Welcome to Fair Trade
Fairtrade Article
. For a permanent link to this article, or to bookmark it for further reading, click here.
Hooray for Chocolate!
from: Nettie MaeThere is great news for chocolate lovers...Chocolate is good for your health! Now, we are not talking here about a candy bar but about real chocolate, the kind that contains at least 71% of real cocoa. Something to remember when selecting chocolate is that the darker it is, the less sugar it contains and the better it is for you.
We are all aware of the emotional benefits of chocolate. By liberating endorphins in the body, chocolate provides us with feelings of comfort and wellbeing, energy and pleasure. Some surveyed women go as far a saying that they would prefer chocolate to sex! No wonder with such a texture, rich color and taste, chocolate is not only an aphrodisiac but also a pleasure for the senses. In addition, chocolate also contains serotonin and caffeine which both provide energy and promote good humor.
Pleasure aside, chocolate also holds beneficial health properties. Chocolate's complex chemical composition offers a variety of substances that the body needs to function properly and to prevent disease.
Chocolate enhances cardiovascular health. Like red wine, the phenols contained in dark chocolate help prevent coronary diseases. The British Medical Journal reports that a daily portion of 100 grams of dark chocolate reduces blood pressure and the occurrence of cardiovascular incidents by 21%. These phenols are also rich in antioxidants and they help neutralize free radicals produced by the body or absorbed thought cigarette smoke and other sources of pollution. Cocoa butter is already used in creams to heal scars and burns. No wonder pharmaceutical companies are now exploring the possibility of researching with chocolate to develop new medication to counter cancers and osteoporosis.
Chocolate does contain fats but these are unsaturated and contribute to reducing bad cholesterol and to increasing good cholesterol. Chocolate is also an excellent source of magnesium. Should it contain nuts, chocolate can become a great source phosphor and vegetable iron.
One of the many benefits of living in our time is that there is a plethora of organic and fair trade chocolates that are readily available to us in natural health food and grocery stores. The benefits of purchasing these types of chocolates abound but the most obvious are that they do not contain organochlorine pesticides that are usually used to treat traditional cocoa crops and that are harmful not only to the consumer but also to the field worker. Furthermore, purchasing fair trade chocolate ensures that the (healthier) worker can benefit from improved working and living conditions by receiving a fair salary for their work.
Like with everything however, chocolate must be consumed in good measure. Chocolate increases caloric intake and energy level. This can be good, provided these calories are burned. We might even change the saying to "Some chocolate everyday keeps the doctor away!"
About the Author
Sick and tired of being Sick and Tired, Nettie Mae dumped her 3rd shift factory job. To see what keeps her going visit http://www.frutavida4u.com/nettiemae/ or email her at nettiemae@nettibooks.com
Fairtrade News
California Fair Trade Coalition - California Progress Report
 California Progress Report | California Fair Trade Coalition California Progress Report As another round of behind-closed-door talks aimed at creating a massive new trade pact for the Pacific Rim took place in a posh Beverly Hills hotel on Wednesday, labor, environmental and public health advocates picketed outside to demand a voice for ... |
Gay Coffee Puts the Gay in Valentine's Day with Fair Trade Chocolate Gifts and ... - San Francisco Chronicle (press release)
Gay Coffee Puts the Gay in Valentine's Day with Fair Trade Chocolate Gifts and ... San Francisco Chronicle (press release) Gay Coffee is adding new Valentine's Day offerings featuring hand-roasted, fair trade Gay Coffee bags and tins paired with exquisite, fair trade chocolates. After debuting in October at the Castro Street Fair, and creating a line of kitschy and ... |
Fairtrade Chichester holding cycle ride - Chichester Today
Fairtrade Chichester holding cycle ride Chichester Today The ride starts at 1pm outside Westgate Leisure Centre, There will be Fairtrade refreshments at the Bosham Co-Op and riders will return to Christ Church in South Street at around 4pm. The mayor of Chichester, Tony French will be at Christ Church to ... |
Fair Trade: Random House Will Raise Library E-book Prices, But Commits to E ... - Publishers Weekly
Fair Trade: Random House Will Raise Library E-book Prices, But Commits to E ... Publishers Weekly Never has a price increase been such good news for libraries. At a meeting with ALA leaders this week in New York, Random House officials said the “terms of sale” for Random House e-books to libraries will change, with a price increase coming. |
COUNCIL Looking At Renewed Fair Trade Effort - Inverclyde Now
COUNCIL Looking At Renewed Fair Trade Effort Inverclyde Now INVERCLYDE Council looks set to try again to achieve Fair Trade status for the area after a previous effort fizzled out. Councillors on the Policy and Resources Committee are being asked to approve a plan to resume work towards the status. |
Fair Trade Going Strong Amid Global Crisis - Inter Press Service
Fair Trade Going Strong Amid Global Crisis Inter Press Service By Marcela Valente BUENOS AIRES, Feb 3, 2012 (IPS) - With a steady growth in production and exports, fair trade in Argentina is proving that socially and environmentally sustainable practices can be much more than a refuge from external crises. |
Bring Fair Trade to Electronics - Huffington Post (blog)
Bring Fair Trade to Electronics Huffington Post (blog) But there is another possibility, a version of the fair trade system developed for coffee growers and some other agricultural products. In this system, a third-party investigation sets floor prices based on responsible humane and environmental ... |