CHOCOLATE

a) Do you like chocolate? Do you prefer dark, milk or white?

b) How often do you eat chocolate?
c) What’s your favorite chocolate dessert?
d) What part does chocolate play in Peru’s culture?
e) What places are known for their good chocolate? Which is your favorite?
f) Write down all of the different words you associate with chocolate.

Chocolate Is Good For Your Heart

A study carried out in Germany has found that chocolate may be good for your heart. This is fantastic
news for all chocolate lovers. The extensive research was conducted over eight years. The research
team followed the chocolate-eating habits and health of almost 20,000 people. They compared how
much chocolate was in their diet to the number of heart attacks and strokes people had. Lead
researcher Brian Buijsse said: "The good news is that chocolate is not as bad as we used to think,
and may even lower the risk of heart disease and stroke." Mr Buijsse said his team found that dark
chocolate was the healthiest kind to eat: "Dark chocolate exhibits the greatest effects, milk chocolate
fewer, and white chocolate no effects," he said.

The German study showed that people who ate the most chocolate (at least one bar per week)
reduced their risk of having a heart attack by 27 per cent. The risk of suffering a stroke was cut by as
much as 48 per cent. Nutrition experts believe that natural compounds in chocolate called flavonols
are good for our heart. Flavonols also help reduce
blood pressure. They are found in cocoa beans so dark
chocolate (which has more cocoa) contains more of
them than milk chocolate (which has more fat). Buijsse
warns people not to suddenly eat lots of chocolate:
"Eating higher amounts will most likely result in weight
gain. If people start eating small amounts of chocolate,
it should replace something else, preferably other high-
calorie sweets or snacks."

Write the three most interesting facts you learned

about chocolate from reading this article:

1. ________________________________________________________________________________

2. ________________________________________________________________________________

3. ________________________________________________________________________________
Watch the video “Chocolate Production” and take notes. Then answer the questions below.

The Story of Chocolate

1. How long has the cocoa tree been a part of human culture?
2. Who first created the chocolate drink?
3. What did the Aztecs call chocolate? What does it mean?
4. How many cups did Montezuma drink every day?
5. True or false: The Aztecs used chocolate as currency.
6. What did Cortez do with chocolatl? What was the result?
7. When did the first chocolate factory in America open?
8. True or false: Until the 1800s, chocolate was mostly consumed in edible form.
9. True or false: Before the 1900s, chocolate was only consumed by the wealthy.

Cocoa Beans

1. Where do cacao trees grow?

2. True or false: Cacao trees don’t need protection from sun and wind.
3. True or false: Hundreds of flowers grow on a single cacao tree.
4. What color are the pods in the beginning?
5. True or false: Less than 5% of cocoa supply is grown on large plantations.
6. What are the negative effects of large plantations on cacao trees?
7. What does the World Cocoa Foundation teach farmers around the world? What has the result
been?

Harvesting Cocoa Beans

1. How do farmers harvest the pods?

2. True or false: The growing season in the tropics lasts 6 months.
3. How long does the fermentation process last? What happens during this period?
4. True or false: The drying process lasts at least a week.

The Art of Chocolate Making

1. What happens to the beans before they enter the manufacturing facility?
2. How long are the beans roasted?
3. How are the shells removed from the bean?
4. What happens to the cocoa nibs (remnants of shells)?
5. True or false: Chocolate liquor contains small amounts of alcohol.
6. What ingredients are added to the chocolate liquor to make chocolate?
7. True or false: After the cooling process, the chocolate is ready to be wrapped and shipped.

Chocolate & Your Lifestyle

1. True or false: Cocoa powder and dark chocolate are low in antioxidants.
2. How much caffeine is in a chocolate bar?
3. Does chocolate make children hyperactive? Explain.
4. True or false: Chocolate causes cavities more than other sugary foods.