White chocolate: composition, beneficial properties and contraindications

White chocolate appeared in the 30s of last century, when the popular Swiss company Nestle has developed a new technology for obtaining such a delicacy. Among sweet eaters, such a product is very popular.

When buying a dessert, you need to remember that some unscrupulous manufacturers treat their product improperly. The composition of such chocolate can harm the body. Today, there are many companies that produce a white treat. And under these conditions, it is much more difficult to choose a quality product.

What is made of white chocolate

This chocolate is a sweet, which is made from cocoa butter, granulated sugar, powdered milk and vanillin. It does not contain the usual cocoa powder, which is why white chocolate has an ivory color, sometimes even a yellowish hue. Such a product contains low levels of antioxidants.

The specific taste of the white dessert comes from the addition of milk powder, which is characterized by a caramel flavor. The flavoring agent in this case is vanillin.

How it differs from black and milk

These varieties of chocolate differ only in their cocoa powder content. Thus, in white chocolate it is absent at all, and in black chocolate its content varies from 40 to 99 percent. As for milk chocolate, it contains up to 40 percent of such powder. But outwardly, everyone can distinguish these types of candy. The white version is inferior to the dark one in terms of useful properties, due to the lack of the same powder, which contains all the important compounds.

White chocolate and black chocolate are considered so-called antagonists, as the first variety does not contain cocoa at all, and in the second delicacy its concentration can reach 99 percent.

Composition and calories

The product has a creamy hue. It tastes like condensed milk or creamy caramel. To some, it resembles powdered baby food. Quality chocolate must not contain hydrogenated fats, palm oil or confectionary fat.

According to the standards under the relevant GOST, white chocolate must contain at least 14 percent milk powder, 20 percent cocoa butter and 3.5 percent milk fat.

The sweetness is available in the form of bars - monolithic or porous, as well as in the form of various figures, candies.

There is a white chocolate without added sugar. Its taste will be unusual, compared to the bitter chocolate, where the basis is a specific aroma and taste of cocoa. According to the regulations, such a treat should contain more than 50 percent cocoa butter. Such a product is dietary.

This type of chocolate contains tocopherol, B vitamins. The minerals here include iron, calcium, and phosphorus.

The glycemic index of the white variety is 70, while the same index of the bitter variety is 25. Therefore, for people with diabetes, versions without sugar, with stevia, are produced.

The product is quite caloric, 100 g contains about 550 kcal.

What is useful for white chocolate

General benefits

The usefulness of chocolate lies in the presence of cocoa butter in its composition. It contains oleic, linolenic and stearic acids. In addition, it contains vitamin E or tocopherol. These substances have a beneficial effect on the skin, nourishing it and filling it with energy.

Also in white chocolate there is such a substance as tannin, which has anti-inflammatory properties. The product also contains methylxanine, which is used to treat respiratory diseases. Caffeine is characterized by its analgesic effect and improves the cerebral circulation.

In cosmetology, the white variety of chocolate is used quite often. Useful components of the product promote rapid healing of wounds and eliminate various rashes on the skin. The oils in the composition of such a dessert nourish dry skin. Cosmetologists recommend making masks of chocolate, if there are traces of acne and furunculosis, stretch marks and small scars on the skin. You can use such a product in the winter period, to protect the skin from chilblains and frostbite.

For women

First of all, it is worth noting that white chocolate can be made without adding sweetener, which is very important for women who watch the figure, because such a product turns out to be dietary. This type of chocolate is suitable for preparing masks for dry skin types, as well as in the presence of inflammation. In addition, this product promotes the synthesis of serotonin and stimulates the release of endorphin, which helps to lift your mood.

White chocolate helps to get rid of acne. Another important property of this delicacy is that it prevents early aging of the skin.

For such chocolate is characterized by many beneficial characteristics. The main thing is to use it in moderation. With caution, you should use it for people who, for health reasons, have to adhere to a proper diet.

For men

As already mentioned, white chocolate contains vitamin E. This substance can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Vitamin K in the composition of chocolate ensures the absorption of calcium in the body.

Pregnancy

Vitamin E, which is contained in cocoa butter, is recommended for use during pregnancy. It allows pregnancy to proceed without any problems. And acids such as linolenic and peanut acids serve to prevent the development of diabetes, including gestational diabetes.

When breastfeeding

Chocolate during lactation helps get rid of depression, which is often seen in women after childbirth. The components of white chocolate have vitamin E, which has a positive effect on hormonal balance, improves the health of the nails and dermis, as well as balances the endocrine system. B vitamins normalize the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, have a calming effect on the nervous system and activate the brain.

Calcium is essential for a young mother and her baby, because it strengthens the bone system and teeth, being the prevention of rickets in children.

Despite the fact that dark chocolate is considered to be healthier than the white version, it is still recommended to eat it during the breastfeeding period. This is due to the fact that this treat contains much less caffeine, which can cause anxiety or insomnia in a child. However, such a product should always be natural. If the chocolate contains dyes and aromatic substances, emulsifiers, it is better to refuse to use such chocolate. It is allowed to introduce the product from the third month, but only after consulting your doctor. After the use of this variety of chocolate, you should monitor the condition of the baby for two days to exclude the possibility of an allergic reaction.

