Milk Chocolate vs. Dark Chocolate—It’s All Good

The Love of Chocolate

Chocolate is known as the “food of the Gods.” There is no scientific proof that chocolate is an aphrodisiac. However, there is proof that it stimulates the release of endorphins and serotonin, the “feel good” chemicals. Chocolate is associated with making women feel better, but men enjoy chocolate just as much if not more than their counterparts. Why does the world love chocolate?

Simply because it smells good, tastes good, melts sensually in our mouth, and is available in many forms like milk chocolate and dark chocolate. Chocolate is an important part of our good groups. We eat it and we drink it. Between chocolate drinks, dessert, and food enhancements like gourmet dark chocolate sauce and chocolate wines, we can’t help but love chocolate.

Chocolate Production

Chocolate comes from a bean that grows from a tropical tree called the cacao. Mainly our chocolate is grown in western Africa. After harvesting, the processed bean is crushed into a liquor and butter mixture. Our Hershey bar is a combination of both the liquor and the butter. Milk chocolate is the result of this combination in a 50/50 process and dark chocolate is a 70% percentage of both ingredients. Yes, there is also what we call “white” chocolate which does not contain any real chocolate derivatives, only cocoa butter, vanilla, sugar, and milk.

Milk vs. Dark

What is the difference between milk chocolate and dark chocolate? Other than its origin and its natural contents, let’s look at other nutritional principles and benefits. There is proof in research studies that dark chocolate is the healthiest between the two. The truest dark chocolate contains so much natural cocoa beans that it can taste a little bitter. This is where milk chocolate comes into existence. To counter that bitter taste, extra milk and sugar are used. To counter the deep dark chocolate’s bitter taste, vanilla beans are added.

Benefits of Chocolate

Overall, chocolate has many benefits that include increasing our energy levels. Dark chocolate and milk chocolate provides this benefit with dark chocolate containing a higher calorie count. Chocolate contains anti-oxidants with dark chocolate containing a higher amount than milk chocolate. Chocolate also contains flavonols or flavonoids that researchers believe increases your memory, boosting cognitive abilities. Dark chocolate showed more promise in increasing our brain power than milk chocolate.

Chocolate has been proven to benefit our heart and helps to fight diabetes and cancer. Dark chocolate with its high content of flavonols is better at these health benefits than milk chocolate because milk chocolate does not contain this ingredient. Flavonoids protect the cells in our body, lowers blood pressure, improves our vascular system, contains lots of vitamin C, and keeps our cholesterol and blood glucose levels normal. For these physical reasons, it is suggested that we all eat more dark chocolate

As beneficial as dark chocolate has proven to be in the medical industry, milk chocolate is favored by more people around the world. First, milk chocolate is a mainstream food. It is what the majority of the population grew up on. Milk chocolate is simply non-pretentious, it is in the majority of commercial candy that we consume daily. Let’s be real, we would grab a milk chocolate bar over a gourmet style dark chocolate bar any day!

Chocolate goes with everything. Leading chefs and cooking connoisseurs note that chocolate can be paired with foods to create a delicious, lip-smacking delight. Whether milk or dark, chocolate is used to cover fruit, nuts, cereal, and more. Just using the term “drizzle” with chocolate invokes a sensuous picture of goodness. Both milk chocolate and dark chocolate will remain on the top of the world’s list of amazing foods and drinks.

If you haven’t tried making a sauce from chocolate, here is a simple recipe that anyone can prepare:

Dark Chocolate Sauce:

Ingredients

dark chocolate – 6 ounces. Break them into small pieces

heavy cream – 8 tablespoons

water – ½ cup

sugar – ½ cup

butter – 1 ounce cut into small pieces

vanilla extract – ½ teaspoon

How To Prepare

1. In a small saucepan blend together the water and sugar. Let it simmer slowly until the sugar has dissolved and is formed into a syrupy mix.

2. Use a double boiler and place the syrup mixture in the top. Place the small dark pieces and butter into the mix while stirring or whisking until the chocolate has melted completed.

3. Slowly pour in the heavy cream and the vanilla extract, stirring until all ingredients are well blended and are a smooth consistency.

Voila! You have your warm and decadent dark chocolate sauce to serve over fruit, ice cream, almost any type of dessert and it can be placed in your coffee. Have a delicious day!

 

 

 

0 Shares