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Chocolate strengthens the heart, lowers blood pressure, cleanses blood vessels from bad blood, does not harm the figure and slows down aging. But all this only if he is real. As a study conducted by the Society for the Protection of Consumer Rights and the independent laboratory of the State Unitary Enterprise “Moscow Quality” showed, we have chocolate mercilessly.

Let me make a reservation right away, we are only talking about dark chocolate. The “milk” and “white” varieties were not considered. By definition, they contain less valuable cocoa beans than fats and sugar, so this chocolate is not considered healthy.

Employees of the Society for the Protection of Consumer Rights bought ten tiles from the most popular brands in the capital's stores and sent them for examination. Only three samples passed the test: “Bitter chocolate 80% cocoa” - Red October company; “Chocolate “Babaevsky” elite bitter 75% cocoa” - confectionery concern “Babaevsky”; “Bitter dessert chocolate “Vernisage” 70% cocoa” - confectionery factory named after. N.K. Krupskaya.

It turns out that instead of expensive cocoa butter, manufacturers have gotten the hang of adding cheap vegetable ones to their products - most often shea butter, coconut butter, etc. They just forget to inform the buyer about this. The substitution was found even in the three best samples. True, they are within the limits allowed by chocolate GOST, less than 5%.

The situation has reached the point of absurdity: in Moscow, for example, you can find supposedly dark chocolate on sale for 12 rubles. 40 kopecks per tile. “We are dealing with an unprecedented reduction in the cost of products,” says Marina Tsirenina, head of the department of instrumental methods of analysis at ANO Soyuzexpertiza. “This is falsification, which borders on theft.”

In a good way, even the allowed 5% of “foreign” oils is too much for dark chocolate. “Firstly, this is reflected in,” Marina Tsirenina explained to me. “Secondly, on quality - the more chocolate is diluted, the less cocoa products remain in it.” And the less cocoa in chocolate, the less flavonoids - substances that strengthen our body. It is a little consoling that the plant equivalents in chocolate are not harmful, but natural plant ones.

The Society for the Protection of Consumer Rights now promises to monitor chocolate. Every few months the results of the examination of the most popular brands will be published. But only the buyer can radically improve the situation. If we vote with our rubles for quality chocolate, the fake one will disappear by itself.

Here is a brief educational program for an enlightened buyer.

Sugar or cocoa comes first

In the first place in the composition, the ingredient that is most abundant in the product is indicated. If it's cocoa, it's good, if it's sugar, it's bad.

Dark or bitter

Dark can contain less cocoa raw materials (40% cocoa and 20% cocoa butter), so bitter is preferable. If both names are indicated on the label, the chocolate is probably actually dark.

33%, 55% and 80%

The composition of the correct chocolate should contain two numbers: 55% (the content of total cocoa solids) and 33% (the amount of cocoa butter). The higher the first number, the better. Ideal - 75-80%.

Vegetable equivalent (VEE)

The same cheap vegetable fat instead of cocoa butter. You most likely won't see this information on the label. If you see it, don’t take it, it means you’ve definitely been deprived of cocoa.

Supplements

“Real chocolate is simple - grated raw cocoa and sugar,” says Lyudmila Skokan, deputy director for scientific work at the Research Institute of the Confectionery Industry. The longer the list of ingredients, the less healthy the treat is. E476 (egg lecithin), E322 (soy lecithin), flavoring identical to natural (most often vanillin) - a conscientious chocolatier can easily do without these additives.

Price

Real dark chocolate cannot be cheaper than 40-50 rubles. “The average price of a bar of dark chocolate in Moscow is 50-100 rubles,” says Igor Nazarov, deputy director of Moscow Quality. — The cheapest one we came across cost 12 rubles. 40 kopecks, the most expensive is 275 rubles.”

Appearance, smell and taste

Brownish red, not black. It breaks with a subtle crunch. It immediately begins to melt in your hands - chocolate melts at a temperature of 32 degrees, which is 0.2 degrees lower than the normal temperature of our palms. It naturally smells like chocolate and cocoa. But if you allow a slice and inhale deeper, you can also discern the aroma of toffee, (plum, raspberry, citrus), hot spices, caramel and even noble tobacco. On the contrary, bad chocolate has a metallic and sugary taste and a slight burning sensation in the mouth.

