What would you most like to receive as a gift for Valentine's Day?
No need to answer - obviously chocolate, and as much as possible.
A bombastic bonbonniere, fancy pralines, an elaborate case or in our specific case - several tons of strawberry mamolda, because we are addicted - everything will be welcomed, and no kiss is necessary.
But have you ever stopped to think, just like that between bites, why this addictive candy is so delicious, and not least - pleasant to eat?
You will be surprised, but the answer is backed by a scientific explanation.
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A team of researchers from the University of Leeds in the UK had to deal exclusively with chocolate for a good few months (mercy on them), in order to determine why eating the food causes such a high feeling of satisfaction.
The conclusion: it has to do with the way in which the fats found in candy affect different parts of our mouth.
Now you know what you are addicted to (illustration), photo: Getty Images
In the results of the study published last month, it was said that every piece of chocolate that touches our tongue and comes into contact with the saliva, creates a kind of fatty layer that spreads in the mouth and causes a smooth and pleasant feeling when chewing.
"It doesn't matter if the chocolate has 5 or 50% fat, the pieces of fat will still form in our mouth and spread the chocolaty sensation," said Professor Anusha Sarkar, one of the initiators of the study.
Sarker clarified that what really affects the feeling is not the percentage of fat in the chocolate, but rather the position of the layer of fat on the chocolate.
According to her, this layer of fat must be on the outside of the chocolate to spread in the mouth properly and provide the ultimate experience.
What does the future hold for him?
(illustration), photo: Getty Images
And before you decide to resign from your workplace or abandon the institution where you study in favor of transferring to a legendary university where you only grind sweets all day, we would like to emphasize that Anusha and her team actually kept a pace and did not roll huge amounts of chocolate on their tongues "just for research purposes".
In fact, the researchers used a printed synthetic "tongue" made of a soft, flexible and wet polymer material - just like a human tongue - which eliminated the need to use real tongues (what a pity?).
Either way, the synthetic tongue's ability to replicate the process by which chocolate and our saliva mix has helped a great deal in research that may make our future chocolate consumption, you'd be surprised, a little healthier.
"By understanding the physical mechanics that occur when people eat chocolate, we believe it is possible to develop a new 'generation' of chocolate that will give the same feeling of eating high-fat chocolate, but be healthier," explained Dr. Syabesh Sultanamdi, Sarkar's partner.
"Our research may allow manufacturers to 'design' dark chocolate in an intelligent way, and reduce its overall fat percentage."
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