Dear Diet Detectives,  

I always ask the question: why make complex out of simple… At the present time, the production of products has stepped into the world of the laboratory and now it is difficult to find the original source, but we dear readers will try to do this and starting from the most delicious: chocolate!  

Chocolate was the drink made by the Incas from cocoa beans. It was called “the drink from  the gods” maybe because chocolate contains: 

• fiber, protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals  
• dark chocolate lowers blood pressure thanks to the flavonoids it contains, also stimulates  blood circulation in the brain and improves memory  
• chocolate reduces stress.  

The best choice is chocolate without any additives in the form of emulsifiers!  The most common emulsifier is soy lecithin E322.  

Initially, the role of an emulsifier in chocolate was played by natural cocoa butter – it is this oil that improves the structure and streamlining of the product. However, this component is quite expensive and has a high-fat content. Manufacturers began to resort to cheaper production methods, facilitating the process of making chocolate and a low cost of the final product.  

The main natural source of lecithin is foods high in fat: eggs, liver meat, peanuts, some vegetables and fruits. In industrial production, lecithin is extracted from the waste products during the processing of soy. This is where the whole danger lies! Namely, in the production of oils by the extraction method.  

The extraction method for the extraction of oils is the most economical and more popular by manufacturers.  

The seeds are collected first, in most cases, these seeds are obtained from genetically modified plants in order to give them resistance to the effects of the large quantities of a  pesticide that are used in the fields. The seeds are cleaned of husks, dirt and dust, and then crushed. 

The seeds are then placed in a multi-stage press, in which oil is squeezed out of the pulp using high temperatures and friction.  

Next, the seed pulp and oil are placed in a container with hexane solvent for oil extraction.  

Hexane is obtained by treating crude oil. The ingestion of hexane into the body carries functional and structural disorders in the lungs, liver, kidneys, retina, central nervous system,  endocrine and reproductive systems.  

After extraction of the solvent, the crude oil is separated and the solvent is evaporated.  

The crude vegetable oil is subjected to further processing, including degumming, alkalization and discoloration. 

After all these stages, will you want to eat this product? I think that it is unlikely …  

It is best to provide yourself with real homemade chocolate, you will only need butter,  cocoa powder, sugar!  

Directions:  

1. In a pan placed in a water bath, melt butter. 
2. With stirring add honey into the melted butter, after cocoa powder. Chocolate mass cook over low heat with stirring for 2 minutes.  
3. Pour the slightly cooled chocolate mass into the prepared molds, cool at room temperature and place in the refrigerator to solidify the chocolate product.  

 You can add raisins, nuts, zest of orange, lemon to the mixture to your taste. If you like milk chocolate you can add 4 tbsp of milk.

Have a case for the Diet Detectives? Send an email to [email protected] or corner one of your friendly dietetics students at MATC West Allis.