Difference of fat-free cocoa from conventional cocoa, manufacturing method. Nutritional value of the product and chemical composition. Benefits and harms when consumed, recipes. Interesting facts and rules of choice.
Fat free cocoa is a powder product made from dried and crushed cocoa cake with a cocoa butter content of up to 1-2%. It is mainly used for the preparation of desserts and drinks. The fat-free product is used to make chocolate glaze and drinks, it is named as a flavoring and aromatic additive.
Features of the manufacture of fat-free cocoa
The raw materials for the production of the product are cocoa beans - the fruits of the chocolate tree growing in tropical and subtropical regions of both hemispheres. Only the seeds of the chocolate tree are delivered to food factories.
The collected fruits are dissected with a machete and placed in wooden barrels, where the pulp is fermented and the beans lose their bitterness. The duration of fermentation is 10 days. Next, the grains are poured into special heat exchange units (14-15 years ago, drying was carried out in the sun), packed in bags and sent to chocolate factories.
For the manufacture of fat-free cocoa powder, an alkalized product is used. The beans are crushed in cake, which is then treated with alkalis (for example, potassium carbonate E 501) and squeezed, maintaining the temperature above 230-250 ° C. Unlike ordinary cocoa, for defatted cocoa, pressing is carried out more thoroughly, the residual amount of butter is 14% of the total volume of the product.
The defatted cake is placed in a drying plant. After 168 hours, the mass is fed to the mills, where it is ground to a dispersed structure at a temperature of 8-12 ° C. Cooling is necessary, during grinding the powder heats up and may lose its useful properties. In addition, the overheated product acquires a grayish ugly hue. After extraction, the fat content of the final product is not more than 2%.
Before packaging, cocoa powder can be mixed with vanilla or other spices - sometimes it is combined with powdered milk, cream or sugar. In this case, dissolution occurs faster, and the drink does not have to be brewed - it is enough to fill it with heated liquid.
For packaging, specially processed paper, plastic packaging, thermoplastic materials are used. An increase in humidity is unacceptable.
If the production of powder from the fruit of the chocolate tree takes place without alkalization, then after the separation of the oil, dense layers of cake are crushed for a long time in a cake crusher until it is possible to obtain a highly dispersed grinding with a particle size of up to 15-16 nm. In the composition of fat-free cocoa, made according to a similar method, there remains a high amount of theobromine - a tonic substance, because of which the drink is appreciated.
Composition and calorie content of fat-free cocoa
When losing weight, it is not recommended to buy 5-15 g packs with fat-free cocoa. Most often, one-time brewing is mixed with taste improvers in production conditions, which increases the nutritional value.
Caloric content of fat-free cocoa 1-2% - 20 kcal, of which:
- Proteins - 0 g;
- Fat - 0.1-0.2 g;
- Carbohydrates - 5 g;
- Organic acids - 0.1 g;
- Ash - 0.2 g;
- Water - up to 1 g.
Caloric content of fat-free cocoa 12% - 89 kcal, of which
- Protein - 13 g;
- Fat - 2 g;
- Carbohydrates - 5 g;
- Dietary fiber - 35.3 g;
- Organic acids - 3.9 g;
- Ash - 6.3 g;
- Water - 5 g.
Vitamins per 100 g
- Vitamin A - 3 mcg;
- Beta Carotene - 0.02 mg;
- Vitamin B1, thiamine - 0.1 mg;
- Vitamin B2, riboflavin - 0.2 mg;
- Vitamin E, alpha tocopherol - 0.3 mg;
- Vitamin PP - 6.8 mg;
- Niacin - 1.8 mg
Macronutrients per 100 g
- Potassium, K - 1509 mg;
- Calcium, Ca - 128 mg;
- Magnesium, Mg - 425 mg;
- Sodium, Na - 13 mg;
- Phosphorus, P - 655 mg.
Trace elements are represented by iron - 22 mg per 100 g.
Digestible carbohydrates per 100 g
- Starch and dextrins - 8.2 g;
- Mono- and disaccharides (sugars) - 2 g.
Saturated Fatty Acids - 9 g per 100 g
The vitamin and mineral complex in the composition of a defatted powder of 1-2% is the same as in a drink with 12-14% fat content. It is represented by vitamin A, beta-carotene, complex B - thiamine, riboflavin, alpha tocopherol, nicotinic acid and niacin, as well as calcium, potassium, sodium, magnesium and phosphorus. There is a high amount of iron - from 18 to 22 mg per 100 g, depending on the manufacturing technology of the product.
