Cocoa powder: benefits and harms

Chemical composition and nutritional properties

The chemical composition of cocoa bean powder surprises many. It contains a significant amount of vitamins and other beneficial nutrients. It contains acids, macro- and microelements necessary for the body, without which normal functioning of the body is impossible.

To confirm the value of the product, we list its chemical composition:

• beta-carotene;
• thiamine;
• riboflavin;
• pantothenic acid;
• folic acid;
• pyridoxine;
• tocopherol;
• niacin;
• manganese;
• iron;
• zinc;
• phosphorus;
• molybdenum;
• fluorine;
• chlorine;
• sulfur;
• copper;
• sodium;
• calcium;
• potassium.

The powder is obtained from cocoa beans

Eating any product that contains cocoa powder as one of its ingredients is always beneficial. But this should be done in moderation. Cocoa is very beneficial for the whole body. It is a powerful antidepressant, improves mood, helps fight stress, and improves brain function. For people with high cholesterol, it is important that natural cocoa powder normalizes blood lipids and eliminates the risk of developing atherosclerosis.

IMPORTANT! Cocoa powder is high in calories. Considering what cocoa consists of, namely the presence of fats, the powder is not low-calorie. It contains from 289 to 324 kcal per 100 g of product. Basically, this calorie content is provided by the lipid content.

Don't worry about the high calorie content. To prepare a cup of drink you will need from 5 to 25 g of powder, depending on the desired strength. Therefore, the number of calories per serving is small. But this only applies to natural products. The highest calorie powder is a mixture with sugar, so take this into account when calculating calories. When adding milk powder, the calorie content is even higher.

The nutritional composition is distributed as follows: 25 percent are proteins, about 15 percent are lipids and 10 percent are carbohydrates. The rest of the product consists of dietary fiber and water.

Table

This table shows the average norms of elements for an adult.

Varieties

There are several varieties of the product that can be seen for sale on store shelves. To choose the right and best one, you need to know how they differ.

Light powder is a natural product, alkalized cocoa looks darker and richer

According to the method of cocoa production, there are:

• natural - this type is prepared by crushing the cake of cocoa beans after they are pressed. Typically, a natural product is light in color and has a weaker odor. When cooking, it must undergo temperature treatment so that the product dissolves better, otherwise unpleasant lumps of undissolved raw materials will appear in the liquid;
• alkalized - undergoes alkali treatment, which reduces the amount of tannins. This product has a richer taste and a pronounced chocolate tint and aroma. Alkalized cocoa is highly soluble in water and milk, which allows you to prepare instant drinks and not be afraid of spoiling the product.

Alkalized cocoa powder

According to the method of extraction of beans, cocoa powder can be:

• industrial - such raw materials are grown in large volumes; mineral supplements and fertilizers are used for accelerated growth and high fruiting. Almost all cocoa trees are industrial and are used in this way, so in stores buyers buy industrial cocoa;
• organic – the product is grown without adding fertilizers, which significantly affects the taste of the powder;
• “live” - the so-called live cocoa is collected from trees growing in natural, wild conditions. The fruits are harvested by hand, and the trees are not treated with any chemicals during the growth process. The powder is highly valued for its exceptional qualities, which is why it costs a lot. You can’t buy it in a regular store - real cocoa product is made in small quantities to order.

Composition and benefits of the product

Cocoa powder is obtained from beans, the fruit of small tropical evergreen trees growing in the forests of Central and South America.

They contain high concentrations of macro- and microelements (magnesium, iron, zinc, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, etc.), essential fatty acids (oleic, linolenic, palmitic, stearic).

The vitamin composition of the product is also rich (PP, A, E, group B), but their concentration in it is slightly lower than the daily norm. For example, per 100 g of powder there is 0.3 mg of vitamin E, with a norm of 8-15 mg.

The benefits of cocoa are also explained by the presence of caffeine, proteins, polyphenols (tannins), starch, glucose, fructose, fiber, and amino acids. What is on the list of its beneficial properties?

