tag:theconversation.com,2011:/us/topics/easter-eggs-37714/articlesEaster eggs – The Conversation2024-03-27T21:30:45Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2267592024-03-27T21:30:45Z2024-03-27T21:30:45ZEating some chocolate really might be good for you – here’s what the research says<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/584848/original/file-20240327-30-mjl9ps.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=24%2C32%2C5431%2C3604&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption"></span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/young-attractive-woman-eating-bitter-chocolate-231874846">Mikolaj Niemczewski/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Although it always makes me scoff slightly to see Easter eggs making their first appearance in supermarkets at the end of December, there are few people who aren’t delighted to receive a bit of chocolate every year. </p>
<p>It makes sense that too much chocolate would be bad for you because of the high fat and sugar content in most products. But what should we make of common claims that eating some chocolate is actually good for you?</p>
<p>Happily, there is a fair amount of evidence that shows, in the right circumstances, chocolate may be both beneficial for your heart and good for your mental state.</p>
<p>In fact, chocolate – or more specifically cacao, the raw, unrefined bean – is a medicinal wonder. It contains many different active compounds which can evoke pharmacological effects within the body, like medicines or drugs. </p>
<p>Compounds that lead to neurological effects in the brain have to be able to cross the <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-642-13443-2_7">blood-brain barrier</a>, the protective shield which prevents harmful substances – like toxins and bacteria – entering the delicate nervous tissue. </p>
<p>One of these is the compound <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3672386/">theobromine</a>, which is also found in tea and contributes towards its bitter taste. Tea and chocolate also contain caffeine, which theobromine is related to as part of the purine family of chemicals. </p>
<p>These chemicals, among others, contribute to chocolate’s addictive nature. They have the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier, where they can influence the nervous system. They are therefore known as <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15549276/">psychoactive</a> chemicals. </p>
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<p>What effects can chocolate have on mood? Well, <a href="https://academic.oup.com/nutritionreviews/article/71/10/665/1931144?login=false">a systematic review</a> looked at a group of studies which examined the feelings and emotions associated with consuming chocolate. Most demonstrated improvements in mood, anxiety, energy and states of arousal. </p>
<p>Some noted the feeling of guilt, which is perhaps something we’ve all felt after one too many Dairy Milks. </p>
<h2>Health benefits of cocoa</h2>
<p>There are other organs, aside from the brain, that might benefit from the medicinal effects of cocoa. For centuries, chocolate has been used as a medicine to treat a <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10917925/">long list of diseases</a> including anaemia, tuberculosis, gout and even low libido.</p>
<p>These might be spurious claims but there is evidence to suggest that eating cacao has a positive effect on the cardiovascular system. First, it can prevent <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8068178/">endothelial dysfunction</a>. This is the process through which arteries harden and get laden down with fatty plaques, which can in turn lead to heart attacks and strokes. </p>
<p>Eating dark chocolate may also reduce <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1537189115001135?via%3Dihub">blood pressure</a>, which is another risk factor for developing arterial disease, and prevent formation of clots which block up blood vessels.</p>
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<p>Some studies have suggested that dark chocolate might be useful in adjusting ratios of <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20968113/">high-density lipoprotein cholesterol</a>, which can help protect the heart. </p>
<p>Others have examined insulin resistance, the phenomenon associated with Type 2 diabetes and weight gain. They suggest that the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0963996900000697#:%7E:text=Cocoa%20is%20rich%20in%20polyphenols%20particularly%20in%20catechins,and%20cocoa%20powder%20have%20been%20published%20only%20recently.">polyphenols</a> – chemical compounds present in plants – found in foodstuffs like chocolate may also lead to <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29993262/">improved control of blood sugars</a>.</p>
<h2>Chocolate toxicity</h2>
<p>As much as chocolate might be considered a medicine for some, it can be a poison for others. </p>
<p>It’s well documented that the ingestion of caffeine and theobromine is highly toxic for domestic animals. Dogs are <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4801869/">particularly affected</a> because of their often voracious appetites and generally unfussy natures. </p>
<p>The culprit is often dark chocolate, which can provoke symptoms of agitation, rigid muscles and even seizures. In certain cases, if ingested in high enough quantities, it can lead to comas and abnormal, even fatal heart rhythms. </p>
<p>Some of the compounds found in chocolate have also been found to have potentially negative effects in humans. Chocolate is a source of oxalate which, along with calcium, is one of the main components of <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20301742/">kidney stones</a>. </p>
<p>Some clinical groups have advised against consuming oxalate rich foods, such as spinach and rhubarb – and chocolate, for those who suffer from recurrent kidney stones. </p>
<p>So, what should all this mean for our chocolate consumption habits? Science points in the direction of chocolate that has as high a cocoa solid content as possible, and the minimum of extras. The potentially harmful effects of chocolate are more related to fat and sugar, and may counteract any possible benefits. </p>
<p>A daily dose of 20g-30g of plain or dark chocolate with cocoa solids above 70% – rather than milk chocolate, which contains fewer solids and white chocolate, which contains none – could lead to a greater health benefit, as well as a greater high. </p>
<p>But whatever chocolate you go for, please don’t share it with the dog.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/226759/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Dan Baumgardt does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Who doesn’t love a chocolate egg or two at Easter? Here’s why a little indulgence may not do much harm.Dan Baumgardt, Senior Lecturer, School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University of BristolLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2247152024-03-27T13:27:11Z2024-03-27T13:27:11ZGo on an Easter egg case hunt on the beach to discover more about sharks and rays<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/579193/original/file-20240301-20-bnz9ap.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Egg cases found along the foreshore can tell scientists a lot about the abundance and life cycles of sharks and rays</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/close-shark-egg-case-resting-on-1983639383">Ross Mahon/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Strolling along the shoreline, you may come across peculiar pouch-like objects on the sand. These leathery treasures are shark egg cases, also known as mermaid’s purses. Each capsule can tell us something about how sharks and rays reproduce, the lives they lead and how rare they might be. </p>
<p>The Shark Trust’s <a href="https://www.sharktrust.org/greateggcasehunt">great egg case hunt</a> encourages people to document their foreshore findings. Different sharks and rays produce egg cases with distinct characteristics. Skates and rays tend to have more elongated pouches with horn-like protrusions at each end. Shark egg cases often have spiral coiled tendrils which can be lodged into crevices or attached to underwater structures such as rocks, seaweed, or coral reefs.</p>
<p>These protective structures are produced by the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0016648022001010#:%7E:text=Reproductive%20strategies%20of%20elasmobranchs%20(sharks%2C%20rays%20and%20skates)%20have,species%20(Compagno%2C%201990).">40% of sharks and rays</a> and <a href="https://www.sharktrust.org/pups-skates-rays">all skates</a> that lay eggs. Each egg case safeguards an embryo from predators and harsh environmental conditions during their early stages of life. </p>
<p>Shark egg cases can be found around the world, in coastal waters, estuaries and deep ocean environments. Particularly after storms or during low tide, egg cases may become dislodged from their attachment sites on the ocean floor and end up on beaches. </p>
<h2>Record your findings</h2>
<p>If you come across an egg case while exploring the beach, try not to disturb or open it because it may contain precious shark or ray eggs. Avoid removing it from the beach (doing so may well be illegal in some parts of the world) and, as with any beach discovery, leave the area as you found it.</p>
<p>Take a moment to examine the egg case. Note its size, shape, colour and any other distinguishing features. Photograph the egg case from different angles and try to identify which species it came from using The Shark Trust’s <a href="https://www.sharktrust.org/geh-id">useful guide</a>. Record the precise location, date and time that you found the egg case. </p>
<p>Log your findings via citizen science projects such as the great egg case hunt, or report your discovery to local marine research organisations, aquariums or conservation groups that may be collecting data on egg case sightings. </p>
<p>Share your experience with friends, relatives and other beachgoers to raise awareness about the importance of shark and ray conservation. Encourage others to respect marine life and their habitats to ensure their preservation.</p>
<h2>A natural process</h2>
