Cocoa Butter, Cocoa Butter Equivalents, and Cocoa Butter Replacers

Chocolate and confectionery compounds are loved by people throughout the world. However, these products contain >30% of fats such as cocoa butter (CB), CB equivalents (CBE), CB replacers (CBR), CB substitutes (CBS), and milk fat. With more attention to a healthier lifestyle, people tend to avoid oils and fats due to their association with the development of obesity and cardiovascular disease. Evidence exists concerning the relation of cardiovascular disease and an increase in LDL cholesterol concentration when people consume too much fat. On the other hand, a number of interesting papers and findings exist regarding the effect of the fats used in chocolate (compounds) and positive health benefits. In this chapter, we review the following: (i) classification of fats for chocolate (compound); (ii) the effect of CB and CBE on health; and (iii) the healthy fats for chocolate (compound) and their applications.