Today is National Chocolate Caramel Day. The combination of chocolate and caramel is one the most tempting tastes created by humans. This is a great reason to forget about diet and to celebrate this day with a piece of delicate chocolate-caramel dessert. It is also a perfect time to recall everything good we know about chocolate and caramel.
Caramel is a confectionery made by the heating of sugars of various types. It might not be the healthiest product but we can’t ignore the fact that it is a rich and easily accessible source of glucose and other carbohydrates. Glucose is the primary energy provider in the human body and an important metabolic intermediate. Actually, glucose is a universal fuel used by most organisms on earth, from microbes to humans. What is the most important fact is that glucose is the main source of energy for the brain and the lack of glucose impairs some important psychological processes, such as decision-making and self-control. So, a caramel candy may serve as a great support to the exhausted student’s brain during an exam or a test.
Chocolate provides even more useful properties for the brain than caramel. Flavanols, a key component of dark chocolate, improve the blood flow around the body and in specific areas of the brain. This effect lasts for two or three hours and allows you to sharpen general brain performance, to clear your thoughts, to increase alertness and to improve memory. In addition to enhancing brain functioning, the ingredients of chocolate protect brain from various harmful effects and keep you in a good emotional state. Other foods, such as cocoa, green tea and red wine, can work similarly to chocolate but a cup of hot green tea or a glass of wine are not always within easy reach. All these make chocolate a super food for the brain of a young student.
There were many discussions about harmful effects of sweets of all kinds during the last few years. However, almost any food in abnormal quantities can be harmful. So don’t deprive yourself of useful qualities of chocolate and caramel, just don’t exceed reasonable limits.
Enjoy National Chocolate Caramel Day with your favorite treats and stay healthy and smart!