Production

If you want to get serious about chocolate, learn more about how it's made. For example, I was very inspired by the story of the Mast chocolate brothers from New York. For them, chocolate is not just a business, but high skill and an exciting adventure in the spirit of Mark Twain (see video). Cocoa beans come by sea from familiar farmers from Venezuela, Madagascar and the Dominican Republic. Then the grains are processed almost manually, without adding in progress nothing but sugar. It takes 37 days for the delicacy to “ripen”. Anyone can watch this magical transformation and take a sample. After this, one cannot dare to call dark chocolate bitter, and milk chocolate seems like a primitive fake.

It is difficult to find a person who has not tried chocolate and does not love this delicacy. Therefore, almost everyone knows about this dessert. Almost everyone loves chocolate. It is not only consumed in its pure form, but also added to various confectionery products. Although there is an opinion that this delicacy is harmful. If milk fat is in chocolate? What is it, what is the benefit or harm from it? We will answer these and other questions in this article.

Compound

To understand whether chocolate is harmful or beneficial, you need to know its composition. We will talk about natural, not analogue. Natural dark chocolate should contain cocoa, sugar, cocoa butter and that’s it. Dry milk is added to dairy. This type of fat generally contains much more fat. It is this component that gives it a delicate taste.

Usually this chocolate is bought for children. But only cocoa butter, sugar and milk powder are added. They also began to supplement this sweetness with various fillers and flavorings in order to give the chocolate bar the desired taste and aroma.

But such a product is very expensive and not everyone can afford to produce or buy it. Therefore, there are many fakes in which milk fat can be found.

Description

Milk fat in chocolate - what is it? Concentrated fatty milk product. What is it made from? From During the cooking process, this fat is added to the chocolate mixture. Then the favorite delicacy of many women turns out to be more tender and does not have such a bitter taste as black. And in this case, much less cocoa butter is added. This is done so as not to drown out the delicate taste of the chocolate bar.

Saturated fats are found in milk fats. The harm of the former to the human body has long been proven. Such fats increase cholesterol levels in the blood. It eventually begins to grow on the walls of blood vessels, blocking the passage of blood. And to the question of whether milk fat in chocolate is harmful, we can confidently answer yes.

Substitutes

But its substitutes, on the contrary, benefit the human body. After all, they contain such fats and have a very pleasant smell, which is similar to the smell butter. But the consistency of the resulting product is more good qualities. It is the milk fat substitute that makes it possible to purchase goods at a lower price. These substitutes are suitable for those who are lactose intolerant. They are also good when used for those who suffer from high blood sugar. What about milk fats in chocolate? What are the benefits of them? Saturated fats are beneficial for people who suffer from hypertension. But just remember that you need to consume chocolate in small quantities.

In order for the body to function properly and normally, a person must consume a certain amount of saturated fat per day. After all, they are used to build cells. They also carry fatty microelements that the body needs. And the cholesterol contained in milk fat helps in the functioning of the human nervous system and gastrointestinal tract.

All saturated fats entering the body with food should make up one third of all fats. The rest should be unsaturated. If this amount is maintained, then milk fat in chocolate will not cause harm to the body.

Harm

You should always remember that everything needs to be consumed within normal limits. It is already known that in milk chocolate the presence of milk fat is higher than in other types of delicacy. Therefore, you should not treat yourself to them often. After all, if you increase a person’s daily intake of saturated fat, you can increase your blood sugar levels. This will lead to diabetes. Based on recent studies conducted in the United States, it was found that consuming large amounts of saturated fat leads to type 2 diabetes.

But, in addition to this disease, milk fat in chocolate generally leads to the development of atherosclerosis in humans. As you understand, this is a fairly serious illness.

Milk fat in chocolate - what is it? We can say that these are the same saturated fats. Therefore, when eating them in large quantities, remember that they produce large amounts of cholesterol. It settles on the walls of blood vessels and prevents blood from flowing into the desired organ. Such blockages of the blood duct can lead to many serious consequences, even myocardial infarction.

Does it help you lose weight or not?

Interestingly, those who want to lose weight are often advised to eat foods that are low in fat. But based on research conducted in the United States, it is low-fat dairy products that are fueled with starch or sugar. These products do not help you lose weight.

On the contrary, they even promote weight gain. But those products that contain milk fats help you lose weight.

