Chocolate cure for hiccups

Posted on May 23, 2012 by bilrob

Chocolate cure for hiccups

Q: The absolute best cure I’ve ever found for hiccups is CHOCOLATE. Don’t believe me? Try it.

Keep some 70 percent to 90 percent cocoa dark chocolate on hand. (Lindt is good.) Smooth a bite of the chocolate on the roof of your mouth and be amazed at how fast your hiccups disappear!

Don’t worry about chocolate making you fat. Unsweetened dark chocolate is beneficial. (Milk chocolate, though, is not good for dieters.) You’ll thank me for this cure.

A: We first heard about using chocolate as a home remedy for hiccups from a listener who called our radio show. Her Danish grandmother had always dispensed a few chocolate chips to a child with hiccups.

We have since heard from others who agree that chocolate can help stop hiccups. Here’s one reader’s story: “I discovered this remedy one day after repeated bouts of hiccups. I became aggravated and decided that if I was going to have them, I was going to have them with chocolate. They stopped immediately, much to my surprise. The chocolate remedy has been foolproof for years now.”

Q. I have suffered from tension headaches for many years. The pursuit for a cure included many trials of medications, acupuncture, physical therapy, chiropractic, Botox injections, epidural steroids and other spinal injections. Nothing helped. I continued to average more than eight headaches a week.

In January, a friend mentioned that she had gotten some relief from her migraines with large doses of vitamin B-2 (riboflavin) and wondered if it might help with my headaches as well. I looked it up and found B-2 had no side effects or drug interactions, so I decided to try it. My expectations were not high.

I took my first dose (400 mg) on Jan. 14. I went the next 10 days without a headache. Fifteen weeks have now passed, and I have had a total of only 14 headaches! At my previous average of 8.4 per week, I would have had 117 headaches during this period. For me, a miracle!

I hope others may benefit from this simple and inexpensive approach.

A. Thank you for sharing your success story. Riboflavin has been used to prevent chronic migraine headaches (Neurology, April 24, 2012). It is good to hear that this B vitamin also might help against recurrent tension headaches.

We are sending you our Guide to Headaches and Migraines with information on medications as well as nondrug approaches to treating this painful condition. Anyone who would like a copy, please send $3 in check or money order with a long (No. 10), stamped (65 cents), self-addressed envelope to: Graedons’ People’s Pharmacy, No. M-98, P.O. Box 52027, Durham, NC 27717-2027. It also can be downloaded for $2 from our website: www.peoplespharmacy.com.

Q. I have been trying to find white (no dye) iodine. No pharmacy near me carries it. In the past, I used it successfully to get rid of wartlike growths. I also have heard that it works against nail fungus. Any ideas where I should look?

A. Iodine has been used as a disinfectant and antifungal agent for more than a century. Standard tincture of iodine can stain the skin brown, which is why people use “white” iodine. Humco makes iodides tincture (decolorized iodine). Your pharmacy can order it, or you may find it at Humco.com.

Joe and Teresa Graedon, answer letters from readers on their column. Write to them in care of this newspaper or email them via their website: www.PeoplesPharmacy.com.

Chocolate with Bill & Sheila

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Chocolate gave me ulcers, heartburn and made me lose 5 stone

Posted on May 15, 2012 by bilrob

Chocolate gave me ulcers, heartburn and made me lose 5 stone

By
Anthea Gerrie

Sophie Jewett is a true chocoholic.

As a child, she was so hooked on Dairy Milk she had to have a bar every day.

She even decided to train as a chocolatier, opening her own business, York Cocoa House, last November.

Sophie Jewett is a chocolatier, despite her diagnosis of Crohn's. When she eliminated chocolate from her diet, her symptoms dramatically reduced

Sophie Jewett is a chocolatier, despite her diagnosis of Crohn’s. When she eliminated chocolate from her diet, her symptoms dramatically reduced

‘I come from a big family and was always making chocolates and biscuits for everyone,’ says Sophie, 31.

‘By the time I was 12 I was trying to work out how to make chocolate glossy, and became fascinated with the science of it.’

But two years ago, Sophie made a discovery that seemed like a cruel joke.

When she was a teen, she was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease — an inflammatory bowel disease characterised by pain, diarrhoea, vomiting, weight loss and tiredness — that can often be managed by working out what triggers the symptoms.

In 2010, Sophie finally worked out the trigger for hers: chocolate.

She says: ‘I was studying chocolate and I learned it is a muscle relaxant, which means it can cause acid reflux.

‘I’d suffered reflux — a burning sensation in my throat — since I was a teenager because of my Crohn’s, so I conducted my own experiments.

‘I found great irony in my conclusion.’

