Health Benefits of Chocolate

Why is Dark Chocolate Healthy?:

Chocolate is made from plants, which means it contains many of the health benefits of dark vegetables. These benefits are from flavonoids, which act as antioxidants. Antioxidants protect the body from aging caused by free radicals, which can cause damage that leads to heart disease. Dark chocolate contains a large number of antioxidants (nearly 8 times the number found in strawberries). Flavonoids also help relax blood pressure through the production of nitric oxide, and balance certain hormones in the body.

Heart Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate:

Dark chocolate is good for your heart. A small bar of it everyday can help keep your heart and cardiovascular system running well. Two heart health benefits of dark chocolate are:

• Lower Blood Pressure: Studies have shown that consuming a small bar of dark chocolate everyday can reduce blood pressure in individuals with high blood pressure.
• Lower Cholesterol: Dark chocolate has also been shown to reduce LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) by up to 10 percent.

Other Benefits of Dark Chocolate:

Chocolate also holds benefits apart from protecting your heart:

• it tastes good
• it stimulates endorphin production, which gives a feeling of pleasure
• it contains serotonin, which acts as an anti-depressant
• it contains theobromine, caffeine and other substances which are stimulants

Doesn't Chocolate Have a lot of Fat?:

Here is some more good news -- some of the fats in chocolate do not impact your cholesterol. The fats in chocolate are 1/3 oleic acid, 1/3 stearic acid and 1/3 palmitic acid:

• Oleic Acid is a healthy monounsaturated fat that is also found in olive oil.
• Stearic Acid is a saturated fat but one which research is shows has a neutral effect on cholesterol.
• Palmitic Acid is also a saturated fat, one which raises cholesterol and heart disease risk.

That means only 1/3 of the fat in dark chocolate is bad for you.

Chocolate Tip 1 - Balance the Calories:

This information doesn't mean that you should eat a pound of chocolate a day. Chocolate is still a high-calorie, high-fat food. Most of the studies done used no more than 100 grams, or about 3.5 ounces, of dark chocolate a day to get the benefits.

One bar of dark chocolate has around 400 calories. If you eat half a bar of chocolate a day, you must balance those 200 calories by eating less of something else. Cut out other sweets or snacks and replace them with chocolate to keep your total calories the same.

Chocolate Tip 2 - Taste the Chocolate:

Chocolate is a complex food with over 300 compounds and chemicals in each bite. To really enjoy and appreciate chocolate, take the time to taste it. Professional chocolate tasters have developed a system for tasting chocolate that include assessing the appearance, smell, feel and taste of each piece.

Chocolate Tip 3 - Go for Dark Chocolate:

Dark chocolate has far more antioxidants than milk or white chocolate. These other two chocolates cannot make any health claims. Dark chocolate has 65 percent or higher cocoa content.

Chocolate Tip 4 - Skip the Nougat:

You should look for pure dark chocolate or dark chocolate with nuts, orange peel or other flavorings. Avoid anything with caramel, nougat or other fillings. These fillings are just adding sugar and fat which erase many of the benefits you get from eating the chocolate.

Chocolate Tip 5 - Avoid Milk:

It may taste good but some research shows that washing your chocolate down with a glass of milk could prevent the antioxidants being absorbed or used by your body.

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Fruit Smoothie (Frappe) Recipe

I love Smoothies. I love how they taste. I love how easy they are to make - just throw all the ingredients in your blender or food processor and push the button. And, I love their versatility. There is no denying how popular Smoothies have become. The combination of pureed fruit, yogurt (plain or flavored), juice, and crushed ice makes for a delicious drink that is chock full of nutrients. They make a great breakfast and are also lovely served as a light after dinner drink on a hot summer's night.

he Smoothie recipes given here are different from most in that they include frozen ices. You can use either a sorbet or a sherbet as both are made using fresh fruit (juices/purees), sugar, water and sometimes lemon/lime juice. Sherbets, though, also contain milk and/or cream, and sometimes even eggs which will give your Smoothie a rich and smooth consistency but it will also increase the fat content.

A good Smoothie uses high quality ingredients, that means fresh fruit at its prime. Some excellent fruit choices are strawberries, raspberries, peaches, nectarines, kiwi, cantaloupe, honeydew, papaya, pineapple, bananas, mango, and orange segments. You can also use frozen fruit, but use the unsweetened kind and do not thaw the fruit. Keep in mind that using frozen fruit will give your Smoothie a thicker consistency but you can add more yogurt or fruit juice to thin it out. Smoothies are best enjoyed shortly after making them as they do begin to separate over time.

