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why eating chocolate is (feels so good) so enjoyable 

The physical mechanism that occurs in the mouth when chocolate is consumed—when it transforms from a solid into the smooth emulsion that most people find so appetizing—has recently been decoded by a team of academics led by the University of Leeds. These discoveries might contribute to the creation of a new class of high-end chocolates that retain the same texture while being healthier.

When chocolate first enters the mouth, it is lubricated either by saliva, the chemicals in the chocolate itself, or a mix of the two. This results in a distinct, delicious experience. The first stage of this process involves a significant function for fat, following which cocoa particles are liberated and become increasingly significant in terms of tactile perception. As a result, the amount of fat inside chocolate really has a relatively small impact and may be decreased without compromising the chocolate's enticing texture or flavour.

Anwesha Sarkar, professor of Colloids and Surfaces at Leeds University and the study's principal author, suggested that using this information, food may be created that has improved flavour, texture, or health benefits.

However, very little research has been done on how the positioning of the fat in the composition of the chocolate affects each step of lubrication. We are demonstrating that the exterior layer of the chocolate must have fat; this is crucial, followed by an efficient fat coating of the cocoa particles, which contributes to the satisfying feeling of eating chocolate.

The researchers experimented with a high-end brand of dark chocolate on a synthetic 3D tongue-like surface. When chocolate comes into touch with the tongue, it creates a fatty layer that makes it seem smooth the entire time it is in the mouth. This was later identified by analytical techniques from the engineering discipline of tribology, which studies how surfaces and fluids interact.

"Our study provides a basis for producers to develop dark chocolate with a lower overall eating chocolate is (feels so good) so enjoyable fat level. To provide the desired self-indulgent sensation without adding too much fat to the chocolate's body, we think dark chocolate can be created in a gradient-layered architecture with fat coating the surface of chocolates and particles.

The research has been published in the ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces journal.

Source: College of Leeds

Scientists have figured out the physical process that transforms a piece of chocolate from a solid into a silky emulsion that many people find utterly enticing when they eat it. The multidisciplinary research team hopes that by dissecting each process, they will be able to create a new line of high-end chocolates that would have the same feel and texture as the old ones but be healthier to eat. The way the chocolate is lubricated—either by components in the chocolate itself, saliva, or a mix of the two—determines how the chocolate feels in the mouth.As soon as a piece of chocolates touches the tongue, fat begins to play a crucial role. The fat farther inside the chocolates plays a relatively minor function and may be reduced without having an effect on the feel or sensation of the chocolate after that, when solid cocoa particles are liberated.