Sophie, who married her partner Stephen last year, found when she eliminated chocolate from her diet, the reflux and other Crohn’s symptoms were dramatically reduced.

‘My symptoms have always been around my throat. If I eat a bag of Maltesers, then within an hour I develop lots of ulcers in my mouth.

‘I’d never made a direct link with chocolate so carried on eating it.

‘Every Easter when I was in my teens, I got ill — I should have twigged what was happening.

‘Of course I was disappointed. I was frightened I’d never be able to eat chocolate again.’

'I've learned to listen to my body to find out how to get the best of it. I don't avoid certain foods, but I try to balance my fibre intake,' said Sophie

‘I’ve learned to listen to my body to find out how to get the best of it. I don’t avoid certain foods, but I try to balance my fibre intake,’ said Sophie

More than 60,000 Britons are thought to have Crohn’s disease.

‘It causes inflammation anywhere in the gastronintestinal tract,’ explains Richard Driscoll, chief executive of the charity Crohn’s and Colitis UK.

It most commonly affects the bowel but can also affect the mouth, where it triggers inflammation in the form of ulcers, and the throat, causing acid reflux.

Sophie grew up as a healthy child on the Isle of Wight but started experiencing unexplained symptoms when she was 14.

‘Just after Easter I started to get a burning sensation in the back of my throat, and I became really tired, too,’ she recalls.

‘I got better, but then it came back the following year.

‘My dad took me to AE one evening because I’d collapsed — but the doctors couldn’t find anything wrong.

‘I got sent home and my symptoms seemed to vanish.’

However, Sophie continued to suffer flare-ups of acid reflux as well as terrible mouth ulcers.

‘By the time I took my GCSEs I had 40 of them in my mouth, the size of 10p pieces,’ she says.

Sophie, who is 5ft 2in, lost 5st, going from 10st to half that in just five months. Concerned doctors put her on milkshakes fortified with nutrients.

‘One day a doctor started putting some really personal questions to me and I realised they thought I was anorexic.

‘I wanted to scream I wasn’t doing this to myself or making it up.’

Just as she was about to start A-levels, Sophie was back in hospital, where doctors kept her in for two weeks, determined to make a diagnosis.

‘I weighed just 5st at this point,’ she says.

‘About halfway through my stay they discovered I had Crohn’s disease.

‘It was a relief, to be honest. I left hospital with lots of medication, feeling much better and able to get on with my life.’

'Of course I can't eat chocolate every day like I'd love to... It's hard sometimes when you're surrounded by the one thing you're not allowed to have,' said Sophie

‘Of course I can’t eat chocolate every day like I’d love to… It’s hard sometimes when you’re surrounded by the one thing you’re not allowed to have,’ said Sophie

There is no cure for Crohn’s. Eight out of ten patients require surgery at some point to remove the diseased part of the bowel.

There are medications, including steroids — to reduce the inflammation — and immunosupressants, but many have side-effects. And often treatment is a case of trial and error.

It is crucial patients identify anything that may exacerbate their condition.

These can include stress and certain food types, says Alastair Forbes, a Crohn’s disease expert and professor of gastroenterology at University College London.

There are no consistent findings about trigger foods — each patient is different — but wheat, dairy and coffee are often implicated and chocolate’s often cited,’ he says.

‘The real test is a patient’s experience. Keeping a food diary can identify patterns.’

Sophie tried several drugs with varying success while continuing with her ambition to start a business.

She was prescribed Infliximab to suppress the immune system, and it allowed her to complete her degree and a master’s, and even climb Table Mountain in Cape Town.

In 2008, Sophie was prescribed Humira, an injection to block TNF-alpha, a signalling molecule that plays a role in inflammation and is abnormally high in people with Crohn’s.

Within a year, she became almost symptom-free, and has not needed to take any drugs since 2009.

‘For the past three years I have never felt so well,’ she says.

She has also benefited from having a designated gastro nurse who helps her manage the condition and its triggers.

Sophie says: ‘I know I will never be free of Crohn’s — and I would hate to be without the support of my nurse.

‘She’s a friendly voice to discuss treatment options and symptoms with.

‘I’ve learned to listen to my body to find out how to get the best of it.

‘I don’t avoid certain foods, but I try to balance my fibre intake.’

Of her discovery two years ago that her favourite food might be making her ill, Sophie adds: ‘By then all my other symptoms were under control but the reflux was so bad my doctors were considering operating to tighten the opening from my oesophagus to my stomach.

‘I discovered the possible link and stopped nibbling on chocolate — and for the first time in 16 years the reflux went away.

‘I don’t think chocolate caused the Crohn’s disease, but maybe it exacerbated the onset of it.’

Her experiences haven’t put Sophie off chocolate — indeed, this year she organised York’s first chocolate festival and made truffles in honour of the Queen’s visit to the city.

