Types of chocolate Essay Example for Free

Types of chocolate Essay Do you like chocolate? How many times do you eat chocolates in a day? Some people like to eat chocolates, some are even obsessed with them. Some people don’t like chocolates because those people think that they will make them fat. Some people just don’t like chocolates, without any clear reason. I believe that chocolate has many benefits which we can’t underestimate. Chocolate is a raw or processed food produced from the seed of the tropical Theobroma cacao tree. It is Greek for â€Å"drink of Gods†. Cacao has been cultivated for at least three millennia in Mexico, Central and South America. Its earliest documented use is around 1100 BC. Chocolate has to be processed from cocoa to be the chocolates we know. Most chocolates are brown-colored, even though there’s a variant of chocolate with white color called â€Å"white chocolate†. Chocolates come in many forms, for example, â€Å"chocolate bar†, â€Å"chocolate wafer†, â€Å"chocolate stick†, and so on. I personally like chocolate bars or chocolate balls. Chocolates have wide range of prices and you can find them in many places. There are chocolates which are very inexpensive, there are also chocolates that are costly. Chocolates are also easy to get, we can find chocolates everywhere. I love chocolates that are very delicious but not too expensive. Chocolates are very close to our life, we often eat them to gain pleasure. Chocolates are one of the most popular holiday gifts. The International Chocolate Day is observed on 13 September. Actually, chocolates have many benefits. That’s why we should not underestimate the power of chocolates. First, chocolate functions as remedy. In Harry Potter films, to heal Dementor’s Kiss, one must eat chocolates. Dementor is a creature in Harry Potter world that can absorb a person’s happiness by â€Å"kissing† them. We can say that Dementor is the manifestation of sadness and sorrow, while chocolates are the manifestation of happiness and joy. So, metaphorically, it says that to lessen sadness, we should eat chocolates. This thing is true because eating chocolates release endorphins in our brain, which can make us feel happier and more relaxed. Chocolate is a good stress-buster, it contains valeric acid that can immediately relax our muscles and nervous system. In my personal experience, when I eat chocolates, I feel satisfied. Second, chocolate can make us more beautiful. In fact, nutritionists claim that there are certain types of chocolate that can make our skin look more healthy and radiant. The high content of flavonoid in dark chocolate can moisturize and make our skin naturally shining and smooth. This ingredient can also absorb UV that can contribute to a better blood flow. There is also a chocolate-based mask, it’s believed that using chocolate mask can prevent wrinkles. Third, chocolate is beneficial for our health. Dark chocolate has been shown in studies to lower blood pressure in people with elevated blood pressure. Eating dark chocolate on a regular basis has been shown to reduce LDL cholesterol (unhealthy cholesterol) by as much as one percent. Several studies have found chocolates to be one of the best cancer-fighting foods. Chocolate works as cancer fighters by inhibiting cell division and reducing inflammation. Fourth, Chocolate makes us smarter. Again, it’s that increased blow flow to the brain. One recent study revealed that seniors who ate chocolate reported sharper cognitive ability for several a hours after eating it. According to a study done by the Department of Nutrition at the University of Oslo in Norway, people who regularly eat chocolate scored higher on cognitive tests than those who didn’t report eating as much chocolate. Fifth, Chocolate can unite people. Most people like chocolates. I usually share my chocolates to people, and they like them. Sharing can provoke happiness, sharing chocolates can make people happy and satisfied. But, there are a few cautions that we need to know when we want to eat chocolates. It doesn’t mean that we have to stop eating chocolates, but we just have to control it. There are limits in every human’s life, and eating chocolate has some limits too. First, chocolate can be addictive. If we’re addicted to chocolate, any kind of chocolates, it’s most likely that we will spend your money to buy it. We need to know that our money can be spent on many useful things like buying other healthy foods. Second, chocolate is a little bit dangerous. It’s high in oxalate which can cause kidney stones. According to sciencedirect. com, fifteen samples of commercially available cocoa powder were collected from four different countries, the total oxalate contents ranged from 360 to 567 mg/100 g DM. Oxalate is also found in spinach and almonds. Third, 50% of all chocolate, cocoa and chocolate flavoring is harvested by slaves, many of them are children. The cruelty of humanity is inserted in form of chocolate. Using slaves is very wrong, it’s a degradation of humanity. Those children aren’t able to get freedom. As humans, we should have empathy toward those child slaves. There are ways to overcome these obstacles in consuming chocolate. So, we don’t need to worry about consuming chocolate. First, eat other healthy foods other than chocolates. Our body needs much nutrition and chocolate can’t replace those foods. Focus on eating nutritious foods like fruits, vegetables or fish. We can spend our money on buying those healthy foods. Second, don’t eat it too much. I’m sure that chocolate isn’t that dangerous because it’s allowed to be eaten worldwide. And oxalate is also found in other kind of foods like spinach and almonds, but those foods are still eaten by people. So, I think we can still eat chocolate. But, just in case, don’t eat it too much. Third, eat chocolate from organic chocolate companies and fair-trade chocolate companies. Fair-trade is an organized social movement that aims to help producers in developing countries to make better trading conditions and promote sustainability. Organic chocolate is linked to fair trade because most organic chocolate companies also support fair trade. Fair-trade chocolate companies don’t employ children to be their workers. Organic chocolate/fair-trade chocolate may be more expensive than regular chocolate, but I think it’s worth it. Because we don’t need to eat happily while the child slaves are suffering. So, chocolate is very good to eat because it has many advantages. But, chocolate also has some disadvantages. There are ways to overcome these disadvantages. We can eat chocolate but we have to control the consumption of it. We should also eat chocolate from organic chocolate companies and fair-trade chocolate companies.

