As the price of cocoa rises, candy makers are ‘grafting’ bars and eggs with fillings, hydrogenated fats and sugars
With soaring cocoa prices, Easter could become more indigestible. Not only for the economic issue, but for the way in which some manufacturers have found to offer chocolate bars with… less chocolate. Whether through substitution, with the addition of vegetable fats or sugars, or with “grafting” of fillings, the chocolates available on the shelves require careful compliance with the list of ingredients, according to nutritionist Marcella Garcez, director and teacher of the Association Brazilian Nutrology (ABRAN).
“To be considered chocolate in Brazil, the product must contain 25% (g/100 g) total cocoa solids (mass, paste, liquor, powder or cocoa butter). This is because cocoa contains a significant amount of good fats (40-50% in cocoa butter, with about 33% oleic acid, 25% palmitic acid and 33% stearic acid). It also contains polyphenols, which make up about 10% of the dry weight of a whole bean. Cocoa is a major source of polyphenols in the Western diet, as it contains more phenolic compounds than most foods. Therefore, understanding the list of ingredients is ideal so as not to distance yourself from the benefits of this food,” explains the nutritionist.
Cocoa beans
The doctor explains that three groups of flavonoids are present in cocoa beans: catechins (37%), anthocyanidins (4%) and proanthocyanidins (58%).
“These substances are the most abundant phytonutrients in cocoa and are responsible for its benefits related to anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and vasculotonic action,” says Dr. Marcella Garcez.
The problem is that this noble ingredient has a sky-high price. “A few years ago, the price of cocoa was around $3,500 a ton. At the beginning of the year, it rose to $4,000/tonne and recently reached the $6,000 mark. What explains this phenomenon is that cocoa bean plantations are susceptible to adverse weather conditions, such as the El Niño phenomenon. These environments require constant rainfall and warm temperatures. Africa is home to the world’s largest cocoa producers, especially Côte d’Ivoire, and production has been lower than expected,” Marcella points out.
Change of formula
As a result, food companies change formulas or launch new products with more sweets and less chocolate in the formula. Fillings of dulce de leche, brigadeiro, fruit mousse, caramel and coffee are now also present in chocolate bars – and not just in stuffed Easter eggs. In many cases, the nomenclature designating the product is not clear to the consumer.
Some chocolates, a few years ago, stopped being chocolate and became chocolate-flavored wafers. The subtle change depleted the dessert’s nutritional content.
“A chocolate-flavored candy does not meet the requirements to be called chocolate and therefore does not contain even 25% cocoa solids. It is very likely that this food has a long list of ingredients, with unknown names and the addition of chemicals, preservatives, artificial colors or flavor enhancers, which have no nutrients for the body, but some research associates them with an increase of metabolic diseases. . Depending on their composition, if they are richer in sugars and fats, these foods can be hyperpalatable and be involved in the activation of our reward circuit, creating a highly rewarding experience. Therefore it is difficult to stop eating them, even when we are already full,” says the nutritionist.
While sugar is linked to an increase in metabolic diseases such as diabetes and obesity, hydrogenated vegetable fats, also known as trans fats, increase the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases (heart attack and stroke).
How to choose a good chocolate?
To cheer up bitter tastes and offer a more nutritious option, chocolates above 70% are the best choice.
“They contain more cocoa. It would be great if our taste buds were educated on 100% cocoa. However, the bitterness caused by polyphenols makes unprocessed cocoa beans quite unpleasant. Producers, therefore, have developed processing techniques to eliminate bitterness, creating chocolates with a lower cocoa content (milk, oilseed, semisweet and white). These processes reduce the polyphenol content up to 10 times: for the consumer the product is clearly different, mainly due to the low content of polyphenols and other substances added during the processing phase (for example sugar and emulsifiers such as soy lecithin )”, explains the doctor.
In the list of ingredients of dark chocolate, cocoa can be accompanied by sugar or sweetener – and at most by emulsifier.
“It is good to remember that it is not necessarily a lower caloric option, due to the fat content naturally present in cocoa, so it should be taken in moderation by overweight patients,” explains the doctor.
Milk and oilseed options can further enrich the ingredient list, with the addition of milk and oilseeds, such as hazelnuts, walnuts and peanuts.
“Despite being rich in calories, oilseeds add nutrients to the product, such as omega-3, which help control cholesterol, have anti-inflammatory properties, improve circulation and cognitive performance,” says the nutritionist.
And what about white chocolate?
In the case of white chocolate, its consumption must be occasional. “White chocolate is obtained from cocoa butter and is basically composed of fat, sugar, milk and flavourings. It is not made with cocoa mass, but with fruit fat. But those who don’t give up white chocolate can opt for sugar-free versions to minimize damage to health, without forgetting that the sweet is rich in fat, so options that contain more added fat should be avoided. Also avoid filled chocolates that contain ingredients that add even more sugar to the product, such as dulce de leche and brigadeiro”, advises Marcella.
Even if no chocolate is forbidden and it is possible to include almost all of it in the diet, especially with sporadic consumption, ultimately it is important to control daily consumption. The ideal is to consume 25 to 50 g of chocolate per day, favoring options with a higher concentration of cocoa, such as dark chocolate.
“In other words, a 200g chocolate egg should be consumed, on average, in a week. Following these tips does not require strategies to suppress appetite before consumption or to reduce the glycemic index of food. This is because, in general, chocolate has a low glycemic index and, if it is composed of more than 65% cocoa, it is also a functional food, having an even lower glycemic index”, concludes Marcella Garcez.
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Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
