Cocoa powder

Many people get acquainted with cocoa in childhood, because it is in kindergartens and schools that they prepare the drink of the same name almost every other day. In addition to this hot treat, you can prepare a lot of delicious dishes from cocoa powder: glazes, creams, ice cream, jelly, puddings, chocolate, sweets, filling for various confectionery products, dough for biscuit or cookies, and much more. It is simply inappropriate to talk about the calorie content of cocoa powder, which is 289 kcal, so the amount that is used when preparing one dish hardly exceeds a couple of tablespoons.

In general, cocoa belongs to the type of evergreen trees, the fruits of which (beans) have found wide use in various fields of human activity. Remarkably, the cocoa fruit contains about fifty almond-like seeds, which are immersed in a sticky liquid. One tree during the fruiting period can produce up to four kilograms of such seeds. Interestingly, the cocoa powder that we are used to buying in our stores is, one might say, the least valuable component of cocoa beans.

Again, about cocoa powder: it is obtained by grinding cocoa cake, that is, by-product raw materials, which remain after the process of pressing expensive cocoa butter from the cocoa mass. By the way, the quality of cocoa powder, as well as its taste, color and aroma, directly depend on the quality and processing of the raw materials.

Composition of cocoa powder

The chemical composition of cocoa powder is quite complex. It contains proteins, carbohydrates, tannins, dyes, aromatics, organic and minerals. In addition, this product is rich in elements such as caffeine and theobromine.

On the CP and cardiovascular system, caffeine has an exciting effect, while theobromine is able to reduce vascular spasms in the heart and brain. It is very useful to enjoy a cup of hot drink when coughing, as theobromine suppresses the cough reflex.

Thanks to the latest scientific research, it was found that the cocoa powder contains a fairly large amount of antioxidants. So, for example, in a cup of cocoa there are five times more of them than in black tea; three times more than in tea green and 100 percent more than in wine.

Benefits of cocoa powder

It is no secret that the benefits of cocoa powder and dishes prepared on its basis lie in the ability to improve life attitude and improve tone. This happens due to the ability of this product to stimulate the production of endorphin - the so-called "joy hormone. "

The benefits of cocoa powder, as a component of many products, are justified for people who suffer from hypertension, due to the ability to lower blood pressure due to the content of polyphenols.