Hero Status for Chief Joseph :: American History Essays

Hero Status for Chief Joseph A modest and humble monument was raised to this giant Indian. A seven and a half foot white marble shaft sets atop a barren hill where a lone, half dead elm tree stands, 14 miles north of the Grand Coulee Dam, in a small Indian Village on the Colville Indian Reservation. The acre or so of ground is delineated by wire fence. Weeds have overgrown mounds where graves are left unidentified and only apparent by small mounds of rock. The elm stands, gnarled, over his grave. White chipped rock fill a rectangle edged with one by four wood planking, smaller in length than this man stood in all of this grown years. To his honor had been placed a coin purse, cigarettes, a dog tag, dried flowers in mason jars, an arrowhead, keys, notes under rocks, a dream catcher hanging on the tree, where I placed a Nez Perce bead necklace. My heart was sad by the desolation of this mans grave. My heart was sadder, knowing that his last days were spent begging James McLaughlin, Indian Inspector, to let him to return to his beloved home in the Wallowa Valley. Æ’Â ±For Joseph it was a kind of pilgrimage to his ancestral home. When he gazed once more upon the grave of his father...the tears brimmed over in the old chiefÆ’Â ­s eyes.Æ’Â ° McLaughlin issued an adverse report to the government, never allowing the chief and his people to return to Oregon. Æ’Â ±Joseph, silent and brooding for weeks sat stoically for entire days at a time without moving or speaking. Sitting before his fire on September 21, 1904, he fell forward on his face.Æ’Â ° He died of a broken heart. This Indian colossus, this gentle Napoleon-Gandhi that led his people in a feat that will likely be handed down as a legend, accomplished miracles and mysteries that make him misunderstood by the white people and the Nez Perce. Tom and I arrived in Nespelem at about 4:15 in the afternoon after a near four hour drive. 185 miles from Moscow and 100 miles northeast of Spokane. No signs. No historic landmarks. You just have to know that if you are looking for the grave of Æ’Â ±The Red NapoleonÆ’Â ° you must stop and ask at the gas station. Professor Swagerty, history professor at the University of Idaho, had given these directions when he responded to my email about location of the grave site.