Now you know the answer to the question “Milk fat in chocolate - what is it?” These fats are mainly used in milk chocolate, which itself is high in calories. And those people who watch their weight should avoid such a sweet treat. After all, one hundred grams of milk chocolate contains more than 514 calories. If we talk about people suffering from high insulin levels, it is better to avoid milk chocolate. But black, which does not contain saturated fats, is even very healthy. But when choosing it, you need to pay special attention to the composition. There must be a minimum of eighty-five percent cocoa.

Choosing healthy chocolate

How to choose chocolate so as not to harm your health? This question is asked by every person who cannot live without this product. And in order to choose the right delicacy, you need to pay attention to the composition, where the first thing that should be indicated is grated cocoa, which is contained only in natural chocolate. If the composition says “cocoa powder,” this means that the product will be of lower quality.

Natural milk chocolate should not contain vegetable fats. They replace cocoa butter. When choosing the kind of chocolate that almost everyone prefers, it is important to look at the contents, where only cocoa butter and nothing else should be listed as fat. If other oils are written on the packaging, this indicates a low-quality product, and accordingly, the price will be lower. It is worth paying attention to the amount of cocoa content in chocolate.

Milk fat in chocolate. What is this, is it possible to give children a treat with this component?

The adult himself determines what is more suitable, but the child’s health must be monitored from birth.

Every parent should familiarize themselves with information about those products that are given to children, as well as people who have any health problems, and especially vascular system, and diabetics. If there are no contraindications, a child can eat a little of this delicacy with milk fat. Although it is better to choose chocolate without this component.

Conclusion

Now you know what milk fat is in chocolate and why it is added. In the article we also answered the question of whether this component is harmful. We hope that this information was useful to you.

Chocolate fans often wonder about its harms and health benefits. Indeed, this product often causes allergies; it is not recommended to be given to children under a certain age. This means that it is not at all harmless. The main negative ingredient in its composition is considered to be milk fat. Is this true? Let's figure it out.

What kind of chocolate contains milk fat?

Let's start with the fact that not every type of chocolate contains milk fat. Dark chocolate is of a more natural origin; as a rule, it contains a higher content of cocoa powder. This is the main ingredient that distinguishes real chocolate from a bar. The higher the percentage of content, the healthier the product.

White bars are more likely to contain flavorings than other varieties of this delicacy. Along with them there are tiles with filling. They add flavor substitutes, stabilizers and other preservatives. Content healthy products they contain less than classic black tiles.

The most common and popular type of treat among consumers is milk chocolate. It contains milk fat, since natural milk is used in production. Manufacturers add it and reduce the amount of cocoa powder used to create a smoother flavor.

Daily intake of milk fat

In order for this ingredient to cause harm to the body, you should know how much of it will be safe for the body. Milk fat, like any other, should be no more than 30% of the daily requirement. By consuming more, you can not only gain excess weight, but also increase your sugar and cholesterol levels. A smaller amount will also not be beneficial. Nutrition should be balanced.

From this we can conclude that milk fat is necessary for the human body.

Benefit

By consuming milk chocolate, we not only get a large supply of carbohydrates and energy. The milk fat it contains has a positive effect on the human body.

American scientists conducted a number of experiments that confirmed the hypothesis that consumption of this product reduces the risk of disease diabetes mellitus. According to their data, the risk of developing diabetes is reduced by almost 46 percent when replacing low-fat dairy products with full-fat ones. This is a powerful argument, since more than four hundred million people in the world suffer from this disease. It often causes death and causes many other diseases.
The well-known myth that eating fat leads to heart disease, atherosclerosis of blood vessels and clogging of blood vessels has not been confirmed. Doctors believe that the cause of the widespread prevalence of cardiovascular diseases throughout the world is: alcohol, obesity, stress and poor diet. If we talk about food that provokes these diseases, then fast carbohydrates will come first in terms of harmfulness. They provoke an increase in bad cholesterol in the blood and the formation of cholesterol plaques on the walls of blood vessels. Fat does not cause such harm to the body. On the contrary, the results of experiments revealed an improvement in the condition of blood vessels with frequent consumption of foods containing milk fat. The subjects indulged in sour cream, cheese and full-fat milk for several months. Cream was added to food. Bad cholesterol levels have dropped significantly. The level of healthy cholesterol has become higher. Scientists explained the benefit of this by the fact that a general decrease in cholesterol provokes mortality from cardiovascular diseases. This statement is the exact opposite of the hypothesis that all fat is harmful. For many years this was considered the only correct point of view.
They also refuted another statement, according to which fat - including milk fat - contributes to obesity. Today there are many diverse diets, which are united by one rule: reduce the amount of carbohydrates consumed in favor of fats. These diets are effective; they allow you to lose weight without harm to your health.
Medicine is opening up new horizons; today scientists are conducting research using the latest equipment and new technologies. Therefore, many old hypotheses are tested, and some of them are refuted. The famous phrase: “Fat will save the world” takes on new meaning. But, in addition to its benefits, this product can also have a negative effect on the body if consumed in excessive quantities.