‘Of course I can’t eat chocolate every day like I’d love to,’ she says.

‘And it’s hard sometimes when you’re surrounded by the one thing you’re not allowed to have. But after eliminating chocolate for a while, I can now allow myself a bit here and there.

‘I just stop if my throat starts niggling. It’s nice to know it won’t land me in hospital.

‘I do still crave a bar of Dairy Milk of course. And sometimes I can’t resist a little square.’

For more information about Crohn’s, see the Crohn’s and Colitis UK website at www.nacc.org.uk

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Official Study Declares Health Benefits of Chocolate, Just in Time for Mothers Day

Posted on May 12, 2012 by bilrob

Official Study Declares Health Benefits of Chocolate, Just in Time for Mothers Day

As a result of this news, Gift Basket Ideas, Inc. now stocks a wider range of chocolate oriented mothers day gift baskets, and is excited for one more reason to recommend them.

San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) May 11, 2012

My Gift Basket Ideas, Inc. purveyor of Mother’s Day gift baskets, announces one more reason for enjoying chocolate-themed gifts this year.

An official study conducted by the European Society of Cardiology (escardio.org) found that flavanols from cocoa boost the body’s supply of nitric oxide, which helps to lower blood pressure when eaten in moderation as part of a balanced diet.

A spokesperson from MyGiftBasketIdeas.com said, “We welcome the results of this study. The mood benefits of consuming moderate levels of chocolate has been well-known for years. We’ve also seen studies that show eating chocolate can reduce stress, increase endorphins and even help manage depression in some cases. Confirmation from an official health body that consuming chocolate can help lower blood pressure is wonderful news for chocolate fans this Mother’s Day.”

The spokesperson continued, “Dark chocolate is thought to be the most health beneficial type to nibble on. Why not buy mom a Belgian Chocolate Gift Basket, laden with immune-boosting anti-oxidant rich dark chocolate?”

“Or perhaps for a real once-in-a-lifetime ultimate milk chocolate experience, you could splash out on a delectable Swiss Lindt Chocolate gift basket, which is reduced by 18% especially for Mother’s Day. If mom more a fan of white chocolate, we have that covered with our creamy White Chocolate Gift Basket.”

When asked to comment on the availability of its chocolate-themed gift baskets, the spokesperson confirmed, “We anticipate our chocolate-themed gift baskets will be top-sellers this Mother’s Day. Shelves have been restocked accordingly, but customers are advised to visit our website soon and place orders early in plenty of time for Mother’s Day, which is on May 13th this year.”

“What better way can there be to help mom relax this Mother’s Day than with scrumptious chocolate-themed gift baskets like those found here? Saying ‘thank you for all you have done’ has never been so delicious – or health advantageous!”

To browse the site’s selection of mother’s day gift baskets, including many chocolate ones, go to http://mygiftbasketideas.com/holiday-mothers-day-gift-basket.html.

For the original version on PRWeb visit: www.prweb.com/releases/prweb2012/5/prweb9433366.htm

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Chocolate Business Cards: Unforgettable Impressions by Chocolate Graphics

Posted on May 9, 2012 by bilrob

Chocolate Business Cards: Unforgettable Impressions by Chocolate Graphics

Introducing the chocolate business cards by Chocolate Graphics International, a new way to introduce ones self and ones business to prospective customers and clients. Stand out among the competition.

Wellington, FL (PRWEB) May 08, 2012

Chocolate Graphics International announces embossed chocolate business cards. A unique touch like that is hardly ever forgotten. It’s the ideal way to make a powerful and delicious first impression with prospects.Chocolate business cards, innovative, mouth watering and hand crafted chocolate with your own message, logo and/or photo. A great way to introduce any products and any company to new prospects while reacquainting with existing customers as well. Chocolate Graphics chocolate business cards will not only melt in clients mouths, they’ll make clients like putty in ones hands.

Using only the finest tasting milk chocolate (semi sweet 60%), white chocolate, and a wonderful dark chocolate, Chocolate Graphics International uses a patent protected process to create raised embossed chocolate design that is far more advanced than just printing on chocolate. This makes it not only unique in its style, but a delightfully delicious treat for the taste buds.

