Chocolate Unwrapped: The Surprising Health Benefits of America's Favorite Passion

Detailing the positive physical and psychological effects of chocolate, this book explores its colorful history, botany, and chemistry. Explaining the science behind chocolate, common myths about chocolate—that it causes acne, allergies, migraines, and hyperactivity—are dispelled, and its benefits—tannins in chocolate actually help prevent cavities—are revealed. Providing medical information relating to chocolate's high antioxidant levels and beneficial effects in terms of heart disease, cancer, aging, stroke, and Alzheimer's disease, the book also includes information regarding chocolate's mental health benefits. The included recipes provide a multitude of healthy ways to eat chocolate, from flourless chocolate cake to Mexican mole, and a comprehensive list of resources shows chocolate lovers where to find the best-quality chocolates around the world.