<p>The washing up of shark egg cases is a perfectly natural process. Some sharks and rays deposit their egg cases in shallow waters or near the shoreline, where they may become dislodged by wave action, currents, or storms. This helps to disperse the embryos and maintain genetic diversity within populations. Once the tide comes in, egg cases can be washed back into the sea allowing for further dispersal, so not all shark egg cases found on beaches are stranded or in need of intervention. </p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/579203/original/file-20240301-18-pcqiev.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Underwater shot of yellow transparent egg case with dark-coloured live embryo inside , purple sea coral" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/579203/original/file-20240301-18-pcqiev.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/579203/original/file-20240301-18-pcqiev.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/579203/original/file-20240301-18-pcqiev.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/579203/original/file-20240301-18-pcqiev.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/579203/original/file-20240301-18-pcqiev.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/579203/original/file-20240301-18-pcqiev.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/579203/original/file-20240301-18-pcqiev.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Egg cases are designed to protect the embryos of sharks and rays.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/dogfish-shark-eggs-close-hanging-red-326395700">Andrea Izzotti/Shutterstock</a></span>
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<p>If the embryos inside the egg cases are fully developed and ready to hatch, returning them to the sea may indeed increase their chances of survival. But if the water is too shallow, turbid or polluted, it may not be suitable for the survival of the embryos. Handling egg cases or disturbing them unnecessarily could inadvertently harm the developing embryos. So if you have concerns about the welfare of the embryos or the environmental conditions, consult with local marine conservation experts or beach authorities for guidance.</p>
<h2>Tracking cycles</h2>
<p>Identifying which species are present in a particular area can indicate the reproductive activity of local shark and ray populations. By monitoring the abundance and distribution of egg cases over time, scientists can track reproductive cycles and assess the health of populations. </p>
<p>While some species may reproduce all year round, others may have specific breeding seasons tied to environmental cues such as water temperature or daylight hours. Understanding the reproductive biology and habitat requirements of sharks and rays helps protect these vulnerable species and conserve their habitats.</p>
<p>Recordings of egg case sightings enable scientists to build up a picture of any changes in the abundance or condition of shark egg cases that might be indicative of broader environmental changes. The decline in the number of egg case sightings may suggest threats such as habitat degradation or over-fishing. Stormy weather or changes in ocean currents may also affect the distribution and abundance of egg cases by washing them ashore or dispersing them in the water. </p>
<p>Egg cases are fascinating structures that provide valuable information about sharks and rays. Next time you visit a beach, remember that each and every piece of debris, natural or human-made, tells a story about the interconnected web of life in the ocean. Take a closer look at what has been washed up on the shore and enjoy going on a shark egg case hunt.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/224715/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Nicholas Ray does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Egg cases of sharks and rays can be found washed up on the shore. Citizen science data helps scientists understand the life cycles of these marine animals and how to best conserve them.Nicholas Ray, Doctoral School Programmes Manager, Nottingham Trent UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2252392024-03-25T18:23:49Z2024-03-25T18:23:49ZBuying affordable ethical chocolate is almost impossible – but some firms are offering the next best thing<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/581436/original/file-20240312-24-tojl7x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Transparency throughout the supply chains for cacao, the raw ingredient for chocolate, is required to ensure ethical sourcing and manufacture of products. </span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/cacao-pods-cocoa-organic-chocolate-farm-1121861738">andysartworks/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>With supermarket aisles piled high with assortments of chocolate treats, the choice can seem overwhelming. The array of ethical options – some with certifications, others with marketing claims about sustainability – can just add to the confusion.</p>
<p>Shoppers are becoming <a href="https://www.ethicalconsumer.org/sites/default/files/media-file/2023-12/EC-Markets-report-2023-web-final2.pdf">more eco-conscious</a>, with consumer spending on ethical products increasing from £17 billion in 1999 to more than £141 billion in 2023, according to Ethical Consumer magazine. In terms of chocolate, that usually means avoiding issues such as cocoa’s endemic reliance on <a href="https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ilab/our-work/child-forced-labor-trafficking/child-labor-cocoa">child labour</a>, <a href="https://unearthed.greenpeace.org/2020/11/25/cargill-deforestation-agriculture-history-pollution/">child trafficking</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-023-00751-8">widespread deforestation</a>. </p>
<p>Lack of transparency along the whole supply chain is a major barrier to sourcing ethical cocoa and buying ethical chocolate. This makes it almost impossible to guarantee that any chocolate you buy is ethically sourced, even from companies that do their utmost to avoid buying from suppliers with harmful practices.</p>
<p>However, some new brands, such as the Netherlands’ Tony’s Chocolonely and Scotland’s UP-UP Chocolate, are trying to demonstrate their commitment to child labour-free products by doing more than claiming responsible sourcing of cocoa. </p>
<p>Tony’s <a href="https://online.flippingbook.com/view/287207390/8/">publishes the number of cases</a> of labour abuses it finds every year, and its packaging explains the issues of modern slavery in cocoa farming. UP-UP <a href="https://upupchocolate.com/pages/slavefreecocoa">surveys every worker</a> in its supply chains and states which single-estate plantation its cocoa comes from on its packaging.</p>
<h2>Why it’s so hard to guarantee ethical practices</h2>
<p>Without transparency, the origin of the cocoa – and therefore its impact on people and planet – cannot be known. Most of the world’s cocoa is grown <a href="https://www.icco.org/wp-content/uploads/Production_QBCS-XLIX-No.-4.pdf">in west Africa</a>, where more than 2 million farmers work on <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1573521415000160">around 800,000 farms</a>. </p>
<p>Many of these <a href="https://doi.org/10.1108/SCM-11-2020-0583">farms are remote</a> and served only by motorcycle due to poor infrastructure. This contributes to the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1108/SCM-11-2020-0583">long and fragmented</a> nature of cocoa supply chains. </p>
<p>Tracing actual shipments of cocoa is rare because it’s sold as a commodity on a mass balance basis. So, while the volume of ethical cocoa farmed is equal to that sold, most cocoa is mixed with cocoa of unknown origin from multiple sources.</p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/581438/original/file-20240312-28-y9ka7h.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Wooden table background, cut open cocao pod with nibs, fragments of brown chocolate and green leaves laid out on surface" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/581438/original/file-20240312-28-y9ka7h.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/581438/original/file-20240312-28-y9ka7h.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/581438/original/file-20240312-28-y9ka7h.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/581438/original/file-20240312-28-y9ka7h.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/581438/original/file-20240312-28-y9ka7h.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/581438/original/file-20240312-28-y9ka7h.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/581438/original/file-20240312-28-y9ka7h.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Chocolate brands going to extreme lengths to ensure traceability of their raw raw ingredients pay the price - and shoppers often pay a premium for the most ethical chocolate.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/composition-cocoa-pod-products-on-wooden-793125286">Africa Studio/Shutterstock</a></span>
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<p>At various stages within the supply chain, from transport to processing, a company’s ability to track cocoa from known sources at specific farms is compromised. </p>
<p>While such complexity makes addressing child labour more difficult, it could be seen as convenient for large chocolate producers. Some have had <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/hershey-nestle-cargill-win-dismissal-us-child-slavery-lawsuit-2022-06-28/">legal claims against them dismissed</a> because of the lack of traceability between child labour on cocoa farms and their products. </p>
<p>Tony’s and UP-UP try to overcome transparency issues by buying from specific plantations or cooperatives. UP-UP sources its cocoa from a specific plantation in Colombia. Tony’s sources from a known cooperative in west Africa which makes monitoring labour conditions easier. </p>
<p>But this approach is not flawless. Tony’s doesn’t own the plantations it buys from, so while it can influence conditions, it cannot dictate to farmers. Tony’s removed 1,752 children from child labour in its last year of reporting, but identified another 1,072 cases on plantations from which it sources its cocoa. </p>
