Benefits of chocolate

Hi everyone! Today I will be telling you guys about some of the benefits of chocolate. To expand our view of chocolate, to look at it as not just a delicious junk food but as a healthy superfood.

Cacao in its natural state is not unhealthy, but its taste is bitter and chalky, not pleasant at all. But what makes it unhealthy is when milk, sugar and butter come into play. By adding all of these ingredients it dilutes a little bit the natural benefits of cacao.

To make chocolate a healthy snack it is good to choose chocolate that has a 70% or more of cacao.

“As long as the content is that high, you can reap the benefits from eating only small amounts. Because of its high fat and sugar content, limit yourself to 7 ounces, or about four dark chocolate bars, a week” says Mary Engler, Ph.D, a professor of physiological nursing at the University of California at San Francisco.
Here come the benefits:

1. Chocolate is good for a healthier heart

Research claims that has cardiovascular benefits and it also has antioxidants and flavonoids that reduced the blood pressure-raising effects of exercise on overweight individuals. One square of dark chocolate a day is recommended to help reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.

2. It aids weight loss

Yes, one can add chocolate to lose weight. More specifically dark chocolate, since it lessens cravings for salty, sweet and fatty foods. So once in a while it’s good to indulge in a small portion of dark chocolate, since it also makes it easier to stick to a diet plan.

3. Helps Diabetes Prevention

Sweets and diabetes don’t mix right, well guess what? It is proven that eating dark chocolate in small quantities helps control insulin levels and sensitivity. It is because of the flavonoids since it increases nitric oxide production.

4. It reduces stress
Chocolate as a stress reliever, perfect! It is proven that when one is under stress let it be work related or college exams it is better to snack on chocolate. Since it prevents the levels of cortisol to wreak havoc in our bodies. By reducing the hormone levels, making the negative metabolic effects of stress lessen.

5. Can be used as a cough Relief

Some studies show that chocolate can help quiet down coughing almost as well as codeine.

Hope you guys enjoyed the information provided. Remember chocolate is not just candy it is a healthy superfood.

Homemade chocolate exfoliation mask

Hi everyone! Today I will show you how to make your very own chocolate exfoliation mask. To pamper yourself with chocolate without the added calories.

Here are the ingredients you will need:

1 tbsp. Cocoa powder (or butter)
1 tbsp. Organic Honey
1 tbsp. Yogurt or whipped cream (Greek or whichever you want, as long as it is plain)

Alright let’s get started

First grab a cereal bowl or a plate that is a little bit deep mix the cocoa powder and the organic honey together until it forms a paste. Then add the yogurt to the cocoa honey paste, mix until well incorporated, that it looks creamy and has a rich consistency. Then let the mixture chill in the fridge for a few minutes.
In the mean time since this can be a little bit messy to apply, I suggest you look for an old shirt or something that you don’t mind getting dirty, to wear while applying the mask.

After the mixture has set, apply a thin, even layer onto the face while avoiding the sensitive eye area. Then after putting the mask, you have to wait 20 to 25 minutes. When the minutes have passed rinse off, and pat your face dry (patting helps improve blood circulation). After this exfoliation one should always put moisturizer one the face, to maintain the natural moister of the face.

Little notes:
Cocoa powder = High in anti-oxidants
Organic honey = Nourishes, hydrates, rejuvenate skin and repair skin cells. It also tightens skin, helps acne and inflammation.
Natural yogurt (or whipped cream) = Hydrates skin, brightens complexion and treats blemishes.

Well guys hope you enjoyed this deliciously smelling homemade chocolate facial mask. Share it with your friends, have a girl’s night or a slumber party and have a guilt free chocolate facial mask.

It is always a good time to pamper oneself and what a better way than with a chocolate facial.

Chocolate + Flour + Eggs = Chocolate Cake

Last week I had a lot of stress because of a homework assignment, so I decided to bake. The question in my mind was, what should I bake? It definitely has to have chocolate, it doesn’t matter if it’s as a main or second ingredient. Then I remembered a rich, decadent and simple chocolate cake recipe, that is delicious, has a few ingredients, and the process is a piece of cake.

Chocolate cake
225g Chocolate (good quality chocolate for example Fazer, or the one that you prefer) (Dark or milk)
80g Butter
57g Granulated sugar
3 Eggs
3 tbsp Flour (just any regular flour will do)

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC.
2. Butter a 20cm/8in circular or rectangular basic crystal baking dish.
3. Over a double boiler or in the microwave melt the chocolate with the butter and sugar.
4. In a separate bowl whisk the eggs and the flour.
5. Then temper the egg and flour mixture by slowly adding half of the chocolate mix while whisking it carefully.
6. Then add the tempered egg mix to the chocolate whisk everything together, then pour it to the crystal baking dish.
7. Bake in the oven for about 20 to 25 min. To check if the cake is done, you can insert a small knife, if it comes out clean then it’s done. Let it cool for about 10 min and enjoy!
And here is the finished result, you guys can decorate it with chopped almonds, toasted coconut flakes or topped of simply by dusting powdered sugar like I did. Also it doesn’t hurt to add ice cream, caramel and whipped cream, mmmmmm … yumm.

Hope you guys enjoy this recipe and give it a try, your friends and family will love this delicious and luxurious chocolate cake.
If you have any questions or comments feel free to ask!

Chocolate factory!

Since arriving in Finland, the students from Haaga-Helia have promoted the chocolate brand called Fazer. That is when my curiosity got sparked, since my passion is chocolate, I wanted to have the opportunity to taste this delectable morsel. Luckily the opportunity arose, the ESN exchange student group created an event to be able to go to the Fazer chocolate factory. I was overwhelmed with excitement, I thought to myself “This is my chance to learn and investigate this local brand of chocolate!”

When we arrived at the factory, I was overflowing with excitement. First they showed us a video of how Fazer was created, how it is still a family owned business and how some of the names for the chocolates came to be. After that they divided us in groups of 2, they started the tour. Where they talked about were the cacao that they use comes from, also the process of how to make chocolate from the cacao bean. In addition they showed us the different products that they make, for example the Fazer bread called reissumies, its taste was deliciously exceptional. In that same area I noticed that there were some seats with the appearance of little loafs of bread, really cute.


After that there was an area were everything had muumis, from the wall background to life size dolls, it was super cute. Finally the part that I was waiting for, the free tasting, we had the opportunity to taste almost all of the different varieties of chocolate that they produce. It was a very delicious and awesome experience that I will never forget. In the end we bought a lot of chocolates to take home to our family and friends. It was an amazing experience and a very sweet one too. I really recommend it!



What is your favorite chocolate flavor from Fazer? Mine was the Geisha Dark 😉

Text and photo by: Nicole Soto