“Chocolate Graphics® is such a unique product and nothing quite like it is offered in the US. Since the product’s debut several months ago, it has been extremely well received and word of mouth orders are already coming in! The attraction to Chocolate Graphics® is the unique business concept and the fact that from a competitive standpoint, there are no other companies with the same process.” Carol Webster – Chocolate Graphics International USA

Chocolate Graphics International is a company on the move. Growing from a small cottage based industry in 1999 to a global commercial venture today. Chocolate Graphics International is an Australian based company that provides personalized embossed chocolates. These chocolates make ideal gifts for weddings, promotions, the hospitality industry and for everyday occasions. An Australian inventor originally conceived the Chocolate Graphics process in 1988. In July 1999 the patents, applications and manufacturing rights were purchased by John Taylor, an international businessman who had kick-started many entrepreneurial endeavors. Mr. Taylor introduced a strategic focus and inventive marketing strategy, rebuilt the technology, and revised the intellectual property, including registration of four new international patents. Chocolate Graphics International is a private company with its US headquarters in Hendersonville, Tennessee under the leadership of Carol Webster. For more information please call 561-460-4738 or visit us online at http://www.chocolategraphicsus.com/kab.html

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Our Dependence on Foreign Chocolate

Posted on April 26, 2012 by bilrob

Our Dependence on Foreign Chocolate

America is addicted to chocolate. Foreign chocolate.

Most Americans eat chocolate every day. Although the U.S. produces only 6 percent of the world’s cocoa, we consume more than 20 percent.

This is costly and unsustainable. It’s time for government to step in and promote alternatives.

We can expect President Barack Obama to sound this warning soon, “If we really want chocolate security and chocolate independence, we’ve got to start looking at how we use less cocoa and use sources that we can renew and that we can control, so we are not subject to the whims of what’s happening in other countries.”

Today, we are under the thumb of Africa, which produces over 75 percent of the world’s cocoa. That’s an unstable source, which means our chocolate dependency undermines national security.

The problem begins innocently for most of us, usually with a single MM we sample in childhood. But we quickly become hooked. Now chocolate is a raging $13 billion a year habit. The average American eats 11 pounds of chocolate per year. We gain weight. We get pimples.

The chocolate cartel claims their product is “good for us,” recently promoting supposed health benefits of their product. But nobody is fooled; many Americans remember when doctors appeared in ads that endorsed cigarettes.

Fortunately, alternatives to chocolate exist. American alternatives. With proper federal loans and subsidies these can relieve our cravings and wean us from our addiction to chocolate. And once they have a subsidy of their own, perhaps the candy industry would quit griping about the protectionism of the U.S. sugar policy.

Just as surely as Green Jobs, subsidizing non-chocolate candy is a proven path to prosperity. President Obama should remind us that The New York Times reported how candy helped us survive the Great Depression, so we need this swallow-ready sweets stimulus. Many areas would boom with the candy comeback. For example, dentistry.

Subsidizing Life Savers would demonstrate our commitment to healthcare. And Uncle Sam could provide rehab for chocaholics. (For them, there truly is a 7-step program!)

Our devotion to children is re-affirmed when we provide Dots for Tots.

Some would pull for taffy. The ag sector would delight with Jolly Ranchers. We could even switch over our ethanol subsidies to candy corn!

And for once Congress would be praised for spending on Sprees.

Some chocolate alternatives would be disqualified, however. Promoting Sweet Tarts would probably offend the National Organization for Women. Tootsie Pops would be chauvinistic. And Democrats would block funding for Jelly Bellies, the favorite of Ronald Reagan.

We might also learn whether it’s true that President Obama favors Nerds.

Obama can lead this economic boom by explaining how we should not rely on foreign chocolate anymore than we should rely on foreign oil. Of course, let’s hope he doesn’t mess up his chocolate numbers as he does when he claims we have “only 2 percent” of global oil reserves. But the President deliberately uses the most restrictive definition possible. Obama’s own Department of Energy reports that, “Proved reserves are a small subset of recoverable resources.”

As noted by Investors Business Daily, America’s actual oil reserves are 60 times higher than the president’s carefully chosen number: “The figure Obama uses — proved oil reserves — vastly undercounts how much oil the U.S. actually contains. In fact, far from being oil poor, the USA is awash in vast quantities — enough to meet all our country’s oil needs for hundreds of years.”
Obama uses flimsy and misleading numbers to justify his anti-oil and gas energy policy and his mega-billion dollar subsidies for “green energy” and “green jobs.”

The president would do better to focus on another basic necessity, like chocolate. Later, he could move on to coffee, because we consume 16 percent of the world’s coffee but grow less than 1 percent. And we manufacture less than 1 percent of the world’s TV sets, yet use 17 percent of them. Then there’s olive oil: We produce a tenth of one percent but use 8 percent of the world’s supply.

There are plenty of other examples of how we depend on trading with other nations, just as they are dependent on trading with us.

Too many politicians are addicted to government subsidies and regulation but allergic to free markets. Our real dependence is on government handouts and subsidies. All Chuckles aside, this is serious. Whoever can lead us away from crony capitalism will deserve a great big reward. Maybe a chocolate-free Payday!

