Chocolate with half the fat: Not too good to be true
To the joy of chocoholics everywhere, a team of chemists at the University of Warwick in Britain have created chocolate with all the smooth creaminess you’re used to, but only half the fat. The secret behind the new and improved bars? Fruit juice.
The scientists removed much of the cocoa butter and milk fats- which are high in triglycerides- that go into chocolate and replaced them with tiny ｄroplets of orange and cranberry juice, each measuring less than 30 microns in diameter. Using a technique called Pickering emulsion, keeps the little ｄroplets from merging together into bigger ｄrops, the scientists infused the juice into milk, dark and white chocolate.
The process allows the new chocolate to maintain that delectable chocolatey “mouth feel” that is typically imbued by fat. This is because the technique preserves the crystal structure of fat, which is what gives chocolate its glossy appearance, firm texture and melt-in-the-mouth smoothness.
“Everyone loves chocolate, but unfortunately we all know that many chocolate bars are high in fat,” said lead study author Stefan Bon in a press release. “It’s the fat that gives chocolate all the indulgent sensations that people crave- the silky smooth texture and the way it melts in the mouth but still has a ‘snap’ to it when you break it with your hand. We’ve found a way to maintain all of those things that make chocolate ‘chocolatey’ but with fruit juice instead of fat.”
The trade-off is that the engineered chocolate tastes a little fruity. For less fruity taste, however, chemists say water and a small amount of ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) can be used instead of juice.
The authors say their research published in the Journal of Materials Chemistry should be a launching pad for further endeavours into healthier chocolate. “We’ve established the chemistry behind this new technique, but now we’re hoping the food industry will take our method to make tasty, lower-fat chocolate bars.” said Bon.
Article Source: http://hkfreeman.com/design/2012-2/
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VOCABULARY WORDS:
1. Chocoholic (n.)- a person who craves or compulsively consumes chocolate.
2. chemists (n.)- one trained in chemistry, one who specializes in chemicals.
3. creamy (adj.)- containing cream
4. ｄroplets (n.)- a tiny ｄrop of liquid
5. emulsion (n.)- a system consisting of a liquid dispersed with or without an emulsifier.
6. merge (verb)- to combine
7. delectable (adj.)- highly pleasing
8. imbued (verb)- to dye deeply
9. glossy (adj.)- having a surface brightness
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:
1. What is the article about?
2. According to the article, what other substitutes can be used to lessen fats in chocolate bars?
3. What are the advantages of using fruit juice in chocolate bars?
