‘Chocolate consumption increased in the last one year’
According to a report by Mintel, 21% of Indians are consuming chocolate daily amid the pandemic.
Celebrity chef Pooja Dhingra shared, “The pandemic made many people start cooking at home which also increased the consumption of chocolates. Over the years, I’ve seen baking chocolate and many local producers make it. Knowledge and awareness of the type of chocolate, its origin, how it is made are considered important today.”
Swati Rangwani, a chocolate businessman from Ahmedabad says, “Initially people were hesitant to eat chocolate and cream/ganache based cakes, but eventually when the lockdown extended, the sale of packaged chocolates also increased. Many people struggling with anxiety and stress chose to eat chocolate because it helped them feel better.
‘Dark and vegan chocolate is now increasing in popularity’
The pandemic has prompted people to question their lifestyle choices. With the focus now on clean and healthy food, there has been a significant change in the way people eat. There has also been a change in the consumption of chocolate.
Food critic and consultant Mini Ribeiro said, “People are moving towards healthier and sustainable alternatives to chocolate. Regular chocolate is high in saturated fat so people are now opting for dark chocolate with 40 to 50% cocoa solids as compared to milk chocolate. With the rise of plant-based foods, the demand for vegan chocolate is high.” Chocolate itself is vegetarian because the ingredients used to make chocolate come from a plant. Milk chocolates, because they contain milk, are not traditionally vegetarian. However, with the popularity of coconut, oat, almond and rice milks, milk chocolates can also be vegan.
“An interesting change is that people move from bean to bar chocolate and appreciate a more deep and rich cacao content,” says Dhingra.
experimenting with unusual flavors
Now people are going ahead and trying unconventional combinations in chocolate.
Shares Ribeiro, “Unusual flavors are gaining interest. Wasabi, fruit-based chocolate, beet-flavored chocolate is gaining popularity. Healthy eating has now become the norm,” says Ajit Kumar, a chef based in Pune. Chefs, chocolatiers and makers have also made a healthy change to chocolate by adding healthier ingredients to it. Lemon and ginger flavored chocolates are gaining popularity. Many chefs use organic ingredients like honey to make chocolate. are.”
Are Chocolates Vegan?
Chocolate is made from cacao beans which are the dried and fermented seeds of the cacao tree also known as Theobroma cacao. This means that chocolates are essentially plant-based products. However, chocolates are usually made with additional ingredients such as cocoa butter, sugar, emulsifiers and milk. As more people choose a vegetarian lifestyle, milk chocolate makers are now using milk substitutes such as soy, almond, oat, rice and coconut milk to make chocolate.
“People are now aware of the fact that cacao is a bean and a plant. Hence, it is healthy in itself and has helped vegetarians a lot. People are using the methods to process ordinary chocolate into high quality cocoa based sweets. Looking for.”
– Sarah Todd, international chef and restaurateur
“The pandemic caused many people to start baking at home which also increased the consumption of chocolate. Over the years I have seen an increase in chocolate cooking and many local producers are making it. One interesting change is that people consume the bean. Moving towards. Taking chocolate to the bar and appreciating a deeper and richer cacao content. Knowledge and awareness of the type of chocolate, its origins, how it is made, are as important as the taste of chocolate today.”
-Pooja Dhingra, celebrity baker
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