The clouds in the sky are moving fast. Layers of them above a pale orange layer. Which of them will come the rain clouds followed by snow clouds that will deliver our snow storm today into tomorrow? February certainly is a tumultuous month.
That must be why February is also the month where chocolate can dominate and be celebrated. It is a soothing, uplifting, and energizing food and drink. The debates about the goodness of chocolate are always present. Here are a few of them.
Is chocolate good for me? The standard answer: Chocolate contains polyphenols which are good for you - reducing blood pressure and having antioxidant properties. But healthier sources of polyphenols include pulses. "Pulse” is a derivation from the Latin words puls or pultis meaning “thick soup”. Pulse crops are small but important members of the legume family, which contains over 1,800 different species. Pulse crops are the seeds of legumes that are used as food, and include peas, beans, lentils, chickpeas and faba beans. Now that's a bit of a let-down for chocolate.
Is dark chocolate better for me? Here's the response:
It certainly is bitter and hard to taste the chocolate flavour at 100% chocolate. I once got my Dad some organic chocolate "nibs". They are little bits that are considered to be very healthy - Cacao nibs are highly nutritious, providing an impressive amount of protein, fiber, healthy fats, minerals, and plant compounds like flavonoids. They were in an organics store in trendy Liberty Village. He tried one and gave me the bag back. Not enough sugar.
And what about these: Hot chocolate doesn't count, Chocolate with bubbles in is "lighter", and a chocolate bar is the perfect portion.
While we call these chocolate myths, they do seem more fact vs fiction areas. Calling these myths seems to make sense given chocolate's history. The Mayans creation story involves two twins who came into existence when their deceased father's head spat onto their mother's hand from a cacao tree. Supposedly his severed head had been left on a cacao tree. The father was resurrected and became the Maize God. The corn from him was used to create the true humans of the world.
Can you imagine if the Roman Catholic Church had a "Jesus was spat onto Mary's hand" story? How different things would be.
My "Chocolate or Vanilla" mushroom image transformed in Flexifly.
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