“The main component of chocolate is cocoa butter, and the alkaloids caffeine and theobromine it contains are natural stimulants and explain the tonic effect of chocolate on the human body. It relieves fatigue, gives vigor, restores strength, and lifts the mood thanks to magnesium - a real source of joy. Chocolate also contains other important and necessary microelements: calcium, phosphorus, iron, sodium, as well as vitamins B1, B2 and PP,” Belyaeva said.
Also, according to her, chocolate improves brain function.
At the same time, as the expert explained, only a product obtained from cocoa products and sugar, which contains at least 35% of the total solids of cocoa products, including at least 18% cocoa butter and at least 14%, can be called chocolate. dry fat-free residue of cocoa products.
According to her, due to the trend of growing consumer interest in products belonging to the category of healthy nutrition, manufacturers of chocolate products are forced to expand their product range and adjust the composition of chocolate by enriching it with proteins, minerals and vitamins, as well as replacing sugar with a non-carbohydrate sweetener .
“Manufacturers consider it very promising to enrich chocolate with valuable nutrients,” the specialist explained.
She added that currently the chocolate market already offers products with additives of plant and animal origin, which enrich chocolate with the missing components: proteins, probiotics, dietary fiber.
“Some of the most common fortifying additives for chocolate products are cereal flakes, salt, nuts, dried fruits, and spices,” the expert explained.
Such additives make it possible to reduce the calorie content of products by reducing the amount of fast carbohydrates in chocolate and adding missing protein, vitamin and mineral components to it, RT’s interlocutor concluded.
Earlier, analysts conducted a survey and found out what the food of the future will be, according to Russians.