What is the difference between mate and chocolate?
In this brief article we are going to answer the question, “What is the difference between mate and chocolate?”, and discuss how mate is consumed, the composition, uses and health benefits and processing of mate. We will also discuss the common types of chocolates, what are the chemical compounds found in chocolate, health effects and potential health risks of consuming chocolates.
What is the difference between mate and chocolate?
The difference between mate and chocolate is that mate is a herbal tea made from leaves of a plant called Ilex paraguariensis, and chocolate is made from cocoa beans. The appearance of mate is a sediment brown colour with an acid, humid and a smoky aroma, and a bitter toasted taste.
Chocolate on the other hand are quite sweeter and come in various colours depending upon the types. For example: white chocolates are usually white in colour, milk chocolates are a creamy colour and dark chocolates are on the darker side of brown.
How is mate consumed?
Mate is consumed by infusing the leaves with differences in the manufacturing process and beverage preparation. The products obtained use different water temperatures for the preparation of infusion. For example, mate, mate cocido or chimarrao are the by-products of mate and is a hot water beverage while terere is a cold water beverage.
What is the composition of mate?
Mate contains high levels of minerals and bioactive compounds such as saponins aluminium chromium copper iron manganese nickel potassium zinc. It contains compounds such as caffeine, tannins, chlorophyll rutin and theophylline all of which are responsible for different health benefits of mate.
What are the uses of mate?
Mate has been used in food preservatives, dyes, toiletries, cosmetics, for the composition of instantaneous cold drinks and the preparation of energy drinks.
What are the health benefits of mate?
It acts as an antimicrobial, anti-obesity, anti-diabetic, to improve digestion, and protects against cardiovascular disease. It also protects crops and foods against food borne illness, human and plant pathogens
How is mate processed?
Mate undergoes various stages of processing such as blanching, drying and ageing. It goes through very little fermentation. Blanching is done to deactivate enzymes and dried very slowly by the use of wood smoke to impart different flavours. In the end of processing before release into the market, mate has a high content of stem pieces present.
What are the common types of chocolate?
The common types of chocolate are:
- White Chocolate
- Dark Chocolate
- Milk Chocolate
- Bittersweet Chocolate
- Ruby Chocolate
- Baking Chocolate
- Semi-sweet Chocolate
- Couverture Chocolate
- Candy Coating Chocolate
What are the chemical compounds found in chocolate?
Chocolate contains cocoa butter, monounsaturated and saturated fatty acids, a large concentration of flavonoids, even greater than tea and wine. It also contains caffeine from cocoa and proteins and minerals such as phosphorus, copper, iron, zinc, magnesium and
valeric acid.
What are the health benefits of chocolates?
Chocolates are beneficial in preventing the risk of heart disease by lowering blood pressure by dilating the blood vessels. It also has an aspirin like effect on platelet function reducing the risk of abnormal clotting of blood.
It also improves and enhances the immune function and possesses anti-stress effects by promoting serotonin production. Chocolate when taken in the correct amounts leads to significant decrease in total body weight.
Chocolate is also used for the treatment of some neurological disorders such as dementia and stroke. Chocolate consumption before physical activity or exercise results in rapid recovery of post-exercise physiological and metabolic changes in the body.
What are the potential health risks of consuming chocolate?
Potential health risks of chocolate are:
- It causes heartburn because one of its constituents permits stomach acid to enter into the oesophagus.
- Chocolate may also cause allergy in children.
Other FAQs about Tea that you may be interested in.
Does green tea make you sleepy?
Does green tea help with bloating?
Does green tea give you energy?
Conclusion
In this brief article we answered the question, “What is the difference between mate and chocolate?”, and discussed how mate is consumed, the composition, uses and health benefits and processing of mate. We also discussed the common types of chocolates, what are the chemical compounds found in chocolate, health effects and potential health risks of consuming chocolates.
References
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/8-benefits-of-yerba-mate#TOC_TITLE_HDR_2
https://www.lakechamplainchocolates.com/types-of-chocolate/
Latif, R. (2013). Chocolate/cocoa and human health: a review. Neth J Med, 71(2), 63-8.
Heck, C. I., & De Mejia, E. G. (2007). Yerba Mate Tea (Ilex paraguariensis): a comprehensive review on chemistry, health implications, and technological considerations. Journal of food science, 72(9), R138-R151.
