocolates on the other hand can also result in potential health risks. The presence of theo-bromine in chocolates can cause heart burn. This same compound is also said to relax the oesophageal sphincter muscle. Such kind of an action can result in leakage of stomach acidic contents into oesophagus. A few children are also found allergic to chocolates.

Chocolates you must try before you die

March 16th, 2016

Who doesn’t like chocolates? For some it is an indulgence, while for others it is an addiction. These days, chocolate is not just eaten as a bar. It is mixed with ice creams, added into milkshakes and blended with hot milk.  Chocolate is also used in making cakes, pastries and other similar desserts. The availability of chocolate is also one reason it has grown so popular among everyone especially kids. You can buy a box of chocolate in the small shop on your lane or just order online to get the chocolates by post.

If you are bored of eating the regular chocolates, here are some crazy new chocolates that you must try before you die

  • Chocolate covered insects – Dare to be adventurous? Then try out these quirky chocolates. Insects like grasshoppers, ants, scorpions and crickets are dipped in hot chocolate and cooled. You can now eat the insects that are coated with your favourite chocolate. You can either make these on your own or order them online.
  • Lavender truffles – You have had lavenders in your vase. You have worn the lavender fragrance on your body. You have had the fragrance in your living room as a room freshener. But what if I say that you can actually add it into your chocolate? A slight amount of lavender added to chocolate can make a tasty and pleasantly smelling chocolate. Lavender truffles can be perfect chocolate gifts.
  • Camel’s milk chocolate – No prizes for guessing the ingredients. Created by the Dubai ruler named Sheik Mohammad bin Rashid and a company named Al Nassma, camel chocolate is made out of camel’s milk. Camel’s milk is considered very nutrient than cow’s milk as it contains more vitamin C than the cow’s milk and also that it contains almost half of the fat that’s present in cow’s milk. As the availability of camel’s milk is very low, the chocolate can cost you a bit more than your regular bars.
  • Paan chocolate – Paan is an Indian delicacy made out of beetle leaves. They are eaten after a heavy meal to help in easy digestion. Along with beetle leaf other ingredients such as beetle nuts, sugar, coconut flakes, cherries, candied fruits rose petals cardamom, etc are added to a pan. Chocolate Paan is made using chocolate chips or chocolate syrup along with all the other ingredients. Surely it can be a very exotic dessert after a great meal.
  • Chai chocolate – ‘Chai’ in Hindi language means tea. A tinge of Indian tea flavour is added to milk chocolate along with a dash of ginger making it lip smashingly delicious.
  • Kaffir lime chocolate – This heavenly chocolate is made of dark chocolate and kaffir lime leaves. The chocolate bar has a soft centre filled with caramel and flavour of kaffir lime.
  • Spicy chocolate – For all those who do not have a sweet tooth, here is a spicy chocolate you can try. Made out of garlic, chilli and chocolate, this chocolate is really going to tickle your taste buds.

Regular chocolates are boring. Try these weird ones and you will be asking for more.

Top Tips for Making the Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

February 25th, 2016

Chocolate chip cookies are a universal favourite. Nothing can beat the sensation of biting into crunchy, chewy, gooey, chocolaty cookies, any time of the day.

But baking the perfect chocolate chip cookies needs a lot of care. Professional bakers know the secret of baking perfect chocolate chip cookies. After baking them with care, one can send cookies made of chocolates by post.

Here are few super tips to bake that perfect chocolate chip cookie:

