Chocolate

Dark chocolate has been extensively studied for its cardiometabolic health benefits, but findings have been inconsistent, spurring heated debates over whether this treat has pros that outweigh the cons. Now, new research puts dark chocolate back on the table, quantifying its impact on type 2 diabetes risk and weight gain in a study of nearly 200,000 US adults.

Bored of the regular chocolate varieties in your grocery store? Swiss scientists have invented a brand new kind of chocolate made of “cocoa fruit jelly.” The new concoction uses more of the cocoa fruit, making it healthier and more sustainable.

While chocolate will likely never be an overall healthy food, it would be good if there could at least be a lower-sugar version of it that people liked just as much as the real thing. Well, it turns out that oat flour could help make that happen.

Using an artificial tongue, researchers figured out just why chocolate feels so good in our mouths. They say it all comes down to when the fat is released, which could lead to a healthier chocolate bar that still delivers all the joy.

While many people might say that chocolate couldn't possibly be improved, such may not be the case. According to a recent study, a new cocoa bean treatment results in "fruitier, more flowery-tasting" dark chocolate.

A team of Dutch scientists has taken on the grueling task of designing the perfect piece of chocolate, using novel 3D printing techniques to create designs that shatter in the most pleasurable way when bitten. Clearly, extensive testing is required.

A team of researchers has traced back the origins of the cocoa tree to a single domestication event thousands of years ago, and uncovered other clues hiding in its genome that could help make future chocolate even better.

​The health benefits of dark chocolate are well known. Two small new studies have sought to build on this by exploring how particular concentrations of cacao can boost cognitive function along with endocrine and cardiovascular health, finding that the darker the chocolate the brighter the results.

​It was approximately 80 years ago that white chocolate was created, joining the existing dark chocolate and milk chocolate. Well, the Barry Callebaut company has unveiled a fourth chocolate. Known as ruby chocolate, its flavor and color come naturally from the ruby cocoa bean.

Diabetics are often warned against the dangers of eating too much chocolate. But it turns out that one of the treat's major components might be just the thing to help keep the disease at bay. Researchers have isolated a compound in cocoa pushes certain cells to become insulin powerhouses.

Chocaholics the world over are fighting to enjoy the sweet treat in moderation, lest they end up looking like Augustus Gloop. A team of scientists in Lausanne has managed to structure sugar differently, which could help create delicious chocolate that's easier on the waistline.

Soon you may no longer have to choose between better-tasting and better-for-you. Scientists have developed a method of boosting the antioxidant levels of milk chocolate up to those of its dark counterpart, while also putting a waste product to new use.​