Former Congressman Ernest Istook is a distinguished fellow at The Heritage Foundation. Read more reports from Ernest Istook — Click Here Now.

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The Chocolate Wars

Posted on April 23, 2012 by bilrob

The Chocolate Wars

Let’s agree to agree: chocolate is delicious, and it’s also good for you. But, like all great love stories, this one has a twist: in order to reap any health benefits, the chocolate you eat should be dark, dark, dark.

Here are some Real Facts paired with some Julie Facts about dark chocolate.

- Dark chocolate contains antioxidants and helps to lower blood pressure… but only in people of a certain age who already have mild to high blood pressure. I have pretty low blood pressure, and I like to think that’s because I have been eating chocolate all my life. I find that eating dark chocolate relaxes me and that’s why I always have some on my person. I also like to think that I am not “of a certain age” yet.

- If you eat the recommended 100-gram, 450-calorie chocolate bar
a day, you could significantly lower your blood pressure… and/or you could gain a lot of weight. Gaining weight might make you stressed out and, therefore, elevate your blood pressure. So don’t eat a whole chocolate bar every day, please, unless you are under medical supervision or unless you for some reason want to get chubby to fit back into your pregnancy jeans.

- Did you know that you cannot eat that dark chocolate with a glass of milk, because the milk actually counteracts the benefits? This is why I try to wash down my dark chocolate with a glass of red wine, thereby doubling my antioxidant intake and maximizing my chances of clean living. Not to brag, but I’m super healthy like that.

- According to a new study, “more frequent chocolate-eaters had smaller BMIs, a ratio of height and weight that’s used to measure obesity.” This study doesn’t even mention that the chocolate has to be dark! What’s next to magically improve my life? A study finding that unicorns are real?

Chocolate makers read the science section of the New York Times just like we do, and so they know that we know that dark is the way to go. Ever since hearing that the average chocolate-eating public might start buying dark, these modern-day Willy Wonkas have been hard at work perfecting the taste of high performing, high-cocoa-percentage chocolates. If you’ve ever paid for items at a gourmet deli or Barnes and Noble, your eye has probably passed over the point-of-purchase displays of chocolate bars that whisper, “Buy me” and “Eat me.” You can even buy a chocolate bar while paying for your bras at Lord Taylor, though I’m not sure why you’d want to. But you can! I bet you are a discriminating consumer like me, noting evidence of the artisanal chocolate bar craze, and wondering how the different brands stack up. Maybe you’ve even sampled a few.

If you don’t mind me asking, how fierce is your chocolate bar? Can you withstand 72% pure cacao? Do you like “intense dark chocolate,” as one Balducci’s bar says, or “really intense dark chocolate,” like another bar reads? What’s next after that, I wonder… holy hell chocolate? Crazy f*%ing strong chocolate? We-dare-you-to-eat-this-and-talk-straight-afterwards chocolate? Some of these bars are downright scary.

So, to take the fear and the sting out of the morass of options, I would like to bring you the best of the bunch, in a very unscientific taste test. I have been conducting this hard work over the past few weeks, just in time for bathing suit season.

Godiva offers 3 dark options, a 72% plain, a 72% with almonds, and a 50% with sea salt, each $5.00. I’m a sucker for sea salt, so while I was buying some books at Barnes Noble (a store lovingly re-named Nook Godiva by my friend, comedienne/writer Karen Bergreen) I grabbed a bar. It was super-yum. I now carry Godiva dark chocolate pearls in my handbag. (25 calories for 8 pieces!)

Vosges Haut Chocolate wishes you peace, love and chocolate with every bar and actually comes with instructions for “How to enjoy an exotic candy bar” on the back label. The steps include “breathe, see, smell, snap,” and, finally, they let you “taste.” Still being a sucker for salt, I went for the Black Salt Caramel Bar. This bar should come with instructions saying not to eat it while driving a car because I ended up with caramel all over my hands and on the steering wheel. Weighing in at 70% cacao, this bar did have a “glossy shine” to it, as the instructions suggest a good bar should, with a smooth and silky texture. Vosges has the most creative combinations out there. It would be fun to try a bunch of them with friends as an after-dinner treat, instead of a more traditional dessert at a dinner party or BBQ. Break apart some bars!

Balducci’s makes several options that try to psyche you out with their sheer intensity. I found the 54% dark chocolate with salt a bit too salty, although the more I ate of it, the better it tasted. The “really intense” bars also come with pomegranate and raspberry flavoring. Balducci’s carries about 400 kinds of chocolate bars, though, so you can go nuts… or nut-free.

