This MedLibrary.org supplementary page on Cocoa powder is provided directly from the open source Wikipedia as a service to our readers. Please see the note below on authorship of this content, as well as the Wikipedia usage guidelines. To search for other content from our encyclopedia supplement, please use the form below:
Related Sponsors
Cocoa solids is a term for the nonfat component of chocolate. It may also be called cocoa powder when sold as an end product.
In contrast, the fatty component of chocolate is cocoa butter.
The separation of the two may be accomplished by a press, or by the Broma process. The resulting powder, sold as natural cocoa powder, is more reddish than the traditional "chocolate" color, and relatively low in pH, causing a bitter or acidic taste.1 Dutch process chocolate has been treated so as to neutralize the acidity and has a milder flavor; it is also the traditional chocolate brown in color. 2,1 Recipes where there is a lot of fat and/or sugar, such as chocolate brownies, benefit from the more intense flavor of natural cocoa, whereas applications such as chocolate milk or hot chocolate require the milder taste of Dutch process cocoa.1
Cocoa solids are what lends a chocolate bar its characteristic flavor and color, while cocoa butter is what provides smoothness and a low melting point. Also, cocoa solids are what contain most of the antioxidants associated with chocolate. Accordingly, health professionals recommend consuming chocolate in forms that are high in cocoa solids while low in cocoa butter, such as hot cocoa.3
References
- ^ a b c "Art of Darkness II: Cocoa", Good Eats Episode EA1E08, Alton Brown
- ^ "Marble Cake", Food Network
- ^ "Hot Cocoa Tops Red Wine And Tea In Antioxidants; May Be Healthier Choice", Science Daily, Nov. 6, 2003
See also
 |
This food ingredient-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
Wikipedia content modification information:
- This page was last modified on 8 November 2008, at 10:07.
Wikipedia Authorship and Review
Wikipedia content provided here is not reviewed directly by MedLibrary.org. Wikipedia content is authored by an open community of volunteers and is not produced by or in any way affiliated with MedLibrary.org.
Wikipedia Usage Guidelines
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article on "Cocoa powder".
The URL for this specific entry is:
All Wikipedia text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License. (See Copyrights for details). Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.