<p>Tony’s also works with cocoa processor Barry Callebaut, despite its <a href="https://www.slavefreechocolate.org/dark-side-of-chocolate">alleged links</a> to <a href="https://www.barry-callebaut.com/system/files/2023-09/Barry%20Callebaut%20Global%20Child%20Labor%20Position%20Statement%202023.pdf">child labour</a>. <a href="https://www.callebaut.com/en-GB/zero-child-labour-2025">Barry Callebaut states that</a> it has “a responsibility and a plan of action – built on full traceability and transparency – to stop any form of child labour by 2025 and make it something of the past”. Tony’s wants to act <a href="https://tonyschocolonely.com/uk/en/our-mission/news/why-we-are-not-on-all-lists-of-ethical-chocolate-brands">as a lever to change</a> from within the industry and scale up efforts to improve transparency in chocolate supply chains. </p>
<h2>Hollow chocolate claims</h2>
<p>The difficulties of building more transparent cocoa supply chains is only half the story. Big firms have routinely been criticised by charities such as Oxfam for <a href="https://www.oxfam.org/en/press-releases/chocolate-giants-reap-huge-profits-promises-improve-farmers-incomes-ring-hollow">“hollow”</a> claims made about efforts to protect workers. </p>
<p>Environmental charity Mighty Earth has called Cargill, a major cocoa processor and chocolate producer, <a href="https://stories.mightyearth.org/cargill-worst-company-in-the-world/">“the worst company in the world”</a> for <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/brazil-court-fines-cargill-case-involving-child-labor-cocoa-farms-2023-09-26/">alleged links to</a> <a href="https://www.slavefreechocolate.org/dark-side-of-chocolate">child labour</a> and <a href="https://www.cargill.com/doc/1432239539226/cocoa-and-forests-initiative-progress-report-2022.pdf">deforestation</a>. <a href="https://www.cargill.co.uk/en/doc/1432103154643/slavery-and-human-trafficking-statement-pdf.pdf">Cargill states that</a> it does not tolerate the use of any form of forced labour and is “actively working towards eradicating child labour in the cocoa supply chain”.</p>
<p>Child and forced labour have long been a problem within cocoa supply chains and <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/67530">Cadbury was aware of the problem over a century ago</a>. In 2001, eight of the industry’s major multinationals <a href="https://www.cocoainitiative.org/sites/default/files/resources/Harkin_Engel_Protocol.pdf">pledged to end</a> child labour in cocoa production by 2005. Signatories have repeatedly pushed that deadline back. </p>
<p>Many companies rely on third-party certification by organisations such as <a href="https://www.fairtrade.org.uk/">Fairtrade</a> and <a href="https://www.rainforest-alliance.org/">Rainforest Alliance</a>. But <a href="https://www.greenpeace.org/static/planet4-international-stateless/2021/04/b1e486be-greenpeace-international-report-destruction-certified_finaloptimised.pdf">Greenpeace found</a> that a lack of consistency between standards means that claims can be misleading. </p>
<p>The most recent report from <a href="https://cocoabarometer.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Cocoa-Barometer-2022.pdf">Cocoa Barometer</a>, a consortium of ethically minded and sustainability-focused organisations including Oxfam and WWF, claims that certification does not imply sustainability, because it doesn’t require much actual operational change. </p>
<p>While cocoa certification <a href="https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/bitstream/JRC135044/JRC135044_01.pdf">helps restore biodiversity</a>, it doesn’t necessarily increase the money <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2016/mar/10/fairtrade-labels-certification-rainforest-alliance">farmers receive</a> for their crop. Large chocolate producers <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-021-04808-1">prioritise short-term profit</a> over meaningful structural change and this can result in a benefit from poor cocoa farmer pay and <a href="https://cocoabarometer.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Cocoa-Barometer-2022.pdf">low transparency</a> in their own self-certified reporting. </p>
<p>Consumers pay a premium for ethical chocolate. Both the separation of harvests that enables Tony’s Chocolonely to know the origin of its cocoa origin and the meticulous survey approach taken by UP-UP Chocolate incur additional costs. Buying at huge scale and without such rigour does not. </p>
<p>Evidence of single origin cocoa published on product packaging does not guarantee ethical sourcing, but it’s a sign of good practice. Sourcing single-origin cocoa enables checks of working conditions at known sites. It’s better for the environment and leads to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s43546-021-00051-y">substantially higher pay for farmers</a>. </p>
<p>Without genuine transparency about the source of cocoa, ethical chocolate claims are hard to take seriously. Smaller producers such as UP-UP, Divine and vegan chocolatier Pacari, source their cocoa from individual plantations and have that transparency. And by identifying child labour abuses, Tony’s is as much an activist brand highlighting cocoa’s ills as it is a chocolatier.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/225239/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Michael Rogerson does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>What makes a good egg? The ethics of chocolate is complicated and often hard to decipher with confusing marketing claims on some product packaging.Michael Rogerson, Lecturer in Operations Management, University of Sussex Business School, University of SussexLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2257842024-03-20T06:04:50Z2024-03-20T06:04:50ZEach Easter we spend about $62 a head on chocolates, but the cost of buying unsustainable products can be far greater<p>Australians enjoy chocolate, consuming on average the <a href="https://www.csiro.au/en/news/all/news/2015/august/aussie-diets-fail-the-test#:%7E:text=Based%20on%20the%20survey%20results,such%20as%20age%20and%20gender.">equivalent of 32 kilograms</a> a year, but there is growing interest in its origins and how it’s made.</p>
<p>They want to know their product is sustainably made by companies that only deal with ingredient suppliers who engage in fair labour practices and safeguard against deforestation and other environmentally damaging processes.</p>
<p>But according to the <a href="https://www.chocolatescorecard.com/">5th Edition of the Chocolate Scorecard</a>, produced by <a href="https://www.beslaveryfree.com/">Be Slavery Free</a>, two Australian universities and several sustainability interest groups, some retailers are lagging when it comes to stocking sustainable products.</p>
<p>The scorecard is released at Easter, the busiest time of the year for the sweet treat. Sales in this period account for <a href="https://savourschool.com.au/news/the-business-of-easter-eggs/">75% of chocolate</a> sold annually in Australia, with the average consumer <a href="https://au.finance.yahoo.com/news/aussies-forking-out-62-on-easter-chocolate-this-year-000822352.html">spending $62</a> on Easter chocolates.</p>
<p>The scorecard ranks the policies and practices of chocolate traders, manufacturers, brands and retailers, assessing 63 companies on six criteria. These are traceability and transparency, living income, child and forced labor, climate change and deforestation, agroforestry and agrochemical use.</p>
<p>Next year’s report card will also include a rating based on gender equality which is being added as a seventh criteria.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-real-cost-of-your-chocolate-habit-new-research-reveals-the-bittersweet-truth-of-cocoa-farming-in-africas-forests-206082">The real cost of your chocolate habit: new research reveals the bittersweet truth of cocoa farming in Africa's forests</a>
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<hr>
<p>It assesses companies deemed industry leaders in sustainable policies and practices and awards them a green rating (or “egg”), while yellow and orange ratings are given to companies considered to be “progressing” and “needing improvement”. Red is given to those “trailing in policy and practice” and grey indicates a lack of transparency.</p>
<p>This year, the German brand, Ritter Sport, available in some large Australian supermarkets, was given a Good Egg Award in the medium and large company category for its progress and to show bigger companies can do much better.</p>
<p>Dutch brand, Tony’s Chocolonely, was given a special achievement award in the same category for consistently rating green. New Zealand manufacturer Whittaker’s was a highly rated yellow. </p>
<p>Mars Wrigley (maker of Mars bars, Snickers, Milky Way and Twix) rated strongly among the world giants of chocolate, followed by Nestle (Kit Kat, Smarties), Hershey’s (Kisses, chocolate syrup) and Ferrero (Nutella, Kinder, Ferrero Rocher), all of which received yellow awards.</p>
<p>Lindt and Mondelēz, whose portfolio includes Cadbury, Toblerone and Green & Black’s, received orange, indicating the need for improvement.</p>
<p><iframe id="WCvF6" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/WCvF6/" height="400px" width="100%" style="border: none" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<p>Globally, no retailers were rated green. Of the stores operating in Australia, Aldi (run by Aldi Sud), received yellow while Woolworths (including Big W) scored a disappointing orange. This was followed by red recipients Coles, David Jones and Kmart.</p>
<h2>Chocolate is a growing business</h2>
<p>Global revenue from chocolate is expected to reach <a href="https://www.statista.com/outlook/cmo/food/confectionery-snacks/confectionery/chocolate-confectionery/worldwide#:%7E:text=Chocolate%20Confectionery%20%2D%20Worldwide&text=Revenue%20in%20the%20Chocolate%20Confectionery,(CAGR%202024%2D2028).">US$254 billion in 2024</a>. Around <a href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220224005662/en/Australia-Chocolate-Market-to-2027---Key-Drivers-and-Challenges---ResearchAndMarkets.com">US$3.5 billion is generated in Australia</a> and this is expected to grow by nearly <a href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220224005662/en/Australia-Chocolate-Market-to-2027---Key-Drivers-and-Challenges---ResearchAndMarkets.com">8% over the next few years</a>. </p>