Low fat cocoa powder is prized for its content of the following nutrients
- Epicatechin - increases myocardial tone and prevents the development of coronary artery disease, heart attack and stroke.
- Cocohil - stimulates the regeneration of epithelial cells.
- Theobromine - reduces the tone of the muscles of the bronchi, smooth muscles, improves the quality of tooth enamel and prevents the development of caries.
- Melanin - Reduces UV damage.
In a fat-free alkalized product, a reduced content of purines - these substances cause the deposition of calculi in the kidneys, gallbladder and large articular joints.
The glycemic index of cocoa powder with a fat content below 14% is at the level of 20 units. This allows you not only to use it for weight loss, but also to use it for diabetes.
Useful properties of fat-free cocoa
The introduction of a product with a reduced nutritional value into the diet allows not only to improve the taste of dishes, but also to replenish the supply of nutrients.
The benefits of fat-free cocoa:
- Increases the immune status and helps to cure colds, get rid of complications after ARVI - prolonged cough.
- Prevents the development of stomach and duodenal ulcers, stroke and coronary artery disease.
- It has a tonic effect, stimulates the nervous and cardiovascular systems.
- Normalizes blood pressure, stops the development of hypertension.
- Increases concentration of memory.
- Helps to recover from physical and emotional stress.
- Accelerates healing after injuries in which the integrity of the skin is compromised, including after surgery.
- On hot days or during thermal procedures, it helps to normalize the water and electrolyte balance and avoid overheating.
- It has an antioxidant effect and prevents the production of free radicals in the epithelium.
- Stimulates the production of serotonin - the hormone of joy, prevents the development of depression, fights stress.
- Reduces the frequency and duration of asthmatic attacks.
- Normalizes the function of the pancreas.
A drink made from fat-free cocoa is useful for consumers with chronic diarrhea, lactose allergy. It helps people of mental labor to restore strength without burdening the digestive system. In men, it stimulates the production of testosterone, and in women it normalizes the hormonal system and reduces the manifestation of premenstrual syndrome.
The oil-reduced product can be incorporated into face masks to even out color and eliminate excessive pigmentation, and for hair to restore shine and eliminate brittleness.
When moving from elderly to old age, it is advisable to completely abandon coffee and switch to a chocolate drink with a low nutritional value. Theobromine is less harmful to blood vessels than caffeine. By the way, the drink also contains a small amount of caffeine.
Contraindications and harm of fat-free cocoa
The product should not be introduced into the diet of children under 3 years of age. If you decide to introduce the child to a new taste, you should cook the drink, and not dissolve the powder, so as not to provoke nervous excitement and increased muscle tone.
Non-fat cocoa can cause harm
- In patients with gout, abuse causes a relapse of the disease due to the high content of purines;
- With a tendency to urolithiasis and gallstone disease - stimulates the deposition of uric acid salts;
- During pregnancy and lactation - increases the leaching of calcium from the body.
The exception is severe toxicosis in the first trimester. In this case, it is allowed to drink half a glass of a drink with milk a day in order to stop nausea and restore the reserve of nutrients in the body. It is better to divide this amount into two portions - in the morning and before bedtime.
To minimize harm, it is recommended for hypertensive patients to dilute skimmed cocoa with milk, and for hypotensive patients - with water. Otherwise, it will not work to normalize the pressure.
In order not to provoke a deterioration in health, it is recommended to limit yourself to 2 glasses - 450 ml per day. In case of problems with blood pressure, the dose should be reduced by 2 times, and in case of bronchial asthma - increased to 600 ml.
It should be borne in mind that, despite the reduced fat content, cocoa powder quickly deteriorates. If the taste changes, an unpleasant odor appears, use, including adding to the dough, must be abandoned. A spoiled product can provoke acute intoxication. If the children are poisoned, it will be difficult to restore the condition without calling an ambulance.
Low fat cocoa recipes
If you purchased an ordinary one, not an alkalized powder, you will have to cook the drink yourself. The easiest method, which is suitable for losing weight and vegetarians: first dissolve 1-1.5 teaspoon of non-fat powder in 50 ml of boiling water, then put on fire, heat up and pour in the required amount of water. As soon as small bubbles appear, the dishes are removed from the heat. In the future, you can add sugar or milk.