• Natural antidepressant

Are you familiar with irritability, depressed mood, fatigue? – Why not have a cup of cocoa. Vitamin B in the composition helps maintain normal functioning of the nervous system. It also contains magnesium and natural antidepressants, in particular phenylethylamine, tryptophan.

Cocoa enhances the production of serotonin, the “joy hormone”. Therefore, it successfully copes with bad moods and reduces the impact of stressful and anxious conditions on the body.

• Tonic effect

Among the substances included in cocoa are caffeine and a similar alkaloid in composition – theobromine. They have tonic properties and stimulate the nervous and cardiovascular systems.

The drink increases physical and mental activity, performance and relieves fatigue. Before you drink it at night, you should take this into account.

But everything is individual and depends on the characteristics of the body and psycho-emotional state. In addition, the added milk softens the effects of caffeine and has a calming effect.

• Cleansing, effect on the gastrointestinal tract

Thanks to dietary fiber and fiber, a drink made from high-quality cocoa powder improves metabolism, removes heavy metal salts, waste and toxins, and normalizes intestinal microflora.

• Helping athletes

The benefits of cocoa are also obvious for athletes. After all, such a drink helps to quickly restore strength after an intense workout. At the same time, it will give you a boost of energy and a great mood.

• For men and women

Phenylethylamine is also one of the aphrodisiacs, intensively produced by the brain when a person meets someone he likes and experiences a state of love. In addition, cocoa increases potency and sexual activity.

• For children

Cocoa powder is not only a source of energy, but also an allergen. You can give the drink to children from the age of 3. Introduction into the diet should be gradual, starting with a teaspoon. This way it will be possible to understand how the child tolerates it, whether he has allergies, or whether it is better to postpone or stop introducing the drink.

And one more thing... Cocoa has immunomodulatory, antioxidant, regenerating properties. Improves the condition of skin and hair, slows down the aging process, smoothes out fine expression wrinkles, strengthens the immune system, and reduces bad cholesterol.

Production

Before becoming a familiar powder, the raw material goes through several stages of processing. Initially, the raw material for the production of powder is bean cake. It is obtained after pressing cocoa beans to obtain butter. Depending on what product they want to obtain, the production technology also changes. There are alkalized cocoa for preparing drinks and a natural industrial product used in confectionery production.

The process of obtaining the powder goes through several stages:

• grinding and cooling cocoa bean cake;
• rapid cooling of the raw material and its sifting, as a result of which a crushed homogeneous powdery product is released from the mixture;
• packaging of finished raw materials and packaging.

Cocoa powder is an ingredient in many confectionery products.

Typically, instant cocoa is used to make the drink, as well as to make dough and icing. For drinks, it is important that the cocoa particles are as small as possible - this way they mix in the liquid until homogeneous and do not form sediment or undissolved lumps. This is very easy to check - the suspension should not settle to the bottom within two minutes.

REFERENCE! Natural raw materials are used for confectionery production - here it is not so important to obtain a homogeneous liquid, and the powder particles mix well with flour. This is enough to obtain an evenly distributed mass.

Powder production largely depends on the quality of raw materials. The degree of grinding must be at least 90 percent. If it is necessary to produce an alkalized cocoa product, cocoa is additionally treated with alkali - after removing tannins, particles of the raw material do not settle.

Benefits and harms

Since the spread of cocoa in Europe, the product has become a favorite delicacy and is now available to every resident. Initially, it was used as a drink, making health elixirs for royalty. But over time, they began to add it to other products, having learned about its beneficial properties.

Dark chocolate with high cocoa content is good for health

The benefits of cocoa for the body are enormous:

• helps normalize blood pressure;
• reduces the level of low-density lipoproteins;
• protects the body from the development of malignant neoplasms;
• promotes the treatment of bronchial asthma due to the content of theophylline and xanthine;
• relieves chronic fatigue;
• activates metabolism and the process of losing weight;
• inhibits the worsening of diabetes mellitus;
• normalizes the functioning of the heart and blood vessels;
• promotes wound healing;
• increases brain activity.

