Scientists Make Healthier, Less Wasteful Chocolate
Scientists Make Healthier, Less Wasteful Chocolate
01:54
1 de jul de 2024 23:10
Descrição
People in Switzerland eat more chocolate than anyone else in the world. According to data from World Population Review, the average Swiss person eats nearly 9 kilograms of chocolate a year — almost twice as much as people in America. So it might be no surprise that a Swiss university is doing research on chocolate — looking for ways to make it healthier and better for the planet! Chocolate is made using cocoa beans, which grow in pods on the cacao tree. Each pod holds 20 to 60 seeds — or beans — that are covered in sweet white pulp. Researchers from the university ETH Zurich have found a way to mix the pulp with part of the pod to make a sweet gel, which can be used instead of the powdered sugar that's usually added to cocoa beans when making chocolate. Typical dark chocolate might be made of 30% to 40% powdered sugar. Testing different recipes, the researchers found they could make chocolate that was up to 20% gel and about as sweet as chocolate with 5% to 10% powdered sugar. The new chocolate also had 20% more fiber and 30% less saturated fat than typical European dark chocolate — meaning it's healthier to eat. Main study writer, Kim Mishra, told The Guardian that the new chocolate has a fruitier taste than typical dark chocolate — although it also tastes more acidic. The researchers said using parts of the cocoa plant that are usually thrown away reduces waste, while using the new gel would let cocoa farmers get money not just from their beans, but by selling the pulp and pod parts needed for the gel as well. It may be a while before we can try this chocolate for ourselves. However, ETH Zurich has already filed a patent for the recipe.
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