If a drink is boiled in milk, and they do not refuse sweetening, then first the tea leaves are mixed dry with granulated sugar, thick chocolate is boiled in water, and then hot milk is poured in a thin stream, vigorously stirring the contents of the pan with a whisk. Do not bring to a boil. As soon as the first bubbles appear, you can pour the drink into cups.
Low fat cocoa recipes:
- Chocolate cake … Mix in 4 tbsp. l. wheat and oat bran, 2 tbsp. l. powdered milk, 4 tbsp. l. baking powder, 2 tsp. cocoa, the required amount of sweetener. Drive 4 eggs into the mixture, pour 3-4 tbsp. l. pasteurized milk, add cinnamon. The batch is divided into 2 parts and the cakes are baked at a temperature of 200-220 ° C for 15 minutes. Leave to cool and beat the cream. Pour 330 g of soft fat-free cottage cheese or curd paste into the blender bowl, pour 125 ml of unsweetened fat-free yogurt, add fructose, if necessary. Beat at high speed. Shape the cake. To soak the cakes, put the dessert in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours.
- Chocolate … A quick recipe. Products with reduced fat content are mixed until homogeneous - 6 tbsp. l. powdered milk, 2 tbsp. l. cocoa powder, 6 tbsp. l. sweetener, 4 tbsp. l. crushed walnut. Pour in water to get a thick chocolate dough, and put it in the refrigerator. After 40-50 minutes, balls or plates are formed and put back into the refrigerator until completely solidified.
- Biscuit … A microwave oven is used for manufacturing. Beat 2 eggs with a mixer with a mixer - at least 2 tbsp. l. Pour 2 tbsp. l. cocoa powder, mix again, add in turn 6 tbsp. l. milk powder, 2 tsp. baking powder, 2 tbsp. l. starch - better than corn, pour in 10 tbsp. l. milk. Then flour is introduced - enough to get a thick dough. It should be borne in mind that you need to pour in 2 tsp. olive oil. If the mass becomes liquid again, add more flour. The finished dough is vigorously stirred again. Bake in a silicone mold for 4 minutes at a power of 800 watts.
Skimmed cocoa dishes can be incorporated into the Ducan diet at all stages.
The principle of losing weight is a sharp weight loss in the first and second stages and consolidation of the result on the rest. However, fasting with this diet is unacceptable. The desired parameters are acquired by changing the nature of the diet.
Low-fat cocoa up to 2% on the Ducan diet can be consumed without restrictions.
A drink that does not provoke weight gain will perfectly fit into the diet and help return a good mood: cocoa powder in the permitted dosage is mixed with milk powder (the permitted amount of a non-fat product is more than 3 tablespoons), poured with boiling water. Sugar is not allowed. To improve the taste, you can use table white wine, but no more than 3 tbsp. l. during the day.
Interesting facts about fat-free cocoa
For the first time, the alkalized defatted cocoa powder was obtained by a chemist from Holland Konrad van Houten in 1828. But the history of the drink began much earlier - the Aztecs and Mexicans drank it. Fat content began to be reduced much later - only in the twentieth century, when they began to think about a healthy lifestyle and established a link between many diseases and obesity.
Making cocoa powder is a virtually waste-free production. Everything is used - chocolate butter, cake and even bean husks.
Before buying fat-free cocoa, you need to carefully read what is written on the pack in order to know how to use the product. Non-alkalized powder does not dissolve in liquid - the drink requires cooking. It is not added to baked goods, but in cooking it is used to prepare glaze. The cost of a low-fat product depends on the manufacturer.
When assessing the quality of nonfat cocoa, the following parameters are assessed
- The smell is chocolate;
- Grinding - fine;
- Consistency - crumbly, if rubbed between the fingers, lumps should not form;
- Color - different shades of brown.
After tasting, no unpleasant aftertaste should remain.
There are several types of products with reduced fat content on sale, for the purchase of which you do not need to make an order in online stores. This cocoa FitParad (1.5%), Dr. Oetker”(10, 8%),“Underfill”(2%).
If you read reviews about fat-free cocoa from those losing weight on the Ducan diet, then you understand that preference should be given to powder packaged in glass jars, the label of which says "Pharmacy" with a red letter "A". This powder dissolves not only in hot, but also in cold water, gives a beautiful color to desserts and stimulates weight loss. What could be better - to lose weight without giving up sweets.
How to choose cocoa - watch the video:
