Why eating chocolate feels so good, according to scientists

The reason why eating chocolate feels so good has been identified by researchers at the University of Leeds in the UK.

Scientists have analyzed the process that occurs when we eat chocolate, focusing more on texture than taste.

They claim that the place where the fat is located inside the chocolate helps to make it smooth and pleasant to the taste.

Study leader Siavash Soltanahmadi hopes the findings will lead to the development of a “next generation” of healthier chocolate.

When chocolate is placed in the mouth, the surface of it releases a greasy film that gives that characteristic sensation.

But the researchers say that the fat deeper within the chocolate plays a more limited role, and therefore the amount there can be reduced without affecting the sensation provided by the chocolate.

Professor Anwesha Sarkar, from the Leeds School of Food Science and Nutrition, said it was “the location of the fat in the chocolate composition that matters at each stage of lubrication, and this has rarely been researched”.

And Soltanahmadi said: “Our research opens up the possibility that manufacturers can intelligently engineer dark chocolate to reduce total fat.”

The team used a tongue-like 3D surface designed at the University of Leeds to carry out the study, and the researchers hope the same equipment could be used to investigate other texture-changing foods such as ice cream, margarine and cheese.

This text was originally published here.