<p>According to the <a href="https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ohchr.org%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2Fdocuments%2Fpublications%2Fguidingprinciplesbusinesshr_en.pdf&data=05%7C02%7Ccristiana.bernardi%40open.ac.uk%7Cfe1ffc4ccd9f4f6ea8e708dc3f53085c%7C0e2ed45596af4100bed3a8e5fd981685%7C0%7C0%7C638454873872764589%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=H7vFKb0s%2FOFzLJskaPetHDLZUaIXZe%2B60myAtScizV0%3D&reserved=0">United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights</a>, a business is responsible for any and all adverse human rights impacts either through their or their suppliers’ activities. Responsibility should not be shifted to another level in the supply chain.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/09590550010356822/full/html#idm45854506071552">Research on retail stores</a> reveals confectionery is often an impulse purchase. Stores stock sweet products at payment areas, setting a high profit margin. These products can financially make or break a retailer. </p>
<p>So when a retailer sells chocolate, they have a responsibility to address human rights and environmental issues. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/582961/original/file-20240319-18-i6kjb3.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A chocolate bar divided up by boxes to show where money goes in the chocolate industry" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/582961/original/file-20240319-18-i6kjb3.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/582961/original/file-20240319-18-i6kjb3.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=285&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/582961/original/file-20240319-18-i6kjb3.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=285&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/582961/original/file-20240319-18-i6kjb3.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=285&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/582961/original/file-20240319-18-i6kjb3.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=358&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/582961/original/file-20240319-18-i6kjb3.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=358&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/582961/original/file-20240319-18-i6kjb3.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=358&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="attribution"><a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span>
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<h2>Some retailers are falling behind in sustainable sourcing</h2>
<p>Unlike other regions, all Australian retailers took part in this year’s chocolate scorecard. These companies were early adopters in responding to human rights and environmental issues through certifications such as Fairtrade and Rainforest Alliance.</p>
<p>But most retailers have poor data on their supply chains. While they develop a code of practice for their manufacturers and suppliers for the chocolate to be certified, it’s up to suppliers to adopt. This cascading model can lead to all responsibility resting with the farmer. </p>
<p>US retailers are the largest in the world and have the resources to lead the way. However, all US retailers received “grey” ratings in this year’s scorecard for not responding. This list includes three of the <a href="https://www.visualcapitalist.com/biggest-retailers-in-the-us/">largest outlets in the US by revenue</a>, Walmart, Costco, and Kroger. </p>
<p>One likely reason the US chocolate industry is lagging is because it has not passed regulations to curb deforestation. The European Union has passed the <a href="https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/forests/deforestation/regulation-deforestation-free-products_en">EU Deforestation Regulation</a>, to ensure commodities such as cocoa, sold in the EU, are not sourced from deforested areas. The <a href="https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2021/30/contents/enacted">UK Environment Act 2021</a> calls for similar due diligence on critical forest-risk commodities. The US has proposed the <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/2950#:%7E:text=This%20bill%20restricts%20certain%20commodities,produced%20from%20illegally%20deforested%20land.">Forest Act</a>, but has not passed it. </p>
<h2>Making responsible decisions</h2>
<p>Retailers need to be aware that consumers are increasingly seeking ethically produced and sustainable products, including chocolate.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/cocoa-beans-are-in-short-supply-what-this-means-for-farmers-businesses-and-chocolate-lovers-225992">Cocoa beans are in short supply: what this means for farmers, businesses and chocolate lovers</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Ethically-produced cocoa must become a core element of their corporate responsibility and business strategy. Retailers can make improvements by working with their suppliers and manufacturers to trace their cocoa supply chains to ensure they are untainted by human rights and environmental abuse.</p>
<p>Consumers can use the <a href="https://www.chocolatescorecard.com/">5th Edition Chocolate Scorecard</a> to inform their sustainable purchasing decisions about the brands they buy and the retailers they buy from.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/225784/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>John Dumay is affiliated with the Macquarie Business School Modern Slavery Think Tank and is a member of the Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery (HTMS) Research Network, run by the Australian Institute of Criminology.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Cristiana Bernardi and Stephanie Perkiss do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>The 5th Edition of the Chocolate Scorecard reveals that some retailers are lagging when it comes to selling sustainable products.Stephanie Perkiss, Associate professor in accounting, University of WollongongCristiana Bernardi, Senior Lecturer in Accounting and Financial Management, The Open UniversityJohn Dumay, Professor in Department of Accounting and Corporate Governance, Macquarie UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2028482023-04-06T06:11:50Z2023-04-06T06:11:50ZHere’s why having chocolate can make you feel great or a bit sick – plus 4 tips for better eating<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/518983/original/file-20230403-20-jmdrkw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=17%2C17%2C5879%2C3907&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/delicious-easter-holiday-chocolate-bunny-eggs-1661076946">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Australians are <a href="https://www.retail.org.au/media/sweet-spending-boon-predicted-for-easter-retail">predicted</a> to spend around A$1.7 billion on chocolates, hot cross buns and other special foods this Easter season. </p>
<p>Chocolate has a long history of production and consumption. It is made from cacao beans that go through processes including fermentation, drying, roasting and grounding. What is left is a rich and fatty liquor that is pressed to remove the fat (cocoa butter) and the cacao (or “cocoa”) powder which will then be mixed with different ingredients to produce dark, milk, white and other types of chocolates. </p>
<p>There are several health benefits and potential problems that come in these sweet chocolatey packages. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/at-chocolate-time-weve-discovered-what-the-brands-that-score-best-on-child-labour-and-the-environment-have-in-common-201682">At chocolate time, we've discovered what the brands that score best on child labour and the environment have in common</a>
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</p>
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<h2>The good news</h2>
<p>Cacao beans contain <a href="https://foodstruct.com/food/cocoa-bean">minerals</a> like iron, potassium, magnesium, zinc and phosphorus and some vitamins. They are also rich in beneficial chemicals called <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23150750/">polyphenols</a>. </p>
<p>These are great antioxidants, with the potential to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5465250/">improve heart health</a>, increase <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25164923/">nitric oxide</a> (which dilates blood vessels) and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3488419/">reduce blood pressure</a>, provide food for gut microbiota and <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/12/7/1908">promote gut health</a>, boost the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5465250/">immune system</a> and reduce inflammation. </p>
<p>However, the concentration of polyphenols in the chocolate we eat depends largely on the cocoa solid amounts used in the final product. </p>
<p>In general terms, the darker the chocolate, the more cocoa solids, minerals and polyphenols it has. For example, dark chocolates may have around <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10942912.2011.614984">seven times more polyphenols</a> compared to white chocolates and <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10942912.2011.614984">three times more polyphenols</a> compared to milk chocolates. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/518984/original/file-20230403-18-cku8bq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="selection of dark chocolate squares" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/518984/original/file-20230403-18-cku8bq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/518984/original/file-20230403-18-cku8bq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/518984/original/file-20230403-18-cku8bq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/518984/original/file-20230403-18-cku8bq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/518984/original/file-20230403-18-cku8bq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/518984/original/file-20230403-18-cku8bq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/518984/original/file-20230403-18-cku8bq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Dark chocolate is less likely to give you problems.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/broken-slices-chocolate-close-564089023">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/health-check-the-good-and-bad-of-easter-eggs-chocolate-and-hot-cross-buns-37920">Health Check: the good and bad of Easter eggs, chocolate and hot cross buns</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>But also some bad news</h2>
