Fitness is all about balance, which means our favourite foods – like that dreamy chocolate bar – often end up in our mouths and our hearts. But what if you could indulge in chocolate with a little less guilt? Science suggests that using more of the cocoa fruit could help you eat healthier while doing your bit for the planet. Here’s why.
A report submitted by the Swiss research university ETH Zurich and published in the journal Nature Food details how cocoa-fruit jelly can be effectively used as an alternative sweetener to powdered sugar, resulting in a range of benefits.
How did scientists develop a healthier chocolate?
ETH Zurich worked with some big names in the chocolate industry, including sustainable cultivation start-up Koa and chocolate manufacturer Felchlin, to develop an irresistible, healthier recipe. While traditional chocolate makers only use the beans, the researchers also used the shells, which they ground into a powder and mixed with the pulp to create a kind of cocoa gel. The result was a very sweet product that turned out to be a good replacement for the added sugars typically found in chocolate confectionery.
What are the benefits of Cacao Fruit Chocolate?
According to the researchers, cocoa fruit jelly snacks are higher in fiber and lower in saturated fat content compared to traditional dark chocolate recipes. Dark chocolate made with the jelly provides 15 grams of fiber per 100 grams compared to 12 grams per 100 grams. Saturated fat is reduced to 23 grams per 100 grams instead of 33 grams per 100 grams. And there’s sustainability to consider. Utilizing more of the coca fruit, using the shells instead of just the beans, is a great way to get more out of each fruit, reducing the intense global demand for sugar that the chocolate industry depends on.
“Furthermore, it will increase cocoa yields to avoid food loss and waste, which are of growing concern as environmental degradation continues,” the report comments. “Overall, the development of the whole fruit chocolate formula is a promising example of how technology, nutrition, environmental impact, and diversification of smallholder incomes can work together to improve the entire cocoa value chain.” Those eager to get their hands on this healthy chocolate will be happy to know that ETH has already filed a patent.
