Some of us — those with excellent taste in sweets — are in for a lucky surprise. Researchers have created a new diet chocolate that has half the fat, while retaining all the chocolatey taste.
New diet chocolate uses fruit juice to replace half the fat in regular chocolate, while maintaining the same velvety texture. — Click to Tweet.
The research done so far has been based in the UK, where Stefan Bon, one of the creators, says that he expects their new recipe will help the food industry “make tasty, low-fat chocolate bars.” His original research was done at the University of Warwick, and the study was published in the Journal of Materials Chemistry.
The Micro-Bubble Technique
Stefan says the new method uses tiny “micro bubbles” of fruit juice to create the same consistency and mouth-feel that we all crave in our regular chocolate. The remaining fat, plus the micro-bubbles, are what retain the “silky smooth texture and the way it melts in the mouth but still has a ‘snap’ to it when you break it with your hand.”
Pickering Emulsion
A “pickering emulsion” synthesis is used to generate the micro-bubbles. The process involves mixing two liquids of much different densities, liquids that normally wouldn’t mix. But the solution is held in a mixed state by the addition of solid particles. As an added benefit, the new solution also prevents the unsightly whitening effect of chocolate that has been stored too long, which is called a “sugar bloom.”
The juice used in the original research was a mix of orange and cranberry, which gives the chocolate — whether it’s dark, milk, or white — a slightly fruity flavor. The scientists say they can also used a vitamin C mixture known as ascorbic acid, which doesn’t leave the fruity flavor.
Will It Still Taste The Same?
The great benefit of this new low-fat chocolate is that not only will it taste the same, but because the cocoa content is similar, you’ll also get the feel-good chemicals that keep so many of us coming back to chocolate. Research suggests that these chemicals are the same ones that are in blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, teas, and other foods that help us improve our moods.
So, perhaps we all have a new way to sit back, relax, feel good, and not care about whether we’re eating too much chocolate or not.
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