There are also several of what I’d call “Feel Good, Do Good” brands out there, including Sweetriot and Prestat. Both brands are committed to fair trade, helping farmers in Latin America and West Africa. The Prestat 71% Dark Chocolate English Mint Crunch has what I’d call a “grown up” flavor that I imagine British royalty enjoy. Sweetriot’s Pure 60% Dark Chocolate with Crunchy Nibs had a strong, earthy, bitter flavor that I can’t honestly say I liked, but maybe you will. I had to wash that one down with some Godiva. Sweetriot also makes an 85% dark chocolate that I was too afraid to try.

My favorite dark chocolate treats are the Brookside fruit and dark chocolate pieces, which can be found at most health food markets. There are several flavors, from Gogi with Raspberry to Pomegranate and Açaí. They are all delicious and they make me feel like I am eating fruit when I am definitely not. They come in a handy re-sealable baggie for snacking on-the-go.

So… where do you stand on The Chocolate Wars?

Chocolate with Bill & Sheila

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Low-fat chocolate milk after a workout

Posted on April 19, 2012 by bilrob

Low-fat chocolate milk after a workout

Whether you are an endurance athlete or just interested in better health, new research supports drinking low fat chocolate milk after your workout. Chocolate milk can replace carbohydrates (“carbs”) and fluids that you lose when you exercise.

Chocolate milk has a near perfect balance of the nutrients you need in order to recover after a workout, including protein, carbs, calcium, vitamin D, potassium and riboflavin. Each nutrient plays a role in your recovery.

Chocolate milk and your workout

Adding chocolate milk to your diet is good because milk is a whole food. Many endurance athletes do not eat whole foods. Instead, they fall into the habit of living on carb and protein bars, drinks, and solutions. When you do not eat enough whole foods, your body misses out on all the other nutrients that protect your health and improve your athletic performance.

This NetWellness column was reviewed by Steven T. Devor, associate
professor of sport and exercise sciences and physiology and cell
biology, School of PAES, The Ohio State University.

Follow NetWellness on Facebook

Previously: Laying down the facts about sleep

Previous NetWellness columns

For more information, visit the exercise and fitness health topic.

If you are an endurance athlete, you should take in a 4:1 ratio of carbs to protein. This means for every four grams of carbs you eat, you should eat one gram of protein. You should do this within an hour after training, when your body is best able to absorb recovery nutrients.

You want a higher amount of carbs (the “4″ part of the 4:1 ratio) because that is what gets stored in your muscle as glycogen. Then, if you have some protein (the “1″ part of the 4:1 ratio), it starts the production of insulin. More insulin helps to bring sugar into your muscles to replace the glycogen you use while exercising. Protein also gives the necessary building blocks (amino acids) to fix damaged muscles.

Taken alone, carbs or proteins are not as effective. If you take in just carbs, they will refuel your muscles, but they will not help to repair them. Protein will help repair your muscles, but it will not refuel them.

Benefits of chocolate milk

Chocolate milk is also a source of other nutrients. For example:

Vitamin D and calcium in chocolate milk help build strong and healthy bones.

Calcium also helps muscles contract properly; aids in blood pressure management; may be helpful in losing body fat instead of muscle mass.

Riboflavin, which is a B vitamin found in milk, releases energy from protein, fats and carbs during metabolism.

Potassium helps with muscle contraction and aids in fluid and electrolyte balance.

When you exercise, you sweat. And when you sweat, you lose essential nutrients. But, you can replace all of these nutrients easily and for low cost. Drinking 16 ounces of low fat chocolate milk within an hour after working out will give you about 320 calories, 52 grams of carbohydrate, 16 grams of protein, and 5 grams of fat.

So next time you go that extra mile, help your body recover with a glass of low-fat chocolate milk!

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3D Chocolate Printer Finally Available

Posted on April 10, 2012 by bilrob

3D Chocolate Printer Finally Available

Choc Edge

As the world shifts to an increasingly paperless existence, the lowly computer printer catches fleeting glimpses of its glory days in the rear-view mirror.

“Text me the directions; I’ll pull them up on my phone,” says John Everyman. “Text” used to have a much more significant meaning during the heady times of bubblejets, inkjets, laserjets and the like. Now the word has lost its tangibility. But thanks to recent advances, there’s chocolate to be printed — yes, printers are about to enjoy a delicious renaissance.

(MORE: Peak Science Reached with 3D Chocolate Printer)

Here’s what’s not new and what’s new: What’s not new is the concept of 3D printing – printing three-dimensional objects layer by layer. See this video with our friend Bre Pettis, who’s done a lot to advance the era of 3D printing along. Typical 3D printers are often used to create plastic-like items infused with varying amounts of utility – they’re even being used to bootleg and pirate objects. What’s the so-called “next big thing” in technology? Put 3D printing on the shortlist.