Smoothie recipes should serve as a template only. Both the type and amount of fruit, sorbet, yogurt, and fruit juice can be adjusted to suit your taste. Although sweetness usually comes from the fruit and yogurt, add a little granulated white sugar, maple syrup, brown rice syrup or even a banana if you like a sweeter drink. So, again, use the recipes given here as a guide and have fun experimenting with whatever fresh fruits are in season.

Strawberry/Peach Smoothie

2 peaches, pits removed and sliced

1 cup strawberry sorbet

1-2 tablespoons orange juice

1/4 cup plain or flavored yogurt

Strawberry/Raspberry Smoothie

1 cup strawberries, sliced

1 cup raspberry sorbet

1-2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1/4 cup plain or flavored yogurt

Lemon/Strawberry Smoothie

1 cup strawberries, sliced

1 banana

1 cup lemon sorbet

1/4 cup plain or flavored yogurt

Peach/Nectarine Smoothie

2 nectarines, pits removed and sliced

1 cup peach sorbet

1-2 tablespoons orange juice

1/4 cup plain or flavored yogurt

All of these recipes are made in the same way. Place the fruit in a blender or food processor and puree. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend or process until the mixture is smooth. Pour into glasses and serve.

Each recipe makes about 1 1/4 cups (300 ml).

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Chocolate Pudding Recipe

There is nothing like a homemade Chocolate Pudding with its velvety smooth texture and deep chocolate flavor. I love everything about it and if you have always used those small boxes of commercially made puddings that contain preservatives and other things that are not good for you, than you are in for a treat. Homemade chocolate pudding is easy to prepare and what makes it so perfect is that most, if not all, of the ingredients you will already have in your cupboards, things like milk, cream, sugar, eggs, cocoa powder, and chocolate. And while some may think of puddings as old fashioned, when you serve this dessert in pretty bowls with a large dollop of whipped cream and a stemmed maraschino cherry on top, there is no better way to end a meal.

This chocolate pudding is made with both Dutch-processed cocoa powder and semisweet chocolate. It is like the vanilla and butterscotch puddings, in that when you make a chocolate pudding what you are really doing is making a 'cooked' custard. The only real difference is that you add cornstarch (corn flour) to a pudding recipe and this is done to make it thick enough to eat with a spoon. The danger zone with any pudding is cooking it over too high a heat causing lumps or even worse, scorching. To avoid these pitfalls use a heavy bottomed saucepan and cook it over medium low heat, stirring constantly with a large heatproof rubber spatula. Make sure when stirring you reach the bottom, sides and corners of the saucepan to prevent the pudding from sticking and scorching. As you cook the pudding it may look lumpy but if you stir quickly the lumps should smooth out. Once the pudding has become thick, like mayonnaise, remove immediately from the heat. Straining the pudding will help get rid of any lumps that may have formed. Once you have added the chopped chocolate, vanilla and butter avoid over mixing the ingredients as the pudding is quite fragile at this stage. If you like your chocolate pudding warm, then by all means eat it right away. But if you like your pudding cold, simply press plastic wrap onto the surface of the puddings and refrigerate until firm (a couple of hours). For those who like a skin (film) on the top of their pudding, let the pudding cool uncovered and then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Chocolate Pudding Recipe:

3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated white sugar

3 tablespoons (30 grams) cornstarch (corn flour)

1/3 cup (30 grams) Dutch-processed cocoa powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 cups (600 ml) milk

1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy whipping cream

4 large egg yolks

4 ounces (120 grams) semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 tablespoon (14 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature (cut into small pieces)

Garnish: Lightly sweetened whipped cream

Grated chocolate

Chocolate Pudding: In a large stainless steel (heatproof) bowl whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, cocoa powder, and salt. Then whisk in 1/2 cup (120 ml) of the milk until you have a thick paste. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, whisking to blend into the cocoa paste mixture. Set aside while you heat the milk and cream. Have a fine medium-sized strainer and bowl ready near the stove as you will need to strain the pudding after it is cooked.

First, rinse a medium-sized heavy saucepan with cold water and then shake out the excess water. Doing this step prevents the milk from scorching. Then pour in the remaining 2 cups (480 ml) milk with the cream. Bring this mixture just to a boil and then remove from heat. (The milk will foam up to the top of pan when done, so watch carefully.) Gradually pour the milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly, until the mixture is smooth. Transfer the pudding mixture to a clean large, heavy bottomed saucepan and place over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens to the consistency of mayonnaise (about 3 - 5 minutes). Remove from heat and pour through the strainer to remove any lumps that may have formed during cooking.

