I saw an article today on social media which made me smile – about using up leftover Easter eggs. But, having laughed at the likelihood of such a scenario, it had me thinking.
We all think of chocolate as something naughty, we bandy about terms such as ‘chocoholic’ to refer to someone who likes the sweet treat. But, does a chocoholic really exist? What is it about chocolate that is so universally tempting?
Firstly, it’s full of sugar. Masses of sugar! And we all know that sugar is quite addictive. Without the sugar and added fats however, the Cacao that’s used to produce chocolate would be very unappetising. But this isn’t what causes the cravings. Chocolate increases ‘enkephalin’ which is a natural chemical inside your brain that makes you want more – it’s the same chemical that causes the addiction to taking serious drugs. The more you eat, the more you want to eat. There’s no evidence to suggest whether darker chocolate has more of an addictive impact than milk or white chocolate. It truly boils down to which you like the taste of most.
The chemical reactions we feel also lead to the suggestion that chocolate could be an anti-depressant but there’s no scientific evidence to back this up. More, it would seem that the reverse could end up proving true. Whilst you get the spike when you’ve just eaten the chocolate, making you feel happier temporarily, the sugar and fats can cause weight gain, spots, tooth decay and, inevitably, lower self-esteem. Eating chocolate in excessive quantity can also cause heart disease and obesity.
So, the bottom line is to enjoy the treat. But consider it as such. If you believe you’re becoming a chocoholic, maybe consider taking this seriously.
It’s not all doom and gloom, and I’m not going to nag. Chocolate does have its uses. Where would Valentine’s day be without the little box of loveliness? It’s a versatile product, available in powder form, bars, or liquid; it can be coloured and flavoured, chopped, grated or melted. I always have a bar (well, three) in my baking cupboard as well as packs of chocolate chips and tins of cocoa powder ready for baking urges.
So, what CAN we do with the excess of chocolate you find yourself unable to consume? Well really you can either break the eggs up into pieces or melt them. Broken pieces can replace chocolate chips in baking, melt the chocolate to make chocolate dips, sauces, chocolate icing or even hot chocolate drinks.
But for most of us, can you really beat just eating them? My initial reaction remains… ‘using up excess WHAT?!’
Whatever you choose to do with your ‘excess’ chocolate – enjoy.
Love,
Maggie x
