Cocoa - special powder which is made of a cacao beans. Ready cocoa is used for preparation of the most tasty drink which is loved by both children, and adults. However you shouldn't forget also about its caloric content.
Cocoa in cookery is used in the form of powder of saturated chocolate color which is prepared from a cacao beans. Cocoa is the main component at production of chocolate and various products with its contents.
Food properties of cocoa
The cocoa powder received from a cacao beans by their repier ordinary is characterized by rather high nutrition value. So, 100 grams of this substance may contain about 24 grams of protein, about 28 grams of carbohydrates and to 18 grams of fats. Such saturated structure provides to this product and rather high energy value: cocoa caloric content with the specified maintenance of the essential food ingredients can reach 380 kilocalories on 100 grams.
However now for satisfaction of demand for cocoa from people, the lowered fat content for one reason or another preferring products with, producers began to use the beans incorporating smaller amount of fats in production of cocoa powder or just to degrease a ready-made product. As a result such cocoa powder may contain only about 11 grams of fat in 100 grams of a ready-made product that provides it significantly lower caloric content - about 240 kilocalories on 100 grams.
Preparation of cocoa
However it must be kept in mind that in pure form cocoa is practically not used. So, the standard recipe for darling many drink from cocoa powder looks as follows: it is necessary to part 1-2 teaspoons of cocoa powder with a small amount of hot water or milk, to mix carefully, and then to add necessary amount of liquid in a cup and to bring to the boil. After that it should be added sugar, honey or other sweetener to taste. People who avoid consumption of sugar, for example, that who keeps a figure or has any diseases can replace sugar or honey with suitable artificial sweetener. At the same time it must be kept in mind that one teaspoon contains about 5 grams of cocoa powder. Thus, the minimum caloric content of the drink made in this way - on one teaspoon of powder with use of water and sweetener - will be only about 15 kilocalories of fat-free cocoa. However water replacement with milk, addition of sugar or honey, use of two spoons of not fat-free cocoa instead of one ways to bring the caloric content of one cup of this tasty drink to 150-200 kilocalories. Therefore its use by that who seeks to control the number of the consumed calories should be considered in the general day norm.