Step into our virtual sweet shop and you'll find luxury confectionery brands from around the world. Take a taste of nougat from the Swiss mountains, or try a mouthful of stuffed dates with Saudi Arabian spices. For those who love a hint of savoury, you'll find notes of sea salt, basil and chilli to undercut your chosen sugary sensation. Partial to a little crunch? Look out for options with caramel chunks or nut-filled centres. Keep an eye out, too, for our green Project Earth stamp of approval, highlighting the most planet-friendly delicacies from among our favourites. Results regarding the effects of cocoa/chocolate consumption on cancer are rather controversial. Early studies suggested that excess chocolate intake could be a predisposing factor to tumor development (as colorectal and breast cancer) [ 55, 56]. The chocolate Brussels Sprout is somewhat of an icon. It reminds us to stay Quirky with our ideas and product development. We always push boundaries, remembering that the silliest ideas are often the best! Dark chocolate with a high cocoa content has effects on colonic and cerebral function in healthy volunteers Cocoa intake affected the growth of certain species of gut microbiota in rats and changes in the toll-like receptor pattern and in the intestinal immune system

The history of chocolate began with the Maya, who were probably the first people in South America to cultivate the cocoa plant [ 1]. For the Maya, chocolate was a cocoa drink prepared with hot water and often flavored with cinnamon and pepper. It was called the “Food of the Gods” and was presented at the table of Emperor Moctezuma II by the Aztecs [ 1]. Participants with higher chocolate consumption and higher flavanol intake from cocoa products experienced a lower risk of developing type-2 diabetes Our first ever product was a set of chocolate bars which we called The Chocolate Library range - and we haven't stopped designing new bars since. Today The Chocolate Library has over 1000 unique designs. We are excited to let you know that The Chocolate Library bar collection is about to get a whole lot bigger! You will soon see the work of some of the UK's most talented independent designers exclusively on our artisan chocolate bars - watch this space!The Chocolate Library will comprise of over 400 new chocolate bars, ranging from A-Z, so whether customers are after something dark and sultry, heavily loaded with 70% cacao, a bean to bar (made from the producers who own the plantation) such as Willies Cacao, or just a plain bar of good old milk chocolate – Selfridges has the widest range of chocolate in the UK.

No I mean it – Senfridges has now opened a chocolate library with one of the world’s most comprehensive collections of chocolate. Now, I was surprised to not see chocolate philanthropist Askinosie there given how much he does for the communities he works with but I gues Selfridges still has to work on their ethical chocolate selection. Thankfully they do have Original Beans chocolate who plant a tree for each bar sold.A prospective study in a large number of Japanese pregnant women also showed a lower risk of gestational diabetes in subjects in the highest quartile of chocolate consumption [ 53]. Therefore, only dark chocolate, with high percentages of cocoa, flavonoids, and theobromine and low content of sugar, differently from milk chocolate or other types of chocolate, would be associated with health-promoting effects [ 11], including the prevention of cardiovascular disease. Similarly, cocoa induces positive effects on blood pressure, insulin resistance, and vascular function. It increases production of nitric oxide (NO) and has antioxidant effects, e.g., delayed oxidation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and inhibiting ultraviolet-induced DNA oxidation [ 25, 26]. Regular consumption of chocolate bars containing plant sterols and cocoa flavanols as part of a low-fat diet supported cardiovascular health by lowering cholesterol and improving blood pressure Procyanidin-rich extract of natural cocoa powder caused ROS-mediated caspase-3 dependent apoptosis and reduction of pro-MMP-2 in epithelial ovarian carcinoma cell lines For the world of ‘real chocolate’ (as opposed to chocolate confectionary) to continue to grow and develop, consumers need to understand more about artisan chocolate, so that they can appreciate the work and skills which go into making fine chocolate and the flavour possibilities of cacao. They also need access to high-quality chocolate so they can taste the differences for themselves.

Polyphenols, abundant in cocoa and dark chocolate, activate endothelial NO synthase; that leads to generation of NO [ 27], which lowers blood pressure by promoting vasodilation [ 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33]. Indeed, following the consumption of dark chocolate, effects include improvement of the pulse wave speed and of the atherosclerotic score index, with parietal relaxation of large arteries and dilation of small and medium-sized peripheral arteries. Higher concentrations of plasma epicatechins help release endothelium-derived vasodilators and increase the concentration of plasma procyanidins, which leads to greater NO production and bioavailability [ 32]. Once released, NO also activates the prostacyclin synthesis pathway, which acts as a vasodilator in synergy with NO, thereby contributing to thrombosis protection [ 17]. Further, the anti-inflammatory and vasoprotective properties of prostacyclin are enhanced by its ability to reduce plasma leukotrienes [ 17, 34, 35].Dark chocolate enhanced cognitive function and cholinergic activity in the hippocampus and corrected metabolic disturbances of rats Cocoa liquor proanthocyanidins inhibited mutagenicity of 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP) and rat pancreatic carcinogenesis in the initiation stage, but not mammary carcinogenesis induced by PhIP Chocolate consumption was associated with decreased risks of coronary heart disease, stroke, and diabetes A meta-analysis showed that, in the short term (2–12 weeks), dark chocolate/cocoa consumption can significantly lower total and LDL cholesterol levels, but has no effect on high-density lipoprotein HDL and triglycerides [ 73]. Similar results derive from a placebo-controlled cross-over study, in which daily consumption of cocoa flavonol-containing dark chocolate bars with added plant sterols significantly reduced serum total and LDL cholesterol [ 74].

Dodo22 Perfect gift They were a gift and perfect for my friend who is allergic to cadburys chocolate. She loved them and said they were delicious.Write-Warning "Not installing 'chocolatey.extension', as Chocolatey-License has not been installed."