<p>Unfortunately, the <a href="https://theconversation.com/treat-or-treatment-chocolate-is-good-but-cocoa-is-better-for-your-heart-3084">health benefits of cocoa solids</a> are easily offset by the high sugar and fat content of modern-day chocolates. For example, milk and white chocolate eggs are on average 50% sugar, 40% fat (mostly saturated fats) – which means a lot of added kilojoules (calories). </p>
<p>Also, there may be some side effects that come with ingesting chocolate. </p>
<p>Cocoa beans include a compound called theobromine. While it has the anti-inflammatory properties responsible for some of the health benefits of chocolate, it is also a mild brain stimulant that acts in a similar way to caffeine. The mood boost it offers may also be partly responsible for how much we <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2015.00030/full?crsi=662496658&cicada_org_src=healthwebmagazine.com&cicada_org_mdm=direct">like chocolate</a>. Dark chocolate has higher theobromine compared to milk and white chocolate. </p>
<p>But accordingly, overindulging in chocolate (and therefore theobromine) may lead to feeling restless, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3672386/">headaches</a> and nausea. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/whats-the-white-stuff-on-my-easter-chocolate-and-can-i-still-eat-it-181274">What's the white stuff on my Easter chocolate, and can I still eat it?</a>
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</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>What else is in your chocolate?</h2>
<p>Milk and dairy-based chocolates may also cause stomach upset, abdominal pain and bloating in people with <a href="https://dietitiansaustralia.org.au/health-advice/lactose-intolerance">lactose intolerance</a>. This happens when we don’t produce enough lactase enzymes to digest milk sugar (lactose). </p>
<p>People with lactose intolerance can usually tolerate up to 6 grams of lactose without showing symptoms. Milk chocolate can have around <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK310258/">3 grams of lactose</a> per 40 grams (the size of a standard chocolate bar). So two chocolate bars (or the equivalent in milk chocolate eggs or bunnies) may be enough to cause symptoms. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/518981/original/file-20230403-24-w2xk2p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="little girl with bunny ears on and chocolate on face" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/518981/original/file-20230403-24-w2xk2p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/518981/original/file-20230403-24-w2xk2p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/518981/original/file-20230403-24-w2xk2p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/518981/original/file-20230403-24-w2xk2p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/518981/original/file-20230403-24-w2xk2p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/518981/original/file-20230403-24-w2xk2p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/518981/original/file-20230403-24-w2xk2p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Lactose sensitivities tend to increase with age.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/little-blond-girl-dirty-chocolate-bunny-1937877997">Shutterstock</a></span>
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<p>It’s worth noting that lactase enzyme activity dramatically declines as we age, with the highest activity in newborns and children. So lactose sensitivity or intolerance may not be such an issue for your kids and your symptoms may increase over time. Genetics also plays a major role in how sensitive people are to lactose.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6815241/">Allergic reactions</a> to chocolate are usually due to the added ingredients or cross-contamination with potential allergens such as nuts, milk, soy, and some sweeteners used in the production of chocolate. </p>
<p>Symptoms can be mild (acne, rashes and stomach pain) or more severe (swelling of the throat and tongue and shortness of breath). </p>
<p>If you or your family members have known allergic reactions, make sure you read the label before indulging – especially in a whole block or basket of the stuff. And if you or your family members do experience symptoms of an allergic reaction after eating chocolate, <a href="https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/allergic-reactions-emergency-first-aid">seek medical attention</a> immediately.</p>
<h2>4 take home tips</h2>
<p>So, if you are like me and have a weakness for chocolate there are a few things you can do to make the experience a good one.</p>
<ol>
<li>keep an eye out for the darker chocolate varieties with higher cocoa solids. You may notice a percentage on labelling, which refers to how much of its weight is from cocoa beans. In general, the higher this percentage, the lower the sugar. White chocolate has almost no cocoa solid, and mostly cocoa butter, sugar and other ingredients. Dark chocolate has 50–100% cocoa beans, and less sugar. Aim for at least 70% cocoa<br></li>
<li>read the fine print for additives and possible cross-contamination, especially if allergies might be an issue</li>
<li>the ingredients list and nutrition information panel should tell you all about the chocolate you choosing. Go for varieties with lower sugar and less saturated fat. Nuts, seeds and dried fruits are better ingredients to have in your chocolate than sugar, creme, syrup, and caramel<br></li>
<li>finally, treat yourself – but keep the amount you have within sensible limits! </li>
</ol>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-history-of-chocolate-when-money-really-did-grow-on-trees-196173">The history of chocolate: when money really did grow on trees</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/202848/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Dr Khalesi is supported by a Postdoctoral Fellowship (Award No. 102584) from the National Heart Foundation of Australia.</span></em></p>Good things can come in chocolatey packages, but read the fine print if you want to avoid potential side effects of eating Easter treats.Saman Khalesi, Postdoctoral Fellow of the National Heart Foundation & Senior Lecturer and Discipline Lead in Nutrition, School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, CQUniversity AustraliaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2030742023-04-03T14:50:53Z2023-04-03T14:50:53ZEaster eggs: their evolution from chicken to chocolate<p>A lot of Easter traditions – including hot cross buns and lamb on Sunday – stem from <a href="https://theconversation.com/a-history-of-easter-feasts-and-why-the-english-breakfast-might-be-medieval-180521">medieval Christian</a> or even earlier pagan beliefs. The chocolate Easter egg, however, is a more modern twist on tradition.</p>
<p>Chicken eggs have been eaten at Easter for centuries. Eggs have long symbolised rebirth and renewal, making them perfect to commemorate the story of Jesus’ resurrection as well as the arrival of spring.</p>
<p>Although nowadays eggs can be eaten during the fasting period of Lent, in the middle ages they were prohibited along with meat and dairy. Medieval chefs often found surprising ways around this, even making <a href="https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/mock-medieval-foods">mock eggs</a> to replace them. </p>
<p>For Easter – a period of celebration – eggs and meat, such as lamb (also a symbol of renewal), were back on the table.</p>
<p>Even once eggs were permitted in fasting meals, they kept a special place in the Easter feast. Seventeenth-century cookbook author <a href="https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo2/A51636.0001.001/1:10.7?rgn=div2;view=fulltext">John Murrell recommended</a> “egges with greene sawce”, a sort of pesto made with sorrel leaves.</p>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/518762/original/file-20230331-22-s84ty.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A painting showing three young girls rolling dyed blue eggs in the grass on a spring day." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/518762/original/file-20230331-22-s84ty.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/518762/original/file-20230331-22-s84ty.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=735&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/518762/original/file-20230331-22-s84ty.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=735&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/518762/original/file-20230331-22-s84ty.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=735&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/518762/original/file-20230331-22-s84ty.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=923&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/518762/original/file-20230331-22-s84ty.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=923&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/518762/original/file-20230331-22-s84ty.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=923&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Rolling Easter Eggs by Edward Atkinson Hornel (1905).</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/rolling-easter-eggs-21356/search/keyword:easter-egg--referrer:global-search/page/1/view_as/grid">Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Across Europe, eggs were also <a href="https://time.com/4732984/easter-eggs-history-origins/">given as a tithe</a> (a sort of yearly rent) to the local church on Good Friday. This might be where the idea of giving eggs as a gift comes from. The practice died out in many Protestant areas after the Reformation, but some English villages kept the tradition going until the 19th century.</p>
<p>It’s not known exactly when people started to decorate their eggs, but <a href="https://archive.org/details/eggateaster00vene/page/262/">research has pointed</a> to the 13th century, when King Edward I gave his courtiers eggs wrapped in gold leaf.</p>
