Chocolate, which was the obsession of the Aztecs (even today chocolate is used as a routine ingredient in Latin American cooking) was brought to Europe after the Conquistadors conquest of South America.Chocolate is big business with a global market value of around $75 billion, so this research is excellent news for the manufacturers.
Its great news too for the British, who consume on average 14 kilograms per person of sugar confectionery each year.OK, thats not just chocolate, but includes chocolate biscuits, Jaffa cakes, chocolate digestives, Easter Eggs etc. In contrast, and not as you would expect, the average American only eats around 6.5 kilograms of the stuff in the same time period.
Although the test included both chocolate and sweets, the researchers believe chocolate is the key life extender because it contains substances that protect against heart disease and cancer. Chocolate is believed to contain chemicals called phenols, exactly as you would also find in red wine. These can also be found in strawberries, and is why people first started putting them in champgne glasses as they counteract the harmful effects of alchol. They reduce free radicals that cause damage to cells and DNA. The process of chocolate making from the cacao plant may also restrict the formation of the type of cholesterol which damages the heart as well as boosting the immune system.
However, as most food books will tell you, chocolate is high in calories and eating too much can make you fat, thereby actually increasing your risk of heart disease. So the startling truth, as with all these medical/diet/nutrition revelations, appears to be moderation in everything is the key to a long and happy life. For crystal vases and the very highest quality glass vases visit Forever Crystal.
