Chocolate is always seen as a luxury food and therefore something rather naughty or even unhealthy – but is that a fair assessment? Along with so many other things in our diets, the supposed negative or positive aspects of eating chocolate are the subject of much controversy. Each time a new report is published it throws the conclusions of the previous one into disarray. This is true for many other foods as well as our beloved chocolate! Perhaps the true answer is not so much in chocolate itself but in the way, and the amount, that we eat. The chemical constituents of chocolate include a flavinoid and as flavinoids are known to benefit the circulation there can be no argument about that aspect of the benefits of eating chocolate. Chocolate also contains anti-oxidants which help remove other harmful constituents from the blood such as free radicals- again that is not in dispute.

This is the point at which opinions begin to differ, as the argument for chocolate in terms of flavinoids and anti-oxidants is negated for many people by the presence of the sugar and fat in chocolate. The potentially harmful effects of these are seen as outweighing the benefits of the others, particularly as flavinoids are available in other food and drink such as vegetables, fruit and tea. As with many things, common sense has to play a part. All things are harmful when taken in excess, even foods which are generally believed to be beneficial to our health. Moderation is the key in every aspect of life and eating chocolate is no exception.

Where sugars are concerned, from a health point of view complex sugars are deemed to be better as they take a longer time to break down within the body. However simple sugars are also carbohydrates and will furnish energy on demand, enabling our bodies to function efficiently. Fats in small quantities perform necessary functions within the body, helping to modulate some hormones within the brain and as a carbohydrate it also provides energy quickly when required. However it must be said that one of the fats found in chocolate is stearic acid, which is a saturated fat and thus can lead to an increase in cholesterols. Again, moderation is the key. There are many chemical compounds in chocolate that are far more beneficial and should be taken into account when worrying about any possible negative effects of the fats and sugars. For example caffeine – though harmful if taken to excess, is thought to be a positive influence on health if taken in small amounts. The quantity of caffeine in chocolate is less than that in coffee so having a cup of hot chocolate is less of an issue than having an equivalent cup of coffee – though I have to confess to a personal weakness for a dash of coffee in my hot chocolate or even a dash of chocolate in my coffee!

There is no doubt that chocolate has a ‘feel good’ factor, and is much loved by many women when PMT strikes. In fact there are times when it isn’t safe for any male to enter our house unless they carry a bar of chocolate in front of them like a shield! Tryptophan, one of the compounds that develops into Serotonin, is found in chocolate. Serotonin is a chemical within the brain that helps us to handle the effects of stress and combat depression so there is another benefit there. Serotonin is created within the brain when we are sleeping so if you are short of sleep chocolate can be of great help in keeping you on an even keel. Research has also indicated that chocolate causes the release of endorphins within the brain which give you a ‘high’ in the shape of a feeling of well being and relaxation. Combined with the mild stimulant effect of Theobromine, chocolate can produce a feeling of alertness and generates a much more positive outlook that some of the other stimulants we occasionally take on board like alcohol.

Better quality, high cocoa solid content chocolate, the so called gourmet chocolate, has far less fat and sugar, and provided that, like all good things, we take it in moderation there is little harm done. In short, chocolate makes us feel good and that has to be beneficial to our sense of health and well being.

By: Cherrie Carew

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The Arawak, Carib, and Taino Indians were the first inhabitants of the Caribbean islands. These first inhabitants occupied the present day islands of British Virgin Islands, Cuba, Dominica, Grenada, Haiti, Trinidad, and Jamaica. Their daily diet consisted of vegetables and fruits such as papaw, yams, guavas, and cassava. The Taino started the process of cooking meat and fish in large clay pots.

The Arawaks are the first people known to make a grate of thin green wood strips on which they slowly cooked meat, allowing it to be enhanced by the flavor of the wood. This grate was called a barbacoa, and the word we know today as barbeque is taken from this early Indian cooking method.

The Carib Indians added more spice to their food with hot pepper sauces, and also added lemon and lime juice to their meat and fish recipes. The Caribs are said to have made the first pepper pot stew. No recipes exist since every time the Indians made the dish, they would always add new ingredients. The Carib had a big impact on early Caribbean history, and the Caribbean sea was named after this tribe.

Then the Caribbean became a crossroads for the world . . .

Once the Europeans brought Africans slaves into the region, the slaves diet consisted mostly of food the slave owners did not want to eat. So the slaves had to be inventive, and they blended their traditional African foods with staples found on the islands. The Africans introduced okra, callaloo, fish cakes, saltfish, ackee, pudding and souse, mangos, and the list goes on.

Most present day Caribbean island locals eat a present diet that is reflective of the main ingredients of original early African dishes, and includes cassava, sweet potatoes, yams, plantains, bananas and corn meal.

African men were hunters in their homeland, and often away from home for long periods of time. They would cook spicy pork over hot coals, and this tradition was refined by the early slaves in Jamaica. The technique is known today as “jerk” cooking , and the secret involves a slow meat cooking process. Jamaica is famous for jerk chicken and pork, and you’ll find jerk all over the island.

After slavery was abolished, the Europeans went to India and China for labor, and more cooking styles were introduced. Much of the Indian cooking culture remains alive and well in the Caribbean of today with the introduction of curried meats and curry powder. Indians call it kari podi, and we have come to know this pungent flavor as curry.

The Chinese introduced rice, which is always a staple in home cooked island meals. The Chinese also introduced mustard, and the early Portuguese sailors introduced the popular codfish.

Most visitors to the Caribbean have no idea that the fruit trees and fruits so familiar to the islands were introduced by the early Spanish explorers. The fruit trees and fruits brought from Spain include orange, lime, ginger, plantains, figs, date palms, sugar cane, grapes, tamarinds and coconuts.

Even the Polynesian islands play an important role in Caribbean cooking. Most of us remember the movie “Mutiny on the Bounty”, but do not know that particular ship carried breadfruit, which was loaded on board from the islands of Tahiti and Timor. In the movie the crew took over the ship, forced the captain into a small boat to fend on his own, and they threw the breadfruit, which they considered “strange fruit” overboard. Another ship was more successful in bringing breadfruit from Polynesia to Jamaica and the St Vincent and the Grenadines. Breadfruit is a staple diet in the current day Caribbean

America is responsible for introducing beans, corn, squash, potatoes, tomatoes, and chili pepper to the Caribbean. In fact these particular foods had never been seen in Asia, Europe or Africa, so America actually introduced these foods the rest of the world via the Caribbean.

So it’s no wonder Caribbean cooking is so rich and creative with the flavors of Africa, India, and China, along with Spanish, Danish, Portuguese, French and British influences. Food served in the Caribbean islands have been influenced by the cultures of the world, but each island adds its own special flavor and cooking technique.

By: Linda Thompkins

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