Chocolate chip cookie
Most people recognize semi-sweet chocolate chips as the favorite ingredient in chocolate chip cookies. What most people may not realize is that this middle-ground chocolate is often ignored when not in relation to the cookies. Milk chocolate may be most popular, and dark chocolate may be known for being healthy, but semi-sweet (containing the same ingredients as bittersweet chocolate) combines the balance of both. For chocolate connoisseurs who want to eat healthier but still have a sweet tooth, semi-sweet chocolate chips may be a perfect blend.
Fat Content
Semi-sweet chocolate chips are the sweetest of the darker chocolates and have a mild flavor. This is due to the percent of cacao content. Semi-sweet usually means that there is 50 to 60 percent cacao in the ingredients. Nestle makes 53 percent and 62 percent cacao chocolate chips. The more cacao content in chocolate, the more bitter it becomes, but also, the healthier. Semi-sweet chocolate chips contain about 4 grams of fat per tablespoon, whereas milk chocolate chips contain 4.5 grams. This might not seem like a big difference, but it adds up after several servings.
Antioxidants
Cacao, which is chocolate in its most pure form, is an excellent source of antioxidants according to the International Cocoa Organization (ICCO). Though semi-sweet chocolate doesn't have as many antioxidants as dark chocolate (with no milk powder and a percent cacao of at least 43 percent), it still contains more than milk chocolate, which is essentially just sugary candy. Antioxidant content in semi-sweet chocolate will vary according to the exact percentage of cacao of course, but antioxidants are known to improve circulation, reduce cholesterol, improve your mood, may help to prevent certain kinds of cancer and fight aging due to the protection from free radicals which, according to ICCO can cause damage to cells and DNA.
Natural Flavanols
Flavanols, a subclass of polyphenols, which are found in numerous fruits and veggies, are also found in cacao. Cocoa flavanols can provide cardiovascular benefits including lowering blood pressure, according to Dr. Laurence Sperling, a cardiologist interviewed for WebMD, . Flavanols also have been shown to be helpful in regards to cholesterol, platelet activity, and can have the effect of aspirin, which is helpful for people at risk of cardiovascular disease. Though semi-sweet chocolate chips do not contain as much flavanols as dark chocolate, they contain more than milk chocolate.
Feel Good Ingredients
According to author of All About Chocolate by Carol Bloom, chocolate also contains theobromine, caffeine, phenylethylamine (PEA), and anandamide. Theobromine and caffeine are stimulants which can give a person an energy lift, and PEA is a chemical that our own brain releases when we experience falling in love. Anandamide helps to open synapses in the brain that allow "feel good" waves to transmit easier. Chocolate also contains vitamins A1, B1, B2, C, D, E, and calcium, potassium, sodium, and iron.
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