Also not new is the concept of this 3D chocolate printer. We wrote about it last year, and even linked to “edible chocolate structures” created as far back as 2007. If you can print plastic-like 3D objects, why not print 3D food objects? The technology isn’t quite advanced enough to easily create things from complex materials, but it can be used with simple foodstuffs like chocolate.

What is new is that this whimsical 3D chocolate printer from the masterminds at Choc Edge has finally become available to the masses. The Choc Creator Version 1, as it’s called, isn’t exactly cheap – 3D printing in general is still a bit on the expensive side – but can pre-order a unit for £2,488 (about $3,500) if you’re one of the first 90 people to do so.

After that, the price goes up to £2,888 (about $4,600). But – BUT! – if you pre-order, you only have to put 30% down now and then pay the rest when it ships. It’ll pay for itself when you become the only freelance 3D chocolate printer in the neighborhood. “There goes the Chocolate King!” the neighbors will yell. “Wave to the Chocolate King, kids!” Has a nice ring to it, huh?

(MORE: Next Frontier in Piracy- Downloading Physical Objects to Your 3D Printer)

As for the internals, the machine uses a stepper motor to three-dimensionally print layer upon layer of chocolate, which is extracted out of a refillable syringe.

According to the product page:

Choc Creator utilizes an easy-to-use syringe based chocolate deposition head which allows users to rapidly install and remove syringe head units. The design enables users to refill syringes with fresh chocolate or different chocolates conveniently.

What’s more, when you’ve conquered the world of neighborhood freelance chocolate printing and decide it’s time to move on to different projects, take solace that “Users can use any other materials in their printer for as long as the material can flow out of the printing head.” The machine uses standard 3D design files transferred to it via a USB cable from your computer.

We’re getting ahead of ourselves here, though. For now, you’ve got chocolate to print. And eat. And reprint. And eat. Here’s a video of the printer in action:

(MORE: <a title="Bre Pettis, Replicator Maker – Game Changers – TIME"

Chocolate with Bill & Sheila

href=”http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2091589_2092033_2096601,00.html”>Bre Pettis, Replicator Maker)

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Rocky Road

Posted on March 31, 2012 by bilrob

Rocky Road

If I was going to be stranded on a desert island, and could take only one candy, Rocky Road would be my choice. I know that Rocky Road can mean different things to different people, depending on where you live, but for me it is white chunks of soft and spongy marshmallow together with crunchy peanuts, all enrobed in a silky smooth dark chocolate.

Rocky Road in its simplest form is folding store bought miniature marshmallows, along with chopped nuts (peanuts, walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, or almonds), into melted chocolate. While this Rocky Road looks and tastes pretty good, to make it even better, David Lebovitz in his excellent book The Great Book of Chocolate has two suggestions. One is to temper the chocolate and the other is to use homemade marshmallows. So what is tempered chocolate and why do we need it for our Rocky Road? I will try to explain, not so much the science of it, but the process of making it.

First, when you buy good dark chocolate have you noticed that it is nice and shiny, dry to the touch, with a hard and brittle surface which “snaps” when you break it? This is what we call “tempered” chocolate and, unfortunately, once chocolate is melted it loses these characteristics. While it is still great tasting, and you can use this melted chocolate for making Rocky Road, as the chocolate dries it will no longer have that lovely shine and brittle dry texture. Instead it will look dull and, with time, gray streaks will appear (called bloom), and its texture will be a slightly soft with an almost greasy feeling.

So, if we want our Rocky Road to be shiny, dry to the touch, with a nice crunch when you bite into it, then we need to bring it back to its tempered state before adding the marshmallows and peanuts. Tempering involves a three step process, melting the chocolate, cooling the chocolate, and reheating the chocolate.

Before we start, you will need a good chocolate thermometer as a regular candy thermometer does not have a low enough temperature reading. Step One in tempering is to melt one pound (454 grams) of good quality, chopped semi sweet chocolate in a clean and dry heatproof bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water. Once the chocolate has melted, remove from heat. Step Two is to cool the chocolate down to a temperature of between 83 – 85 degrees F (28-29 degrees C). This is done by gradually stirring into the melted chocolate the remaining 1/4 pound (115 grams) of chopped chocolate, using a rubber spatula (do not use a wooden spoon or medal spoon). Be patient as this will take a little time. Stir the chocolate often and as it cools it will start to thicken and lighten in color. Step Three is that, once the chocolate reaches this 83 – 85 degrees F range, it must be reheated to between 88 – 91 degrees F (31 – 33 degrees C). Do this by placing the bowl of melted chocolate back over a saucepan of simmering water for only about 3-5 seconds. Then, remove from heat, stir well, and check the temperature. If it has not reached the correct temperature return to the heat for another 3-5 seconds. Keep doing this process until the chocolate reaches between 88 and 91 degrees F (no higher). It is important to only reheat the chocolate to this temperature, for if it goes any higher, you will need to start the whole “tempering” process again. The final step is to quickly fold the marshmallows and peanuts into the tempered chocolate and spread it on a parchment lined baking sheet. Leave at room temperature until hard (can also place in the refrigerator) and then cut into pieces. Rocky Road will keep at room temperature for about 10-14 days. Or, if you are like me and like your Rocky Road chilled, store in the refrigerator where it will keep for about a month.

