Generality
Cocoa biscuits are dry pastry desserts.
Let's start by pointing out that cocoa biscuits and chocolate biscuits (covered or with pieces in the dough) have completely different recipes.
Cocoa biscuits are very popular and widespread throughout the world.
The chemical composition can vary greatly depending on the recipe.
Cocoa biscuits are very caloric foods, although the specifications change considerably from one product to another. Excess energy is caused by the amount of fat and / or the lack of water in the compound; moreover, the simple sugars are in percentage in excess.
Cocoa Biscuits Cooked in the Microwave - Ready in 8 Minutes
X Problems with video playback? Reload from YouTube Go to Video Page Go to Video Recipes Section Watch the video on youtubeNutritional Features
Cocoa biscuits should have an important calorie intake; as anticipated, there are many types and the nutritional characteristics can vary significantly. Below we will try to highlight the most significant differences related to the most common types today.
The least energetic type of cocoa biscuit is undoubtedly the whole or added to fiber. The difference between the two variants is that the first contains only wholemeal flour, while the second involves the addition of pure fibers such as bran, soluble gums, inulin, etc.
The other ingredients that can influence the caloric density of cocoa biscuits are:
- Fatty foods: butter, clarified butter, margarine, vegetable oils. They tend to increase total energy.
- Caloric sweet foods: granular, honey, maple syrup or agave etc; they are added to sweeten and tend to increase the final calories.
- Non-caloric sweeteners (natural or synthetic): stevia, cyclamate, aspartame, etc. tend to lower the total energy.
- Atri: oil seeds (walnuts, almonds, pine nuts, flax etc.), chocolate, grains etc tend to increase the final calories.
The predominant energy macronutrients of cocoa biscuits can be fatty acids or carbohydrates (simple or complex), depending on the recipe.
- With large quantities of butter or oil, such as cocoa biscuits, or in desserts rich in dried fruit (in pieces or in flour) or with lots of chocolate, lipids prevail.
- In contrast, sugars (simple and complex) seem more abundant in dry cocoa biscuits.
The "dietetic" cocoa biscuits, on the other hand, can reveal a greater amount of protein than fat and sugar, but always less than the sum of the two. Generally they include the addition of soy peptides, milk caseins or whey from the same; recently cricket flour (protein and extracted from the homonymous insects) was introduced.
In addition to the absolute quantity, the percentage of fatty acids can also change significantly. Certain ingredients are rich in saturated lipids (butter, lard, coconut oil, avocado oil, palm oil or palm kernel, various tropical bifractionated or hydrogenated oils, etc.). Others contain many unsaturated lipids (monounsaturated or polyunsaturated, such as corn, peanut, olive, hazelnut etc.).
The ingredients of animal origin, except for the isolated proteins, contain cholesterol; the most influential ones are egg yolks, butter, lard and whole milk.
Natural caloric sweeteners increase the share of simple sugars (sucrose, glucose, fructose, maltose) compared to that of complexes (starch).
The fibers are more abundant in integral recipes and with added fibers. Dietary biscuits (for example against constipation or diabetics) provide a higher amount of water-soluble molecules (from algae, roots, berries etc.) than the classic insoluble "bran" of cereals.
The whole and added fiber cocoa biscuits, in addition to having fewer calories, also have a lower glycemic load and index; they lend themselves more to diet against overweight, hyperglycemia and hypertriglyceridemia.
Furthermore, they contain more vitamins and minerals ; specifically, there is an increase in: thiamine (B1), niacin (PP), potassium, phosphorus and magnesium.
The amount of antioxidants also increases significantly.
Moreover, using the "proper" whole wheat flour (containing the wheat germ, the amount of vitamin E and omega 3 essential fatty acids rises.
Due to the excess of fats (saturated and cholesterol), simple sugars and total calories, cocoa biscuits do not lend themselves to frequent consumption and in significant portions.
This is especially true for those who suffer from overweight, hyperglycemia or type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertriglyceridemia and hypercholesterolemia.
For those who make extensive use of commercial products, it is good to remember that most recipes include the addition of table salt (sodium chloride). Since sodium is implicated in the worsening of sodium-sensitive arterial hypertension, it is not recommended for frequent use in those affected by this pathology.
Dietary recipes (protein, rich in fiber, without sugar, etc.) can also be contextualized in clinical nutrition, but with a frequency of consumption and a portion appropriate to the case.
Most cocoa biscuits contain lactose and gluten, which is why they do not lend themselves to the diet due to their intolerances.
They can only be accepted by the latto-ovo vegetarian or even vegan philosophy, depending on the presence or absence of milk and eggs (precluded by the latter).
The average portion of cocoa biscuits is 2-5 pieces (depending on the individual weight), or about 30 g.
Curiosity
Internationally, the legislation on cocoa biscuits and (even more so) chocolate ones is more quirky than you can imagine.
The indications of the various countries may differ and require specific characteristics; for example, the total percentage of chocolate compared to the biscuit, the quantity of cocoa butter in chocolate, etc.
Not everyone knows that in England and its surroundings these characteristics are decisive for calculating the applicable taxation as a Value Added Tax (VAT).
In fact, in the United Kingdom the rule is that "luxury foods" such as confectionery are "taxable", while basic food products are exempt.
It is curious to learn that the jurisprudence and the succession of judgments have defined that chocolate-covered biscuits, such as Chocolate Digestive or Kit-Kat, are subject to VAT, while Chocolate-Chip Cookies or Jaffa Cake are not.