<p>A few centuries later, we know that people across Europe were dying their eggs different colours. They usually chose yellow, using onion peel, or red, using madder roots or beetroots. The red eggs are thought to symbolise the blood of Christ. <a href="https://books.google.de/books?id=yh6E8D1CHhwC&hl=de&pg=PA241-IA6#v=onepage&q&f=false">One 17th-century author</a> suggested this practice went as far back as early Christians in Mesopotamia, but it’s hard to know for sure. </p>
<p>In England, the most popular way of decorating was with petals, which made colourful imprints. The Wordsworth Museum in the Lake District still has <a href="https://twitter.com/WordsworthGras/status/714107987107913729">a collection of eggs</a> made for the poet’s children from the 1870s.</p>
<h2>From dyed eggs to chocolate eggs</h2>
<p>Although dyeing patterned eggs is still a common Easter activity, these days eggs are more commonly associated with chocolate. But when did this shift happen? </p>
<p>When chocolate arrived in Britain in the 17th century, it was an exciting and very expensive novelty. In 1669, the <a href="https://www.brepolsonline.net/doi/abs/10.1484/J.FOOD.5.129873">Earl of Sandwich paid £227</a> – the equivalent of around £32,000 today – for a chocolate recipe from King Charles II.</p>
<p>Today chocolate is thought of as a solid food, but then it was only ever a drink and was usually <a href="https://rarecooking.com/2016/01/28/chacolet-from-rebeckah-winches-receipt-book-at-the-folger-shakespeare-library/">spiced with chilli pepper</a> following Aztec and Maya traditions. For the English, this exotic new drink was like nothing they’d ever encountered. <a href="https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo2/A44919.0001.001/1:5.48?rgn=div2;view=fulltext">One author called it</a> the “American Nectar”: a drink for the gods.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/518763/original/file-20230331-26-lu5ski.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="An illustrated advert for Fry's hot chocolate shows a pair of children drinking hot chocolate in bed, with the words 'Hooray! It's Fry's' written on the bed sheet." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/518763/original/file-20230331-26-lu5ski.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/518763/original/file-20230331-26-lu5ski.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=440&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/518763/original/file-20230331-26-lu5ski.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=440&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/518763/original/file-20230331-26-lu5ski.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=440&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/518763/original/file-20230331-26-lu5ski.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=553&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/518763/original/file-20230331-26-lu5ski.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=553&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/518763/original/file-20230331-26-lu5ski.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=553&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">An advert for Fry’s hot chocolate (c.1900-1909).</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://wellcomecollection.org/works/p2u4mf9f/images?id=g9w2dz5r">Wellcome Collection</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Chocolate was soon a fashionable drink for the aristocracy, often given as a gift thanks to its high status, a tradition still followed today. It was also enjoyed in the <a href="https://books.google.de/books?id=zhzVN39UciQC&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&source=gbs_navlinks_s">newly opened coffee houses</a> around London. Coffee and tea had also only just been introduced to England, and all three drinks were rapidly changing how Britons socially interacted with each other.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/07409710701273282?journalCode=gfof20">Catholic theologians</a> did connect chocolate with Easter in this time, but out of concern that drinking chocolate would go against fasting practices during Lent. After heated debate, it was agreed that chocolate made with water might be acceptable during fasts. At Easter at least – a time of feasting and celebration – chocolate was fine.</p>
<p>Chocolate remained expensive into the 19th century, when Fry’s (now part of Cadbury) made the <a href="https://archive.org/details/truehistoryofcho0000coes_o3r0/page/242/">first solid chocolate bars in 1847</a>, revolutionising the chocolate trade.</p>
<p>For the Victorians, chocolate was much more accessible but still something of an indulgence. Thirty years later, in 1873, Fry’s developed the first chocolate Easter egg as a luxury treat, merging the two gift-giving traditions.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Supermarket shelves stacked with colourful Easter egg boxes." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/518778/original/file-20230331-16-9b170n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/518778/original/file-20230331-16-9b170n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/518778/original/file-20230331-16-9b170n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/518778/original/file-20230331-16-9b170n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/518778/original/file-20230331-16-9b170n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/518778/original/file-20230331-16-9b170n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/518778/original/file-20230331-16-9b170n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Chocolate eggs went mainstream in the 1960s.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/exeter-devon-england-march-6th-2019-1334619116">Wise Dog Studio/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Even in the early 20th century, these chocolate eggs were seen as a special present, and many people never even ate theirs. A woman in Wales <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-61154848">kept an egg</a> from 1951 for 70 years and a museum in Torquay recently bought an egg that had been <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-devon-56419025">saved since 1924</a>.</p>
<p>It was only in the 1960s and 1970s that supermarkets began to offer <a href="https://theconversation.com/easter-eggs-were-once-a-rare-luxury-so-how-did-they-become-so-commonplace-94151">chocolate eggs at a cheaper price</a>, hoping to profit off the Easter tradition.</p>
<p>With rising concerns over <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jun/15/climate-crisis-to-hit-europes-coffee-and-chocolate-supplies">long-term chocolate production</a> and bird flu provoked egg shortages, future Easters might look a little different. But if there is one thing that Easter eggs can show us, it’s the adaptability of tradition.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/203074/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Serin Quinn does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Eggs have long symbolised rebirth and renewal, making them perfect to commemorate the story of Jesus’ resurrection.Serin Quinn, PhD Candidate, Department of History, University of WarwickLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2016822023-03-27T19:01:39Z2023-03-27T19:01:39ZAt chocolate time, we’ve discovered what the brands that score best on child labour and the environment have in common<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/517549/original/file-20230327-16-jiore4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Pxfuel</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>What distinguishes a company that makes “good” chocolate (chocolate untainted by child labour, modern slavery, deforestation and the overuse of agrichemicals) from one that merely makes chocolate?</p>
<p>Our annual <a href="https://www.chocolatescorecard.com/">Chocolate Scorecard</a> investigation, which is a collaboration between <a href="https://www.beslaveryfree.com/">Be Slavery Free</a>, <a href="https://www.mq.edu.au/macquarie-business-school/our-research/impact-stories/who-likes-chocolate">Macquarie University</a>, <a href="https://www.uow.edu.au/media/2022/why-your-love-of-chocolate-could-be-bittersweet-.php">The University of Wollongong</a> and the <a href="https://business-school.open.ac.uk/research/activity/pufin/our-research-engagement">Open University</a>, suggests it might be a mission that goes beyond making food and profit.</p>
<h2>‘Good eggs’ trumpet ambition</h2>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/517825/original/file-20230328-27-9cg5b.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/517825/original/file-20230328-27-9cg5b.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/517825/original/file-20230328-27-9cg5b.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=927&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/517825/original/file-20230328-27-9cg5b.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=927&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/517825/original/file-20230328-27-9cg5b.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=927&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/517825/original/file-20230328-27-9cg5b.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1165&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/517825/original/file-20230328-27-9cg5b.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1165&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/517825/original/file-20230328-27-9cg5b.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1165&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption"></span>
</figcaption>
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<p>Only five of the 38 leading global chocolate makers we assessed received our green “good egg” award for exemplary practices.</p>
<p>They are the Netherlands-based <a href="https://originalbeans.com/">Original Beans</a> and <a href="https://tonyschocolonely.com/int/en">Tony’s Chocolonely</a>, Madagascar’s <a href="https://beyondgood.com/">Beyond Good</a>, US-based <a href="https://www.alterecofoods.com/">Alter Eco</a>, and Switzerland’s <a href="https://www.halba.ch/en.html">HALBA</a>. </p>