REFERENCE! The main feature of cocoa powder is its high content of flavonoids. These substances come in many varieties, but the most beneficial are catechin and epicatechin. They are the ones found in cocoa.

The main role of flavonoids is to act as a source of antioxidants, and they also help prevent inflammatory processes in the body. With the help of epicatechin, blood flow in peripheral vessels is improved, blood pressure is normalized, and the walls of blood vessels are strengthened.

According to research results, the powder contains even more flavonoids than coffee and cocoa, so drinking cocoa is healthier. They also stimulate the parts of the brain responsible for memory and learning. When drinking a drink based on powder, the blood sugar level does not increase, which is especially important for diabetics.

Due to the content of phenylethylamine, a natural antidepressant, the body produces its own endorphins. For people with increased mental and physical activity, cocoa has a relaxing effect because it releases neurotransmitters that have a calming effect.

It is not recommended to drink cocoa at night to avoid insomnia.

Despite all the advantages of the powder, it also has significant disadvantages. The downsides of the drink definitely cannot be taken into account; each consumer needs to figure out which powder is suitable or not, and in what quantity to drink if there are health restrictions.

Among the contraindications to drinking the drink, doctors name:

• preschool age;
• tendency to be overweight;
• increased excitability;
• renal failure;
• pathologies of the heart and blood vessels;
• gout;
• tendency to eating disorders.

Among the disadvantages we can mention the caffeine content, but it is less than one percent, so it is not dangerous for a healthy person. The presence of caffeine should be taken into account by those who suffer from heart and vascular diseases or have nervous system disorders.

Doctors also note the product’s high ability to provoke allergies. The powder itself is not an allergen, but the beans are treated with chemicals during the growing process. agents against harmful microorganisms and bacteria, so traces of them remain in negligible quantities in the final bean product. Typically, healthy people do not develop allergies, but consumers with a tendency to atypical reactions may experience this.

Harm and contraindications

Firstly, one cannot ignore the fact that natural cocoa powder contains caffeine, albeit in very small doses: less than half of one percent of the total mass of the product. It is this substance that negatively affects the state of the nervous and cardiovascular systems, and can also provoke the occurrence of skin rashes. Second, many low-quality beans are treated with chemicals and pesticides before grinding to kill insects living in the shell and near the kernel. The processing process gives the future powder toxic properties that cause allergies and eating disorders. It is best to opt for a more expensive product made from selected and high-quality beans. Finally, there are a number of contraindications to the use of cocoa powder:

• Junior preschool age
• Obesity
• Increased nervous excitability
• Gout
• Kidney failure
• Tendency to eating disorders and allergic reactions

Application

Cocoa powder is used primarily in confectionery production. It is added to the following products:

• candies;
• ice cream;
• fillings;
• glaze;
• chocolate;
• yogurt;
• chocolate milk;
• butter.

INTERESTING! In some national cuisines, cocoa powder is even included in the first and second courses, giving them a piquant touch.

Cocoa is beneficial for breastfeeding. The drink is prepared mainly with milk, and the powder is added in small quantities. It promotes the absorption of calcium from milk entering the mother's body, and also helps to increase lactation. You are allowed to drink one cup of a proven brand of drink per day.

Benefit for health

Natural cocoa powder has many medicinal properties. For example, he:

1. It is rich in iron, and therefore it is recommended to include it in the diet of people with anemia.
2. Keeps chromium in the body, and its normal level reduces cravings for sweets.
3. Useful for bronchitis and other respiratory diseases, especially if the drink is made with milk. Due to the theobramine contained in cocoa, the bronchi expand, and sputum is better cleared.
4. Helps lower blood pressure. Just two cups a day will be enough to normalize your levels. Theobramine increases the resistance of the heart muscle to pressure surges. At the same time, it’s nice if a few slices of dark chocolate are added to the drink.
5. Reduces the risk of blood clots.
6. Relieves fatigue and stress.
7. Contains antioxidants that rejuvenate and strengthen the body.
8. Strengthens blood vessels.