Add the finely chopped chocolate, vanilla extract, and butter, stirring gently with a rubber spatula until the mixture is smooth. Pour into 6 to 8 bowls or wine glasses. Can serve warm or if chilling, press plastic wrap onto the surface of the warm puddings to prevent a skin from forming. If you are a person who likes the skin on their pudding, simply leave the pudding uncovered until cooled and then cover with plastic wrap. Can be made a day or two ahead of serving.

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Better Relationship - 6 Essential Tips For Creating Beautiful Relationships

You might be surprised, but it is not your appearance, your wealth, your great job or your fortune that is responsible for a wonderful and everlasting relationship. The key to it lies in your way of thinking. Here are six crucial tips for creating beautiful relationships:

1. A relationship is not a contest or a race! A healthy relationship is about playing in the same team. It is pointless trying to outscore your partner. Of course, you might be the MVP - most valuable player - today or another day. However, you will be all alone, without the support of your "teammate" if you keep doing this, and you will end up racing just against you. Stop this race of yours, be a real team player and try to win the game as a member of the triumphing team!

2. Be open, learn to hear, see and interact. I really enjoy sitting down and having a relaxing chit chat with my partner. We are discussing major issues as well as minor things, sharing our thoughts and ideas when we are interacting with each other. We do not punish each other with silence, and we are certainly not ending a day with being angry. For a strong relationship, learn to have genuine discussions with your partner.

3. Be aware that a relationship is not about owning your partner. This is most likely the most frequently encountered problem. The things that can really damage a relationship are jealousy and over-protectiveness. Get rid of these feelings - if you have them - or your relationship will not have a happy ending.

4. Paying attention to yourself should be one of your top priorities. The kind of relationship you have with yourself is a crucial one. You have to look after your appearance and your mind every single day. I am talking about self-esteem. If you fail to properly take care of you, the others will neglect you as well. Since you have already proven that you have no confidence in yourself, then who I am to challenge that? Begin with looking after yourself and through this you will have the necessary strength and energy to look after those who you care so much about.

5. Bring back the romance. Being romantic sends the following message: "You are my primary concern, I care deeply about you and your feelings and desires, and I want everything to be perfect for us". You are also sending a message about you being confident. You might be surprised, but the appreciation that you will get for being romantic can be a much higher motivation and incentive than the pleasure and joy that it brings. Be an expert in romance and I can guarantee that it will add color to your life.

6. Learn to accept compromises, but not always and for everything. Relationships are based on finding the middle ground. It is alright to meet halfway every now and then, that is how life is. Just do not over-do it. Do not always be the one making all the compromises as this will break you in pieces and destroy your self-esteem. Find the balance when to give and when to take, as well as when to just abandon the ship.

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6 Rules of Relationships

There is not sure formula for a happy relationship. The success of the relationship is dependent on the people in it. A relationship defines the moral fiber of the people involved and magnifies not the individual but their shared characteristics. Although there are no absolute ingredients that will make a relationship lasting, there are some rules that will help guide you before engaging in any relationship.

I. Relationships are never limited. A happy relationship does not mean that you continue to stay together even if it taking away the best of you. A happy relationship is self-nurturing, brings out your best potential and unselfish. One must not treat every relationship as their last hope. It should be enjoyed.

II. Realize that you are a person with individuality. You must not make your life depend on your partner. A relationship must be shared together and not become the basis of your existence. Retain your self and never lose it in the course of the whole relationship.

III. Study your relationship patterns. Do not be stuck in choosing the same kind of person over and over again. Evaluate past relationships and identify what went wrong. Some qualities may not be right for you. Choose the person wisely and be in love for the right reasons.

IV. Do not hide your feelings. Develop open communication. It is the only way to ensure you do not get into misunderstandings. Be vocal but tactful in expressing your feelings and at the same time be sensitive to your partner's

V. Be wary of the signs. True and Fake affection are easy to perceive. If your partner shows signs of not being true, do not be afraid to confront the truth. It might save you weeks, months or even years of misery.

VI. Accept that not all relationships last. There will be times when you might encounter a failed relationship. Cry and be over with it. Do not over indulge in your misery but instead move on. Use the experience and knowledge that you gathered in your past to do better the next time.

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