Harm

Is there any harm from milk fat in chocolate? With moderate consumption and a balanced diet, there will definitely be no harm. If we look again at the ongoing research, we can find out the contradictory opinions of scientists on this matter.

According to the results of the study, frequent consumption of dairy products can cause the development of cancer. In both women and men, the reproductive organs are more often affected. This is facilitated by another substance present in dairy products: casein. Hormone-like components of all products in this group also cause harm. To enter the risk zone, the consumption of these substances must be increased. We are talking about milk lovers; chocolate does not contain them in large quantities.

Research has not been reliably confirmed; do not be alarmed and stop all contact with such products. You should act on the principle: everything is good in moderation.

Can children have milk chocolate?

There are no clear prohibitions on the use of these products or age restrictions. Possible reasons for a ban may be:

• allergy to chocolate in general;
• diabetes mellitus;
• obesity;
• lactose intolerance.

The age of the child must also be taken into account. Pediatricians do not recommend allowing children under three years of age to consume chocolate of any kind. This is explained by the fact that in young children the functions of the pancreas are not sufficiently developed. Sugar is not processed in the same way as an adult. Its excess in childhood can cause diabetes.

It is worth holding off on chocolate if the child is under three years old. If you want to pamper your baby, start with a small piece of real dark chocolate containing cocoa powder. Check with your child's doctor in advance and check for an allergic reaction.

Milk fat in chocolate is healthy if you consume it in moderation and do not overdo it with other similar products. By following this simple rule, you can occasionally indulge in milk chocolates and get both benefit and pleasure from it.

Which chocolate is healthier?

First, let's look at the product range. Everyone knows that chocolate comes in several types:

Black or bitter chocolate;

Milk chocolate;

White chocolate.

But not everyone knows what the fundamental difference between these types is, except for color and taste, of course.

Dark chocolate contains the largest amount of crushed cocoa beans, which is why the taste acquires a characteristic bitterness, and the color of the chocolate is rich and dark. This type of chocolate is considered the healthiest for adults. It contains many antioxidants, which protect against premature aging. It will also help cope with fatigue and increase performance.

Milk chocolate is different in color from bitter chocolate and has a milder taste. This type of chocolate uses milk fat, which gives the product a more delicate taste. For this reason, this type of chocolate is most loved by children and is considered healthier for them. Can easily melt under the influence of temperature.

White chocolate contains no cocoa beans at all, which is why the color of the chocolate is so light. The base uses cocoa butter, which has no taste, but gives the chocolate a cocoa smell. They are responsible for the taste powdered sugar And powdered milk. Melts very quickly when the temperature rises.

Milk and vegetable fat, as we already understood, is found in milk and white chocolate. It is also known that chocolate can contain three types of fats: cocoa butter, vegetable fat, and milk fat.

Any vegetable fats can be contained in chocolate, only in the smallest quantities, since they can form trans fats (trans isomers of fatty acids) during heat treatment. The presence of a large amount of vegetable fat can be easily determined, since such “chocolate” melts very poorly in the hands and on the tongue. These vegetable fats include coconut and palm oils. And if coconut oil has real benefits for the body, then palm oil only clogs it.

Milk fat in chocolate is used as a concentrate, which is obtained from high quality cow's milk. By adding milk fat to chocolate, the cocoa butter content is reduced and the product acquires a more delicate taste. Milk fat prevents the formation of plaque on dark chocolate, and in some cases it is even added in increased volume, replacing part of the cocoa butter.

Well, any chocolate contains sugar, which is the basis of the entire bar. In order not to just buy a sugar bar, you should read the ingredients. To correctly read the composition of a product, pay attention to the arrangement of the elements - the ingredient in the largest quantity always comes first. Often, even if the packaging says “bitter chocolate”, sugar is listed first in the composition. Such a product cannot be called real dark chocolate.