Polyphenol, found in large quantities in cocoa powder, improves blood circulation and stimulates brain function. And flavanols alleviate the symptoms of diabetes mellitus types 1 and 2, and therefore people with this disease are allowed to drink cocoa in small quantities (1-2 cups every two weeks), but without sugar.

The best time to drink the drink is in the morning. At this time, brain activity is activated after a night's sleep, and the drink stimulates this process. It will help you cheer up, lift your spirits and give you strength.

Cocoa powder does not contain as much caffeine as many people think. There is much more of this substance in tea. Therefore, you can safely drink cocoa at night and not worry about insomnia.

Women

For women, cocoa powder is of particular value. Scientists have noticed that drinking the drink has a positive effect on hormonal levels, relieves stress and calms, especially during menstruation.

Methylxanthine and tannin have a healing effect, and therefore cocoa powder is part of many medicines against gynecological diseases. For example, it is added to suppositories for thrush, which very well relieve itching, inflammation and other unpleasant sensations.

Men

For men, cocoa powder is also valuable. Magnesium and zinc, which are present in sufficient quantities in the product, help support reproductive function. Scientists have noticed that regular consumption of cocoa powder leads to an increase in testosterone production and also improves the quality of seminal fluid. In addition, cocoa powder is a strong aphrodisiac.

Children

Only high-quality cocoa powder can benefit a child, while cheap and bad ones will only provoke allergies. In addition to the fact that the drink contains a huge amount of useful substances, it also satisfies hunger well, so a cup of cocoa and a bun can be an excellent snack.

Drink also:

• strengthens the nervous system;
• helps cope with stress and improve your mood;
• strengthens bones (especially if prepared with milk).

It is better to start introducing cocoa powder and dishes made from it into your child’s diet from the age of three. Also, you should not give children a drink at night, since even a small amount of caffeine can cause insomnia in children, although for adults a nightly cup of cocoa will not be superfluous.

Despite the beneficial properties of cocoa, a child’s body is more vulnerable than an adult, and if the drink is consumed frequently, the baby may become constipated. Do not forget that the product is an allergen. Therefore, when using the drink for the first time, it is better to give the child one teaspoon. If no reaction occurs, then you can gradually increase the amount of product in the diet.

Old people

For older people whose bodies are depleted, cocoa powder, as well as products made from it, will be an excellent source of vitamins and minerals. The only thing that can be harmful is caffeine, as this substance puts a strain on the heart.

Reviews

Cocoa powder is quite popular, so there are reviews about it on various websites. Let's look at what users think about this product:

Olga: “I have been working in the confectionery industry for many years, and cocoa powder is constantly used in my work. Despite the high rating of foreign brands, I trust domestic manufacturers more. This powder behaves well in baking and provides a rich chocolate taste and aroma.”

Irina: “I really like cocoa powder, which I add to all my homemade baked goods. I don’t like a simple sponge cake - only chocolate, with cocoa added, and I always cover the cakes with icing on top. Living in Moscow, there is absolutely no problem purchasing different brands of powder, but I prefer Kommunarka.

Evgeniy: “Cocoa powder is a great solution for those with a sweet tooth. You can use it to prepare many different dishes, baked goods and drinks without fear of the high calorie content of the product. In my family, my wife constantly makes cocoa for the children, and I myself enjoy drinking the drink. And recently we began to use alkalized powder - this is the best product; you can mix it with milk in a blender and not cook it, resulting in an excellent tonic drink.”

Cocoa powder is a natural and healthy product, but you need to be careful when using it. The best thing is to use it in moderate doses so as not to provoke weight gain and increased excitability. The powder improves the taste of many foods, is healthy and will not harm either children or adults.