  • Use high quality butter that is salted: Use salted creamy butter of top quality from good brands at the grocery store.
  • Melting the butter: It is good to melt the butter, around halfway in the oven. It is good to do the melting in a pre-heated oven rather than the microwave, so as to melt the butter halfway. It takes 3 to5 minutes only.
  • Butter temperature- It is vital to bring the whole butter to room temperature before beginning the cookie making.
  • Beat in eggs gently; Eggs must be blended into the sugar- butter mix, gently. Over beating will make the cookies tough.
  • Add enough flour: Add enough flour so the dough is smooth and not overly wet.
  • Use different types of chocolate chips: Add a variety of chocolate chips to make the cookies more interesting.
  • Baking small: It is good to bake cookies in small batches for better success.
  • Shaping cookie: it is always better to shape dough by hand to get ideal round balls for making cookies.
  • Use top quality flour: It is good to use high gluten flour to produce the right crust and chew to the cookies.
  • Right size: Size is also crucial for the right chocolate chip cookie. Professionals recommend a scoop size of 4 ounces for the right crumbliness and chewiness.
  • Keep away the dough: It is good to age the dough, for a day or two in the fridge for enhanced flavour r(don’t freeze).
  • Use best ingredients: There are very few ingredients in cookies so it is important to use ingredients of high-quality. This is especially true of chocolate, vanilla and butter. For best results, use top quality UK chocolate.
  • Fist mix a lot, then go slow: In the early stages, it is good to mix the ingredients really well. In this stage, the sugar crystals enter the butter and make air pockets to help the cookies rise while baking. But after adding flour, keep down the mixing. The flour’s gluten content will be activated by the liquid in the dough and with more stirring, the tougher will the cookies turn out.
  • Use salt: Salt is called for in the recipe to downplay the sweetness and enhance the chocolate flavour such that you get a well balanced cookie. Sea salt can be used for this purpose.
  • Take care of your baking pan: Avoid pan made of aluminium, which has the tendency to absorb heat and may burn the base of cookies.

These are some useful tips to help you bake the best chocolate chip cookies.

Best protein shakes with chocolate for building muscles!

February 22nd, 2016

Do you run a lot? Are you obsessed with building muscles? If body building is your main focus for this year, we have just the right protein shake recipes for you. These are few shakes, which are good for health and consist of chocolates, which again everyone loves. So, read this post if you want to know some exciting protein shakes recipes: –

  1. Hot cocoa shake – Hot cocoa is actually good for your health if you consume it without tons of sugar. If you have received chocolates by post, mainly dark chocolate, you can use it up for your post work out drink. Just add a little milk or have it with water. Blend the mix well so that it is easy to drink.
  2. Cream orange and chocolate shake – To add a boost of vitamins, throw in some oranges to your regular chocolate shake. Make sure you add fat free vanilla cream as it has a lot of protein. Blend these ingredients before you drink it. 30 grams of this drink has about 280 calories, which is incredible for building muscles.
  3. Chocolate almond brownies – If you don’t have to have milkshake, you can switch to brownies. Just add milk, good amount of chocolate and chopped almonds on top to finish the dish. This rich and delicious recipe serves about 500 calories with a good amount of protein too. If you are a fan of brownies, then this is perfect for you. Anyways, who can ever say no to brownies?
  4. Chocolate milk – Do you Nutella at home at all times? You can simple use it to make a shake post a vigorous workout session. Just take a scoop of Nutella and add some milk to the mixture. Now put in a little vanilla and blend it in a food processor until the shake is ready. Add chopped almonds and walnuts on top for nutrition. One scoop of Nutella has about 100 calories which is great for you if you want to build muscles quickly.
  5. Chocolate and peanut butter – A shake made with peanut butter and chocolates? Who doesn’t like that! Take 2 cups of whipping cream, add peanut butter, ice cubes, chocolates, water, and flax seeds and blend this mixture. You can also use a little milk if you don’t have flax seed in hand.
  6. Banana shake – This recipe was quite an expected one. Bananas are packed with proteins, calcium and all that goodness. Use unsweetened almond milk, chopped bananas and chocolate to make this delicious smoothie. You can also add some cinnamon and other fruits if you want a healthier version of this recipe. If the banana is not sweet enough, which is barely the case or you want a sweeter drink, then add honey instead of going for sugar. Honey has various antioxidants, which will give your body more than just calories.

So, what are you waiting for? Get chocolates delivered or cocoa powder at your place right now to make this delicious protein and muscle building drinks.