Tomatoes are a product that contains many useful elements - a huge amount of vitamins, fiber, various micro and macro elements, in addition, tomato is an excellent antidepressant, as it contains serotonin

Let's talk about fats of animal origin, i.e. those fats that animals provide us. These are the most common beef, pork, lamb fat and milk fat found in milk.

Today it is very fashionable to talk about the dangers of solid animal fats in the diet. They got such a reputation in connection with the struggle started by doctors and nutritionists with overweight, various types of heart disease, vascular disease, diabetes, fatty acids, and so on. However, not everything is so simple, and animal fats are moderately useful and necessary for the body.

The beneficial role of fats in the body

Fats Along with proteins and carbohydrates, the most important organic compounds, they carry out all kinds of vital processes in the body, ensuring its functioning. So they are responsible for the energetic, plastic, protective functions:

• Fats serve as the basis for the formation of elements of cellular structures.
• Biologically active substances, for example, hormones.
• Without fats, the intake and activity of vitamins A, E and D is impossible.
• The protective function of fats is to nourish the skin and protect it from drying out and protection from harmful influences.
• Protecting the body from mechanical stress and hypothermia.
• Fats provide a reserve of energy and water. When 100 g of fat is oxidized, 110 g of water is formed and 930 kcal of energy is released.

Harm of fats to the body

It is recognized that animal fats are suppliers, especially in this regard, beef fat is recognized as the hardest and therefore the most harmful to health. Fats are deposited on the walls of blood vessels and form so-called cholesterol plaques. Most often this occurs in the body, where metabolism is disrupted and harmful substances are formed.

An excess of fat leads to weight gain, obesity, and, consequently, to the emergence of a whole bunch of diseases.

About the benefits of milk fats

Milk fat - fat contained in the milk of animals, in particular cows, goats, sheep, camels. From a chemical point of view, milk fat is an ester of the trihydric alcohol glycerol, saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, free fatty acids and vitamins.
Milk fat concentration in cow's milk ranges from 2.5 to 6% fat depending on the breed of cow and feed.

If animal fats contained in meat, the same ones that doctors so actively scold, have the structure of saturated fat, then milk fat contains, in addition to saturated fat, healthy unsaturated fatty acids with a short chemical bond, which are easily absorbed in the body without forming. During the metabolic process, milk fats break down into simpler compounds, releasing a large amount of energy needed by the body.

Dairy products are truly valuable for their composition and should be included in the diet of all categories of people. In Russia, instead of the consumption rate of dairy products recommended by the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences of 330 kg per year per person, only 240 kg are consumed. But milk is, first of all, a source that almost every citizen of our country often lacks. Which in itself is critical for everyone, but especially for children, pregnant and lactating women.

However, it has recently been established that just sugar in combination with milk fat, for example cocoa butter, absolutely harmless. This is another reason to include it in your diet.

Contraindications for fats

• Of course, it is necessary to observe the amount of fat in the diet; it is important that in addition to fats and proteins, the diet contains plant foods rich in fiber and microelements.
• For people who are obese or overweight, it is worth limiting their fat intake.
• Those who are allergic to lactose or other types of fats are advised to refrain from taking them.

Remember that variety in diet including fats, especially dairy, and compliance with it in moderation will ensure health and joy in life.

Perhaps you will be interested in information about the benefits of ghee, its use for medicinal purposes and its preparation at home:

The attitude towards fat of animal origin, be it milk fat, meat fat, causes fear among nutritionists and calls to abandon them or at least reduce the proportion of consumption. However, not everything is clear; animal and vegetable fats should be present in our diet, in compliance with their measures. A special role is given to it as a source of omega 3 unsaturated fatty acids. And the most fish oil is found in fatty and semi-fat fish: mackerel, salmon, capelin and herring, which are considered the most healthy.

Be healthy!

PS. New research results in favor of milk:

Scientists from McMaster University (Canada) found that consuming three servings of dairy products per day is associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and premature death. Scientists spent nine years studying the performance of 137 thousand people aged 35 to 70 years from different countries.

As it turned out, the highest mortality rate is in people who do not consume dairy products. Moreover, people who drank milk more than twice a day lived longer. In particular, they had a noticeably reduced mortality rate as a result of problems with the heart and blood vessels. Researchers have concluded that dairy products have health benefits.