Besides tempering the chocolate, the best Rocky Road uses homemade marshmallows. Now if you are pressed for time you can use store bought miniature marshmallows. However, homemade marshmallows (recipe here) are wonderfully sweet with the scent of vanilla and have a spongy airiness that seems to just dissolve in your mouth. They can be made up to two weeks in advance of making the Rocky Road. If you are like me, you will probably want to eat these marshmallows just as they are because they are that good. Luckily, we only need about half the pan of marshmallow to make Rocky Road, so the rest you can just enjoy.

Rocky Road: Have ready a parchment lined baking sheet.

In a heatproof bowl, placed over a saucepan of simmering water, melt one pound (454 grams) of the chopped chocolate.
Once melted, remove chocolate from heat and add the remaining 4 ounces (115 grams) of chopped chocolate, stirring until smooth. Let the chocolate sit at room temperature, stirring occasionally, until a chocolate thermometer inserted at least 1/2 inch (1 cm) into the chocolate registers between 83 – 85 degrees F (28-29 degrees C). (At this point you will notice the melted chocolate has thickened and is lighter in color.)

Then, in three second intervals, place the bowl of melted chocolate back over the saucepan of simmering water. After three seconds remove the bowl from the saucepan, stir, and check the temperature of the chocolate. The thermometer needs to register between 88 to 91°F (31 – 33 degrees C) (no higher). Repeat the above step if needed until the proper temperature is reached. The chocolate is now tempered.

Add the marshmallows and peanuts to the tempered chocolate and stir just until they are completely coated with chocolate. Do this quickly and stir as little as possible as the chocolate sets very fast. Immediately spread the rocky road on a parchment lined baking sheet. Let the Rocky Road sit at room temperature until firm and then cut into pieces. Or, you can place the baking sheet in the refrigerator until the Rocky Road is firm.

Rocky Road can be stored at room temperature for about 10 – 14 days or it can be stored for several weeks in the refrigerator.

Makes about 1 1/4 pounds of Rocky Road. Preparation time 1 hour.

Note: You can make this recipe for Rocky Road without tempering the chocolate. Simply melt the full 1 1/4 pounds (570 grams) of semi sweet chocolate in a heatproof bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water. Once melted, remove from heat and fold in the marshmallows and peanuts. Spread on a parchment lined baking sheet and place in the refrigerator until set. Cut into pieces and store the Rocky Road in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Chocolate with Bill & Sheila

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Health Benefits of Chocolate Growing

Posted on March 30, 2012 by bilrob

Health Benefits of Chocolate Growing

chocolate bar

March 29, 2012 (San Diego) — Chocolate is increasingly shedding its reputation as a sweet treat only. More research is uncovering health benefits when the dark stuff is eaten in moderation.

At the annual meeting of the American Chemical Society here, a three-hour symposium was devoted to cocoa science and technology. Cocoa researchers from around the world gathered to share their latest findings, passing chocolate bars around the audience as they talked science.

Here is an update on questions chocolate lovers may have.

The Sweet History of Chocolate

What can chocolate do for your heart health?

While some heart benefits of chocolate are solid, others are still under debate, says Eric Ding, PhD, instructor of medicine and nutritional epidemiologist at Harvard Medical School. At the symposium, he discussed his review of 24 published studies on chocolate.

The studies included more than 1,100 people. Researchers looked at how their chocolate-eating habits affected their heart disease risk factors such as high blood pressure.

“The blood pressure-lowering effect is well known,” he says. His team found that, on average, systolic blood pressure declined slightly, less than two points on average, in chocolate eaters. Systolic blood pressure is the top number of a blood pressure measurement, and in people older than 50, this can be a stronger risk factor for heart disease than the lower, or diastolic, measurement.

There is also solid evidence that chocolate can increase HDL or “good” cholesterol, Ding and his colleagues found. In general, the lower your LDL and the higher your HDL, the better your chances of preventing heart disease and other chronic conditions.

With chocolate, insulin resistance improved, a benefit if you have diabetes or want to avoid it, Ding says.

Blood flow also improved with a bit of chocolate, another benefit, he says.

“Altogether the results suggest strong benefits against cardiovascular disease,” Ding tells WebMD.

The report is published in TheJournal of Nutrition.

Chocolate with Bill & Sheila
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