Chocolate milk more than a simple snack

Chocolate milk may have just replaced water as the ultimate sports drink.

In recent years, chocolate milk has evolved from an elementary school student’s treat to a delicious and inexpensive replacement for overpriced Gatorades and various other fitness drinks.

Claims have been made that chocolate milk benefits the human body as much as, if not more than, routine energy formulas, flaunting an ideal combination of natural carbohydrates and proteins.

Since this discovery, even more studies have been conducted to determine just how beneficial chocolate milk can be for athletes.

According to a 2009 study in Medical News Today, chocolate milk was found to meet, and in some cases exceed, the post-workout recovery benefits of an equal-calorie sports drink.

A 2007 British study declared milk to be better at restoring fluid levels than water and other sports drinks after exercising under hot conditions.

With the appearance of these recent studies, it’s no wonder sports drink sales plummeted in 2009. Although most would attribute this downfall to economic hardships or other sales factors, the recent popularity of chocolate milk might have affected the downward trend.

Who wouldn’t choose cheap, delicious chocolate milk over a sports drink, anyway?

The benefits of chocolate milk are not necessarily new. Runners in particular have lauded the drink for years, praising it as a post-run miracle.

Only recently are other fields of fitness beginning to understand the benefits as well. Olympic gold-medalist Michael Phelps drank chocolate milk after swim sessions in the 2004 Olympics, helping to subtly promote the refreshment as a refueling wonder for sports other than just running or weight-lifting.

But why is chocolate milk so good for you? What exactly is it doing to garner such high praise from the athletic and medical communities?

Chocolate milk has a natural ratio of carbohydrates to proteins that is ideal for muscle recovery process after intense strength-training and aerobic exercises.

The amino acids found in chocolate milk also help to prevent future muscle damage and are capable of shortening recovery periods in between workouts. The acids repair damaged muscle tissue while promoting leaner muscle mass.

Additionally, chocolate milk, like plain milk, contains vitamin D and calcium levels that are significantly higher than those found in rival sports drinks. Such levels not only promote healthier muscles but also strengthen bones.

It is a more affordable beverage than sports drinks, too and if you’re not looking to buy a whole gallon of chocolate milk, simply picking up a bottle of Hershey’s chocolate syrup is enough to keep you satisfied.


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Source: Daily Trojan

Recipe of the Week - Chocolate Expresso Balls

A great recipe we have found courtesy of SBS. We tried it and it was absolutely delicious! Following this recipe it made around 35 balls.


Ingredients

200ml cream, at least 30% fat
250g dark chocolate couverture, 50% cocoa, chopped
200g milk chocolate couverture, 30% cocoa, chopped
100g soft butter
6 tbsp instant espresso powder
4 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp icing sugar


Method

1. Bring the cream to the boil, add the chocolate and stir until it melts. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.

2. Beat the butter with 2 tbsp espresso powder and stir into the chocolate cream. Chill for at least 1 hour.

3. Using a teaspoon, create 40 portions and shape each one into a ball. Roll each ball in espresso powder, cocoa powder and, finally, in icing sugar. Leave to cool before serving.

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Source: SBS

Swiss Chocolate Masters 2011

On the 23 and 24 January 2011 in Berne, six chocolatiers will compete for the coveted title of “Swiss Chocolate Master”. The winner will compete in the world of chocolate in Paris. The six finalists represent the best hotels, restaurants and confectioners in Switzerland.

The winner of the “Swiss Chocolate Masters 2011″ will have the honor of representing Switzerland at the prestigious Salon du Chocolat in Paris to be held in October 2011, where he or she will compete for the title of “World Chocolate Master”, otherwise known as the world champion of chocolate.

The “Swiss Chocolate Master” and the “World Chocolate Masters” competitions are initiated and promoted by Barry Callebaut, world leader in the manufacture of cocoa and chocolate of superior quality, which is headquartered in Switzerland.

This international event offers participants an exciting platform to be known worldwide, allowing them to demonstrate their talent and creativity in the field of chocolate before a professional jury and an enthusiastic audience.

The six participants who will compete in late January in Berne to win the only ticket to the “World Chocolate Masters 2011″ Paris are :

* Guillaume Charlet, chef at L’Hotel de Ville in Crissier
* Pascal Inauen, a cook at the hotel in Hof Weissbad Weissbad
* Mario Inderschmitten, deputy chef Staldbach Visp
* Samuel Romagné confectionery Marc-André Cartier Versoix
* Claudia Schmid, head of “Ice cream, confectionery Sprüngli Zurich
* Pilar Riccardi, Assistant pastry chef at the Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues in Geneva

The “World Chocolate Masters” World Championships of chocolate, are the only international event for chocolatiers. The World Chocolate Masters, the best chocolatiers around the world are invited to demonstrate their talent before a jury. To participate in the “World Chocolate Masters, candidates must first compete with the best architects of their country as part of national presets.

Barry Callebaut created the “World Chocolate Masters in 2004. This competition is held every two years will run from October 19 to 21, 2011 at the Salon du Chocolat in Paris.

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Source: AFN

US on guard against chocolate eggs from Canada

The United States takes its ban on chocolate eggs with toys inside very seriously, a Canadian woman discovered when she was threatened at the border with a 300-dollar fine over a Kinder Surprise, media said.

Public broadcaster CBC said Lind Bird was stopped at the US border last month and selected for a random search of her vehicle. Authorities found and seized a two-dollar Kinder Surprise as illegal contraband.