How does the body obtain and utilise energy? Essay

The cardiovascular system The myocardium, commonly referred to as the heart, acts as a pump for transporting blood around the body via a collective system, known as the cardiovascular system. This system has various components; blood vessels; mainly arteries, veins and capillaries. The cardiovascular system has four main functions within the body. Firstly to transport dissolved oxygen, hormones, nutrients, salts, enzymes and urea to cells located around various places within the body, whilst at the same time eliminating any waste products such as carbon dioxide and water. Secondly, to protect the body from infection and blood loss. Thirdly, to distribute heat around the body to enable a healthy temperature of 37oc and finally to aid the body to maintain fluid balance. This ‘human pump’ can be regarded as two pumps. The fist sized organ contains two muscular chambers; the upper chamber; the atrium and the lower; the ventricle. The right side of the heart pumps deoxygenated blood from the veins to the lungs for oxygenation, whilst the left side pumps oxygenated blood from the lungs to the body. It is important to note that the two sides are separated by a septum. The blood flows through the heart twice within one cycle, this is known as ‘double circulation’. The cardiovascular system carries oxygen and glucose to the cells and transports waste products such as co2 and urea away from the cells and to other parts of the body, such as the lungs and kidneys. Adenosine triphosphate, also known as ATP, is a chemical energy that is produced when nutrient molecules are burnt. ATP is constantly being produced on a daily basis due to the breakdown of glucose. Glucose is a sugar which is the main  source of energy for the body. Glucose is broken down and the energy from the glucose molecule chemical bonds are released and utilized by the cell to produce ATP molecules. Catabolism is a metabolic action that breaks down more complex molecules, such as lipids and proteins and transforms them into simpler molecules, such as fatty acids and amino acids in order to release energy. The breakdown of food allows energy to be released as the foods molecules’ bonds are breaking. This energy is then utilized to refine the bonds that have been broken to enable an increase of ATP to be created. More energy can be produce when oxygen is present. An aerobic production of ATP takes place within the mitochondria. The broken down food molecules enter the blood stream. The blood is a liquid which is made up of red and white cells. The red blood cells are attached to a protein called hemoglobin, (which is responsible for giving blood its red appearance) oxygen is present within these red blood cells. Glucose is dissolved in the plasma. Plasma consist of water, fats, proteins and salts. Plasma is responsible for transporting blood cells throughout the body and nutrients i.e. glucose, It also transports waste products, antibodies, clotting proteins and hormones. Iron is also present within red blood cells and iron attracts oxygen. The cells require oxygen to produce energy. The body would not receive the nutrients it needs if the cardiovascular system was not in place, therefore it is essential. The cardiovascular system is dependent on metabolic reactions. The heart itself needs ATP to function therefore the CV system would not work without the products of metabolism. The digestive system The digestive system consist of various organs such as, the pancreas, stomach and gall bladder, which all work together to convert food into energy and to extract the vital nutrients that the body requires to function efficiently. The digestive system has several components which all have their own duties to carry out in order to break down the food step by step. Although digestion has several steps there are two main forms of digestion that these  steps fall into. The first form being; mechanical digestion. Mechanical digestion involves physically breaking the food into smaller pieces by chewing. The second form being; chemical digestion. This involves breaking down the food into simpler nutrients with the assistance of digestive enzymes such as, proteins, carbohydrates and lipids. Digestive enzymes are proteins that break up large molecules of food into smaller molecules to enable them to be absorbed and used by the cells in the form of nutrition. The digestive tract plays a vital role within the digestive system, it is a tube that is responsible for passing the food to be further broken down. It consist of; the mouth, pharynx, esophagus, the small and large intestines and the anus. The other organs that work within the digestive system include; teeth, tongue, three pairs of salivary glands, the liver, the pancreas and the gall bladder. The teeth cut and grind the food in order for it to be swallowed, the salivary glands also produce and secrete salvia to aid the swallowing. As stated before there are three salivary glands which all carry out a different function; the parotid, which produces amylase in order to digest the carbohydrates. The submandibular provides mucin as a form of lubrication for the food bolus to travel down the esophagus to the stomach. Finally, the submandibular which secretes mucus. The tongues job is to roll and mix the food into a formulae known as bolus, which consists of small pieces of  mashed up f ood. Once the bolus is made, the tongue pushes it towards the pharynx and into the esophagus during the process of swallowing. The esophagus takes the food down to the stomach. The stomach is where the food is churned and mixed together with gastric fluids, such as enzymes and hydrochloric acid secreted by the stomach walls to make a paste like substance known as chyme. The alimentary canal is the small intestine. The alimentary canal is a tube that flows from the mouth to the anus. It consist of three parts; the duodenum, the jejunum and the ileum. The duodenum is attached to the stomach and is majorly involved in the breaking down process. Digestive enzymes are secreted by the pancreas to the duodenum. These enzymes are responsible for breaking down proteins, fats and carbohydrates. The pancreas also performs the role of producing insulin,  which is the main hormone responsible for metabolizing sugar, secreting it directly into the bloodstream. The jejunum and the ileum absorb the nutrients into the bloodstream. Contents of the small intestine initially begin semi-solid and transform into complete liquid form after passing through the organ. Water, bile enzymes and mucus are responsible for the change in consistency. The villi are vital for the absorption of digestive nutrients. The cells of the villi transport the food from the digestive tract into the bloodstream where the body can utilize them efficiently. The villi increase the surface area of the small intestine, they also contain specialized cells which transfer various types of nutrients into the blood. The liver then takes over and processes the absorbed nutrients from the small intestine. Liver also secrets bile into the small intestine which aids in the digestion of fats. There is a muscular tube known as the colon, which provides a pathway from the small intestine to the rectum. The large intestine plays a crucial role within the digestive system, it is responsible for processing waste which allows the emptying of the bowels to be easy and efficient. Undigested food is transferred from the small intestine to the large intestine. Once in the large intestine water is reabsorbed and undigested food and fibre are eliminated. After this process the food waste products harden and turn into faeces. Which are finally excreted via the anus. Once food has completed the process of digestion and has completely broken down, energy is provided to enable physical activity from walking to talking, from sports to working. Food provides the energy that is essential for everyday tasks. It also provides energy for involuntary activities such as, thinking, breathing, nerves, organs (especially the heart) to carry out their functions and the ability to build and repair tissues.

