In praise of the full fat egg
For many, Easter is an important religious festival. But what the majority fail to realise is that it also presents a chance to celebrate a different, but equally marvellous creation: namely, the chocolate egg. I will never be too old for Easter eggs (or Christmas stockings for that matter), and I look forward every year to indulging in a new and exciting selection. I admit I buy most of them myself, as other people don't seem to realise that the eggs are hollow inside and therefore you need at least, say, ten.
Imagine my joy therefore, when the other day I was leafing through a magazine, only to happen upon an article which appeared to list the virtues of chocolate. It listed pleasing, if commonly known, facts like "chocolate contains calcium, protein and iron," and interestingly described chocolate as being "a bit like a brown vitamin" (hmmm... whatever). Anyway, it continued in this vein, noting that chocolate releases endorphins and even boosts your immune system. Marvellous, I thought: this confirms everything I have always suspected about this wondrous substance (I believe everything I read, incidentally - as you should), and without any mention of calories, guilt, cellulite or any of the other things they seem obsessed with in women's magazines these days. How wrong I was.
At the bottom of the page, in quite small writing, was a charming-looking little section entitled Ways to Enjoy Chocolate. Great, I mused, "I can handle some variety". So I read on. The article suggested sipping a certain well-known low calorie chocolate drink (just add water - only 49 calories!) or alternatively nibbling on a low-calorie chocolate substitute bar-thingy (tasteless, but a mere 97 calories). If you were feeling really daring, it added, you could try both at once. At this point, I quietly sighed to myself and put the magazine down, remembering why I don't often buy women's magazines.
You see (and you're welcome to disagree with me here), I consider chocolate an indulgence - something to be savoured and enjoyed - not something to nibble on secretly, mentally torturing yourself by imagining where each gram of fat is likely to deposit itself on your person. I apologise if there are loads of women out there thinking "but I love those low-calorie bars!" But to me, half the calories means half the flavour, which totally misses the point of chocolate consumption.
What annoys me even more is that if you really want healthier chocolate, you should be eating the really good stuff with 75% cocoa solids, or whatever it is Delia recommends. Posh choc does not contain anywhere near the amount of milk, sugar or preservatives found in your everyday chocolate bar. In fact the only disadvantage of the good stuff is that is costs loads. So if you are a cheapskate student like me then I recommend that you get down to your local supermarket or newsagent sharpish, because there may well still be some cut-price Easter eggs left on the shelves. That is, if I haven't got there first.
27th Apr 2000