<p>Original Beans are at the forefront of Europe’s artisan chocolate revolution. Its mission statement includes the words “<a href="https://originalbeans.com/pages/about-us">regenerate what you consume</a>”. Its website asks its customers to “<a href="https://originalbeans.com/pages/regeneration-catalogue">heal the future, don’t steal it</a>”.</p>
<p>Tony’s Chocolonely has as its <a href="https://tonyschocolonely.com/int/en/our-story/our-mission">mission</a> making slave-free chocolate and turning all chocolate slave-free. </p>
<p>It says 60% of the world’s cocoa comes from 2.5 million farms in West Africa that are placed under the kind of pricing pressure that leads to child labour and modern slavery. The average cocoa farmer earns less than US$1.20 per day, and women cocoa farmers are thought to earn around 50 cents per day.</p>
<h2>‘Broken eggs’ say little</h2>
<p>At the other end of the scale, firms such as <a href="https://www.unilever.com/">Unilever</a> (which makes Magnum icecreams) and <a href="https://www.mondelezinternational.com/">Mondēlez</a> (which makes Cadbury) were awarded “broken eggs” for not engaging with the survey. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.mondelezinternational.com/About-Us/Who-We-Are/Purpose-and-Mission">Mondēlez</a> describes its mission as going “the extra mile to lead the future of snacking around the world”, rather than tackling environmental or social concerns.</p>
<p>It’s a long way from Cadbury’s original mission. Founder John Cadbury was a Quaker “<a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/birmingham/hi/people_and_places/history/newsid_8412000/8412655.stm">driven by a passion for social reform</a>” who helped found the forerunner to the <a href="https://www.quakersintheworld.org/quakers-in-action/16/John-Cadbury">Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals</a> and planned a “<a href="https://www.cadbury.com.au/our-history">model village</a>” for his workers including schools, shops, parks and childcare.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/517544/original/file-20230327-22-ubi7ph.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/517544/original/file-20230327-22-ubi7ph.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/517544/original/file-20230327-22-ubi7ph.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=266&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/517544/original/file-20230327-22-ubi7ph.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=266&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/517544/original/file-20230327-22-ubi7ph.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=266&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/517544/original/file-20230327-22-ubi7ph.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=335&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/517544/original/file-20230327-22-ubi7ph.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=335&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/517544/original/file-20230327-22-ubi7ph.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=335&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Cadbury founder John Cadbury.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.cadbury.com.au/our-history">Cadbury</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>In 2022, Britain’s <a href="https://www.channel4.com/programmes/cadbury-exposed-dispatches">Channel 4</a> broadcast undercover footage from Ghana purporting to show children as young as 10 barefoot, wearing shorts and T-shirts, using machetes to harvest cocoa pods and sharpened sticks to extract beans that were eventually used in Cadbury chocolate.</p>
<p>Mondelēz said it was <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/law/2022/apr/03/cadbury-faces-fresh-accusations-of-child-labour-on-cocoa-farms-in-ghana">deeply concerned</a>. It explicitly prohibited child labour and had been making significant efforts to improve the protection of children in the communities where it sourced cocoa, including Ghana.</p>
<p>If such efforts are afoot, <a href="https://www.chocolatescorecard.com/">Chocolate Scorecard</a> would like to hear about them.</p>
<h2>‘Rotten eggs’ can improve</h2>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/517543/original/file-20230327-20-ht1uqe.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/517543/original/file-20230327-20-ht1uqe.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/517543/original/file-20230327-20-ht1uqe.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=931&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/517543/original/file-20230327-20-ht1uqe.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=931&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/517543/original/file-20230327-20-ht1uqe.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=931&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/517543/original/file-20230327-20-ht1uqe.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1170&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/517543/original/file-20230327-20-ht1uqe.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1170&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/517543/original/file-20230327-20-ht1uqe.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1170&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
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<p>Among those companies that did respond, there are signs of improvement. In 2020, <a href="https://bartalks.net/godiva-and-earthworm-foundation-work-on-traceability/">Godiva</a> received a “rotten egg” award for “failing to take responsibility for the conditions with which its chocolates are made despite making huge profits off its chocolate”.</p>
<p><a href="https://godiva.com.au/pages/story-of-godiva">Godvia</a> now says it is dedicated to “a sustainable and thriving cocoa industry where farmers prosper, communities are empowered, human rights are respected, and the environment is conserved”. </p>
<p>It has earned an “orange” rating, demonstrating that progress is achievable. </p>
<p>Similarly, <a href="https://www.sucden.com/en/products-and-services/cocoa/">Sücden</a> - a previous red “rotten egg” - improved to yellow in this year’s scorecard.</p>
<p>Nestlé’s inclusion in this years top ten gives us hope. </p>
<p>It now says its <a href="https://www.nestle.com/about/how-we-do-business/purpose-values">purpose</a> is to “unlock the power of food to enhance quality of life for everyone, today and for generations to come”. </p>
<p>Companies require profits to survive. But if profit and making chocolate are their only drivers, they are likely to hurt people and the environment while doing it.</p>
<p>This Easter it is possible to support firms that are making profits without hurting the planet or its inhabitants. Our scorecard finds there are more and more of them.</p>
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<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/want-to-buy-guilt-free-easter-chocolate-pick-from-our-list-of-good-eggs-that-score-best-for-the-environment-and-child-labour-180549">Want to buy guilt-free Easter chocolate? Pick from our list of 'good eggs' that score best for the environment and child labour</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/201682/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>The firms that do worst on the environment and human slavery in the 2023 Chocolate Scorecard are those whose mission statements extend to little more than making chocolate.John Dumay, Professor - Department of Accounting and Corporate Governance, Macquarie UniversityCristiana Bernardi, Senior Lecturer in Accounting and Financial Management, The Open UniversitySamuel Mawutor, PhD Student in Geography and Geospatial Sciences, Oregon State UniversityStephanie Perkiss, Associate professor, University of WollongongLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1812742022-04-14T02:00:16Z2022-04-14T02:00:16ZWhat’s the white stuff on my Easter chocolate, and can I still eat it?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/458044/original/file-20220414-13-qcrmx2.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=26%2C16%2C971%2C649&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>The words “chocolate” and “disappointment” don’t often go together. </p>
<p>But you may have experienced some disappointment if you’ve ever unwrapped the bright foil of an Easter egg to discover white, chalky chocolate inside. What is this white substance? Is it mould? Bacteria? Is it bad for you? Can you still eat it?! </p>
<p>The answer is yes, you can! It’s called “bloom” and it’s caused by fats or sugar from the chocolate. To understand why it forms, and how to avoid it forming, we need to consider the chemistry of chocolate.</p>
<h2>The right stuff</h2>
<p>Easter egg chocolate is made up of a relatively small number of ingredients: cacao beans, sugar, milk solids, flavourings, and emulsifiers to keep it all mixed together. </p>
<p>Fermenting and roasting cacao beans triggers many chemical reactions which develop delicious flavours. Much in the same way peanut butter can be made from peanuts, the roasted cacao beans are ground into a paste known as cocoa liquor. </p>
<p>The liquor is mixed with the other ingredients, and ground together with heating (known as conching) to form liquid chocolate.</p>
<h2>Fat crystals</h2>