Elementary Physical Science Fair Project Ideas

Trying to find the topic for a science fair project can be almost as challenging as the project itself. Helping a child decide on a project that doesnt involve huge expense, constant supervision or the danger of burning down the house need not be an impossibility. Elementary school level projects should be not only informative but quick and fun. Great projects usually answer a question, rather than a general demonstration or display. Remember that the project is your childs, let them have fun with it. Here is a list of ten ideas to help get past the difficult first step. Fly a kite.Making a kite is fun and easy. Adding a tail to the kite adds stability. Does a longer tail make the kite fly better? Try different lengths of tail or vary the number of tails.Parachutes - Throwing things for science. Make parachutes with garbage bags and fishing line. See if larger parachutes are better than smaller parachutes. Are square parachutes better than round ones? Long strings better than short strings?Swinging Pendulums.Make a simple pendulum from a string and fishing weight. How does varying the length of the string affect the period? Add more weight and see what that does.Musical Glasses.Running your finger around a wine glass to make a tone is always entertaining. Does the tone change if you use different liquids in the glass? Check to see if changing the amount of liquid changes the tone.Balloons and Static Electricity.If you rub a balloon against your hair or a wool sweater, you can generate enough static electricity to stick the balloon to a wall. How many rubs does it take to this? Do fuller balloons take more or less rubbing? Does the type of hair matter?Spaghetti Bridge.One piece of spaghetti is easy to break. Bundling several pieces together can support a lot of weight. Make bundles of spaghetti to make beams that span two chairs or tables. Hang a cup from the middle of the spaghetti beam and add fishing weights or bolts until the beam breaks. Is your bridge stronger if you bind the spaghetti with thread, glue, tape or rubber bands? Try different pastas. Is flat spaghetti stronger than round?Electromagnets.You can make a simple electromagnet with a lantern battery, copper wire and a nail. Wrap the wire around the nail several times and connect the ends to the battery terminals. Use the magnet to pick up iron filings. Increase the number of windings and see how the amount of filings your magnet picks up changes.Buoyancy with eggs.If you put an egg into a jar of water, the egg will sink. If you add salt to the water, the egg will s tart to float. How much salt does it take to float an egg to the top of the water? What if you used sugar instead of salt?Watt about light bulbs?Light bulbs come in several styles, sizes and wattages. What does the wattage mean? Do higher watt bulbs run hotter? brighter?Battery Battle.All battery makers claim their battery lasts longer. Why not see for yourself? Are more expensive batteries better? Does one brand stand out?How Strong Is It?Test the strength of trashbags, grocery store bags, or plastic wrap.Whitest of Them All.Which tooth whitener is best at removing stains and whitening? You can stain tile or another material with coffee, tea, berries, smoke, etc., then compare the whitening power of different toothpastes. Try something similar for laundry detergents or bathroom cleaners.Haircolor ColorfastnessGrab a human hair wig and dye different areas with the same color of haircolor, except different brands. Wash the wig and see which color lasts. Do any of the colors change in unexpected ways? Dont dont have a human hair wig? Try wool or another animal hair.