Good News Chocoholics: Scientists Are Making Chocolate Healthier AND More Flavorful

March 31, 2015

Researchers have found a way to not only make chocolate more nutritious, but also enhance its taste!

chocolate healthier and tastes better scientists
Credit: iravgustin / Shutterstock

Scientists have shown that by simply changing the way they store and roast cocoa beans, they can boost chocolate's antioxidant content. As an added bonus, the differently processed beans produce chocolate that tastes a lot better, according to early tasters.

A team from the University of Ghana and Ghent University in Belgium discovered that by storing cocoa bean pods unopened for seven days and then slow-roasting them at a lower temperature for a longer period of time, they can produce chocolate that's more flavorful and has a higher percentage of polyphenols – the class of blood vessel-supporting antioxidants also found in red wine.

Traditionally, beans are roasted for between 10-20 minutes at 120-130°C, but they found that roasting at a lower temperature for 45 minutes improved the antioxidant activity of the beans.

Lead researcher Emmanual Ohene Afoakwa cautions that it is only the dark chocolate that contains high amounts of cocoa. His team plans to tweak the roasting time to see if there's a way to preserve even more antioxidants and flavor.

Someone deserves a Nobel Prize for this.

Sources: IFLScience, Inquisitr, American Chemical Society.


Click Here For The Most Popular On Sunny Skyz

feel good videoThis Little Girl's Christmas Speech Took A Hilarious Turn

feel good storiesThe Touching Story Behind A Texas Couple's Massive Christmas Lights Display

feel good storiesMeet Brodie: The Adorable Dog That Looks Like A Picasso Painting

feel good storiesCity Pleads For Residents To Stop Decorating Statues With Googly Eyes

feel good storiesUnreleased Michael Jackson Music Found In Abandoned LA Storage Unit

feel good storiesA Step-By-Step Guide To Become An Owner-Operator

feel good videoThis Little Girl's Christmas Speech Took A Hilarious Turn

feel good videoShe Was Cleaning The Kitchen -- Then Belted Out 'My Heart Will Go On' Like A Pro

feel good videoMarv From 'Home Alone' Lives On A Farm And Is A Sculptor

feel good video'Angelic' Doctor's Heartwarming Words To Newborn And Parents Go Viral

feel good videoFisherman Catches Cat While Fishing, They Become Best Friends