IS CHOCOLATE BAD FOR MY
KIDS ?
Aunt Sue loves her dessert and feels that in most cases
chocolate is not the problem; it's the QUALITY and QUANTITY we consume to
get the "hit" from the chocolate. There is a world of difference between a
small tablet of fine milk chocolate and a 3 foot solid Easter bunny that
cost $3.99.
For centuries everyone, ESPECIALLY
children have enjoyed chocolate. But alas, Willy Wonka is
right; the chocolate of today (at least in North America)
pales in comparison with the real chocolate of yesteryear.
Why is that?
In the last 15 years the "sugar"
that is used to create today's $1.00 commercial
chocolate bars changed to a heavily concentrated
corn syrup. This sugar is cheap to produce but is
more concentrated than your average granulated
sugar. The "chocolate" in these bars contains a
very low percentage of cocoa; the base ingredient in
chocolate. To give it that "chocolaity-good" flavor
they add brown color, flavoring and wax.
Sue's theory is that people are looking
for that "hit" from the chocolate; but the quantity of
actual "cocoa" in the "chocolate bar" of today is so low
that they just do not get the "high" they are looking for.
This unfortunately leads to the consumption of ANOTHER bar;
and perhaps ANOTHER. This MAY satisfy the desire for cocoa
but you have then over-dosed on sugar. This causes a whole
other set of problems, especially for children since the
"dosage" of sugar is too high; related to their body mass
and pleasure received from the chocolate.
We all use treats as a reward, it's OK.
Try giving your kids smaller doses of better quality
chocolate/candy. It's better them and cheaper for you.
- A bag of Heresy's Chocolate
Chips
- Mini white marshmallows
- Almonds, raisins, trail mix
- Small, individually-wrapped
chocolates and candy
Dole out your treats a few at a
time. Give them plenty of small, high quality,
interesting treats, with a lower consumption of
refined sugar.
Sue's feeling is that if you want to eat
chocolate it's a healthy choice; as long as it's reasonable
"pure". You will find you don't need as much and you will
be much more satisfied with a smaller amount, avoiding the
downside of too much sugar. Gobbling down the 3 foot Easter
bunny in an afternoon is not good for you OR the child.
Related -----Fresh ground
coffee ------
Sue feels
that coffee and chocolate are the same. Mass
production has allowed the cheapest beans to be
picked and roasted and delivered to consumers in
super-sized tins that have shelf lives of years.
How good can that be for you? With coffee you have
to wonder what have they added to ensure
freshness... Try some fresh ground coffee. It will
be more slightly more expensive since the beans are
a fresh, not processed product. You may find that 1
or 2 cups satisfies your need for caffeine; without
having to drink gallons and gallons or cheap coffee
to achieve the same effect.
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