"It's just a chocolate egg," Bird told CBC. "And they were making a big deal. They said: 'If you were caught with this across the border you would get charged a 300-dollar fine.'"

"It's ridiculous," she added.

Ferrero first launched the confection in Italy in 1972, but has been denied access to the US market over concerns that tiny toys hidden inside the eggs pose a choking hazard to small children. The United States also prohibits embedding non-food items in confectionery.

They have been available in Canada since 1975, as well as several other countries, and are especially popular around Christian holidays.

Health Canada has determined that small children do not have the manual dexterity to crack open the eggs, and so are unlikely to inhale or choke on the trinkets inside that usually require assembly.

Mike Milne, a spokesman for US customs and border protection, said US authorities confiscated more than 25,000 of the treats in 2,000 separate seizures in 2009, the most recent year figures are available.

"It's mostly individuals that bring them across land borders and airports. They come around twice a year, at Christmas and Easter," he told AFP.

While it may seem trivial to some, US authorities followed up with a seven-page letter asking Bird to formally authorize the destruction of her seized Kinder egg, she told CBC.

"I thought it was a joke. I had to read it twice. But they are serious," she said.

The letter reportedly stated if Bird wished to contest the seizure, she would have to pay a minimum 250 US dollars for it to be stored as the two sides squabbled over the egg.

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Source: SMH

Unexploded grenade found in box of chocolates

A group of Indian children tore open a discarded box of chocolates in search of candy - only to find an unexploded grenade hidden inside, The Times of India reported.

Excited youngsters stumbled across the sinister package inside a playground in the western city of Navi Mumbai. They prized open the lid and found the explosive device nestling inside the enticing packaging, authorities said.

Bomb disposal officers rushed to the scene and cordoned off the area while dog teams searched for further threats, The Times said. No further grenades or explosives were located but authorities warned locals to be wary of strange objects and packages.

Officers from the local police's Special Branch unit are hunting the culprit.

"The BDDS [bomb detection and disposal squad] immediately took the grenade to a secluded area to examine how dangerous it was. However, the device did not explode,'' Purshottam Karad, deputy commissioner of police, said.

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Source: Herald Sun

Chocolate may reduce risk in pregnancy

EATING chocolate at least three times a week could halve the risk of pregnant women developing a condition that can threaten the lives of both mothers and babies.

Research has found that women who regularly eat chocolate are less likely to suffer from pre-eclampsia, one of the most common causes of complications during pregnancy, The (London) Daily Telegraph reported.

Pre-eclampsia can cause pregnancy complications after blood vessels in the placenta fail to develop. The major symptom of the condition is elevated blood pressure in the mother.

The condition affects the unborn child by disrupting the transfer of nutrients, leading to premature birth and other complications.

Researchers at Yale University in the US questioned 2500 women on their dietary habits during pregnancy as part of the study.

Nearly half the women who did not develop high blood pressure reported that they had eaten chocolate regularly.

The research is due to be published in the American journal Annals of Epidemiology.


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Source: News.com.au

Chocolate Competitions!

For those who love chocolate the following competitions could well have been designed for you!

1. A competition in the United States in October 2007 saw seven finalists licking their way through 300kg of chocolate to get to a brand new Jeep Cherokee 4WD. The winner was Anne Gemkow of Chicago who was the first person to lick clean the grilles of seven different chocolate covered jeep products.

2. Also in 2007 in Chicago Al Capone’s best-known mob hit, the St Valentine’s Day Massacre, was marked with a competition to see who could eat the most chocolate hearts in seven minutes - one minute for each mobster killed in the 1929 gunfest. Each heart weighed 3.5oz. The winner a Chicago student called Patrick Bertoletti consumed 15.5oz and in the process won himself $2500.

3. In California every year the Chocolate Festival offers cash prizes and trophies for what amounts to a ChocOlympics, with separate events for eating Chocolate Kisses, Chocolate Oreos, Chocolate Pies, and the Extreme Chocolate Bar division.

4. One chocolate eating competition in Germany curiously offers the winner a selection of high fashion clothing _ possibly in a larger size than they were wearing before the competition started.

5. In July 2010 Patrick Bertoletti downed 38 Mars Bars in five minutes to win the Red Faction Mars Bar Eating Championship at Comic Con in San Diego.

If you have a sweet tooth perhaps you are wasting you talents. So next time someone tut-tuts when you’re munching on Cadbury's finest, just give them a knowing wink and point out you’re in training.

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Crazy for Chocolate

Quite why anyone would want to do anything with chocolate other than eat it is beyond me but check out these fantastic chocolate creations!

Of the 23 pictures my favourite is the Roman Chariot. The mind blowing attention to detail, not to mention the amazing creative vision and pain staking diligence required to craft it is quite unbelievable. That said those shoes are pretty cool too. As is that Racing Car. Infact they are all wonderful!

Article posted by Spencer Samaroo, Managing Director, Moo-Lolly-Bar
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Recipe of the Week - Chocolate Beer Waffles

A nice and simple recipe for the boys.

INGREDIENTS

1 1/3 cups of plain flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup soy milk
3/4 cup dark beer
1/4 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


METHOD

1. In a mixing bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt and sugar.

2. Pour in the milk, beer, oil and vanilla, and mix well until everything is combined into a doughy mix.

3. Turn on the waffle iron, spray with cooking oil and pour in the batter. Cook for about 20 minutes.


Article posted by Spencer Samaroo, Managing Director, Moo-Lolly-Bar
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