For children

Despite the fact that chocolate has beneficial properties for the child's body, doctors still advise not to give it to a child under 1.5 years. The fact is that it contains caffeine, theobromine and sugar, which activate the nervous system functions, which is not necessary at all at infant age. Children are just beginning to learn about food, their teeth are erupting, so there is no need for additional excitement of the nervous system.

When losing weight

During the diet, it is strictly forbidden to eat white chocolate. The sweet bar does not contain many useful components for the body, at the same time, the concentration of cocoa beans here is less than 35 percent. Often in this kind of chocolate is added milk, various flavor enhancers, flavor, etc. In this case, it is difficult to say that white chocolate refers to dietary products.

Harms and contraindications

Speaking about white chocolate, about its useful properties, it is necessary to specify the negative aspects of this product. First of all, it is worth noting that the composition of such a treat is full of sugar and dairy fats, which makes it very caloric. Consequently, these calories negatively affect the substance metabolism, leading to an imbalance. It can lead to obesity.

People who are prone to allergies should use chocolate with caution. This is due to the fact that this product contains cocoa butter, which sometimes provokes an allergic reaction. There are cases when the use of white chocolate provoked an increase in blood pressure and the appearance of arrhythmia.

The high level of sugar in the treat leads to an increase in this indicator in the blood. As a result, the blood flow in the vessels deteriorates. But this does not mean that it is necessary to give up this product completely, it is only necessary to limit its consumption.

Individual intolerance may be observed. Contraindications are also insomnia, headaches, high blood pressure, nervous excitability, childhood, as well as intestinal dysbacteriosis.

You should not eat such a dessert at night.

How to choose and store

If white chocolate contains hydrogenated oils and various other additives, one cannot speak of the safety and usefulness of such a product. Therefore, when buying, you need to study the information on the product label. Although the manufacturers of even the most popular brands can indicate as part of their products these substances, as their use is not prohibited by law.

However, if the goal is to buy a quality product, then you need to choose bars, which contain only cocoa butter. The chocolate should be solid, without irregularities. It should be noted that the low price should be suspicious, because real chocolate is not cheap.

As for the storage conditions, you need to remember that chocolate is afraid of solar heat, so you should not keep such a delicacy in the sun. In such conditions, the product will not only begin to melt, but also will acquire a bitter taste.

The optimal storage temperature for chocolate is 16 degrees above zero. Even at 21 degrees, the chocolate begins to melt, or more precisely, the cocoa butter melts. When the temperature drops, the fat in the butter will begin to crystallize, and a white coating will appear on the previously shiny surface of the bar. Storage in the refrigerator will lead to the same consequences. Only in this case, the plaque will be the result of crystallization of sucrose, which arose during the freezing of water. So the refrigerator is not suitable for such purposes either.

You should also remember that chocolate should be protected from foreign odors, which it can easily absorb.
White chocolate can be stored for up to a month.

How to make white chocolate at home

The main ingredients needed to make white chocolate treats at home are cocoa butter, sugar and milk powder. All ingredients should be taken in an amount of 100 grams. Cocoa butter is sold in a drugstore or in a special confectionery store. In the finished bar, its concentration should be 30 percent of the total mass. It should be noted that it is worth using powdered sugar, as it dissolves much better. If sugar is used, crystals may remain.

Melt the cocoa butter with a water bath. After that, add powdered sugar, vanillin and milk powder to it. Instead of the latter ingredient, you can use baby milk powder.

Mix all the ingredients with a mixer or whisk in a water bath. To prevent the mass from sticking to the dishes, it is recommended to grease them with butter. Then pour the chocolate mixture into the prepared molds. Place in the refrigerator for an hour and a half. After the specified time, the finished chocolate pieces can be served. Some put it on the table as a dessert or add it to baked goods.

How to Melt White Chocolate

Before you melt a white bar of chocolate product, you need to know that it has a lower melting point than other varieties of this delicacy. This is why it is important to melt this product correctly, so that it does not overheat and do not change its taste.

So, the most common way is to use a water bath. To do this, first you need to cut the dessert in small pieces, you can grate it on a grater. After this, you will need two pots, one of which should be filled with water so that the bottom of the second vessel, in which the chocolate will be placed, is not in contact with the liquid. Once the water has boiled, place the bowl with the chocolate on top, and reduce the heat so that the liquid does not boil. It is important to stir the sweet all the time. The candy should be removed when it is almost completely melted, but still there are small lumps. To prevent melted chocolate from rolling into lumps, it is recommended to add a little butter to it.

You can use the microwave for this purpose. The power of the device in this case should be no more than 50 degrees. Put the chopped white chocolate in a plastic or glass bowl and send it to the microwave for 30 seconds, then check the dessert. If necessary, the procedure should be repeated.

Interesting facts about chocolate

1. Chocolate contains a compound such as theobromine, it is considered poisonous to animals.
2. The biggest chocolate bar weighed over 4 tons, while it was over 5 meters long, about 3 meters wide and 25 centimeters thick.
3. On average, one cocoa tree produces about 2,500 beans. The plant must be at least five years old to bear fruit. And it takes 400 cocoa beans to produce one pound of chocolate.
4. The most expensive chocolate is the one weighing less than 0.5 kilogram. Its cost is 2.6 thousand dollars.
5. The first people to try cocoa were Mexicans named Mocaya and Omelkey. It happened about a thousand years before our era.

Photo of white chocolate