<p>The fluidity of the cocoa liquor comes from the fats released when the beans are ground. These fat molecules are known as triglycerides, and they resemble the letter Y with three long zigzagging arms connected to a central junction. The triglyceride arms can vary, but they tend to be a mixture of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/458073/original/file-20220414-20-yvg0rl.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Triglyceride molecule" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/458073/original/file-20220414-20-yvg0rl.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/458073/original/file-20220414-20-yvg0rl.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=218&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/458073/original/file-20220414-20-yvg0rl.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=218&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/458073/original/file-20220414-20-yvg0rl.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=218&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/458073/original/file-20220414-20-yvg0rl.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=274&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/458073/original/file-20220414-20-yvg0rl.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=274&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/458073/original/file-20220414-20-yvg0rl.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=274&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">An example of a typical chocolate triglyceride with saturated and unsaturated fatty acids.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>When the melted chocolate cools, these triglyceride fats assemble into highly ordered structures that are crystals at the molecular scale. Depending on how well the temperature is controlled, the fats can take on one of six different crystal structures. These different crystal forms are called polymorphs. </p>
<h2>Control your temper</h2>
<p>The most desirable crystal form gives chocolate a smooth, glossy appearance, a clean snap and a melt-in-your-mouth texture. Achieving this requires careful temperature control from liquid to solid through a process known as “tempering”.</p>
<p>Poorly controlled cooling of the melted chocolate results in other crystal forms, which tend to have a less pleasing look and mouth feel – often chalky or gritty. These less desirable forms can convert during storage. And as the underlying crystal structure of the fats change, some of the triglycerides separate. </p>
<p>These separated fats collect at the surface as colourless crystals, giving the chocolate a white fat bloom. This is especially noticeable if the chocolate is poorly stored and goes through melting and re-solidification.</p>
<p>The ingredients can also affect fat bloom. Cheap chocolate tends to use less cocoa butter and more milk solids, which introduce more saturated fats. Saturated fats are also common in nuts, and can migrate from the nut to the chocolate surface. So a chocolate-covered hazelnut is more likely to show fat bloom than a nut-free version.</p>
<h2>Sugar or fat crystals?</h2>
<p>Sugar bloom is less common than fat bloom, although they can look very similar. It occurs when sugar crystals separate from the chocolate, particularly under humid storage conditions. </p>
<p>You can tell the difference with a simple test. Sugar bloom will dissolve in a little water, while fat bloom will repel water and will melt if you touch it for a while. Unfortunately chocolate bloom can’t be reversed unless you completely melt the chocolate and recrystallise it at the correct temperature.</p>
<p>The easiest ways to avoid bloom on your Easter eggs is by choosing a brand with a high cocoa butter content, transporting and storing your eggs in a low temperature and humidity, and making sure you eat them before their best before date – assuming they last that long!</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/want-to-buy-guilt-free-easter-chocolate-pick-from-our-list-of-good-eggs-that-score-best-for-the-environment-and-child-labour-180549">Want to buy guilt-free Easter chocolate? Pick from our list of 'good eggs' that score best for the environment and child labour</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/181274/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Nathan Kilah does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>It’s totally fine to eat chocolate with a white film on the surface. But what is it, how did it get there, and how can it be avoided?Nathan Kilah, Senior Lecturer in Chemistry, University of TasmaniaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1804842022-04-13T21:51:22Z2022-04-13T21:51:22ZSacred hares, banished winter witches and pagan worship – the roots of Easter Bunny traditions are ancient<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/458017/original/file-20220413-15-x0e57b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=222%2C49%2C7959%2C5425&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Children celebrating Easter, with their Easter Bunnies and Easter eggs.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/two-young-boys-wearing-easter-bunny-ears-royalty-free-image/1388063471?adppopup=true">Sanja Radin/Collection E+ via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>The Easter Bunny is a much celebrated character in American Easter celebrations. On Easter Sunday, children look for hidden special treats, often chocolate Easter eggs, that the Easter Bunny might have left behind.</p>
<p>As a <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=prZyKrMAAAAJ&hl=en">folklorist</a>, I’m aware of the origins of the <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/346357286_The_Shifting_Baselines_of_the_British_Hare_Goddess">long and interesting journey</a> this mythical figure has taken from European prehistory to today. </p>
<h2>Religious role of the hare</h2>
<p>Easter is a celebration of spring and new life. Eggs and flowers are rather obvious symbols of female fertility, but in European traditions, the bunny, with its amazing reproduction potential, is not far behind.</p>
<p>In European traditions, the Easter Bunny is known as the Easter Hare. The symbolism of the hare has had many tantalizing ritual and religious roles down through the years.</p>
<p>Hares were <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2020.102672">given ritual burials</a> alongside humans during the Neolithic age in Europe. Archaeologists have interpreted this as a religious ritual, with hares representing <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/news/research/title_787590_en.html">rebirth</a>. </p>
<p>Over a thousand years later, during the Iron Age, ritual burials for hares were common, and in 51 B.C., Julius Caesar mentions that in Britain, <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/346357286_The_Shifting_Baselines_of_the_British_Hare_Goddess">hares were not eaten</a>, due to their religious significance.</p>
<p>Caesar would likely have known that in the Classical Greek tradition, <a href="https://www.theoi.com/Text/PhilostratusElder1A.html">hares were sacred to Aphrodite</a>, the goddess of love. Meanwhile, Aphrodite’s son Eros was often depicted carrying a hare, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110308815.311">as a symbol of unquenchable desire</a>.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/458014/original/file-20220413-26-khhsks.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A painting depicting a young woman handing baby Jesus to Virgin Mary, who puts one hand around him, while holding a hare with the other." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/458014/original/file-20220413-26-khhsks.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/458014/original/file-20220413-26-khhsks.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=474&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/458014/original/file-20220413-26-khhsks.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=474&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/458014/original/file-20220413-26-khhsks.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=474&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/458014/original/file-20220413-26-khhsks.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=596&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/458014/original/file-20220413-26-khhsks.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=596&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/458014/original/file-20220413-26-khhsks.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=596&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">‘The Madonna of the Rabbit,’ a painting from 1530, depicting the Virgin Mary with a hare.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ab/Tizian_018.jpg">A painting by artist Titian (1490-1576), Louvre Museum, Paris.</a></span>
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<p>From the Greek world through the Renaissance, hares often appear as symbols of sexuality in literature and art. For example, the Virgin Mary is often <a href="http://musee.louvre.fr/oal/viergeaulapinTitien/viergeaulapinTitien_acc_en.html">shown with a white hare or rabbit</a>, symbolizing that she overcame sexual temptation.</p>
<h2>Hare meat and witches’ mischief</h2>
<p>But it is in the folk traditions of England and Germany that the figure of the hare is specifically connected to Easter. Accounts from the 1600s in Germany describe children hunting for Easter eggs hidden by the Easter Hare, much as in the contemporary United States today. </p>
<p>Written accounts from England around the same time also mention the Easter Hare, particularly in terms of traditional Easter hare hunts, and the eating of hare meat at Easter. </p>
<p>One tradition, known as the “Hare Pie Scramble,” was held at Hallaton, a village in Leicestershire, England, which involved eating a pie made with hare meat and people “scrambling” for a slice. In 1790, the <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/1253567">local parson tried to stop the custom</a> due to its pagan associations, but he was unsuccessful, and the custom continues in that village until this day. </p>
<p>The eating of the hare may have been associated with various longstanding folk traditions of scaring away witches at Easter. Throughout Northern Europe, folk traditions record a strong belief that witches would often <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/1260796">take the form of the hare</a>, usually for causing mischief such as stealing milk from neighbors’ cows. Witches in medieval Europe were often believed to be able to suck out the life energy of others, making them ill, and suffer.</p>
<p>The idea that the witches of winter should be <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/24862791">banished at Easter</a> is a common European folk motif, appearing in several festivities and rituals. The spring equinox, with its promise of new life, was held symbolically in opposition to the life-draining activities of witches and winter.</p>
<p>This idea provides the underlying rationale behind various festivities and rituals, such as the “Osterfeuer,” or the Easter Fire, a celebration in Germany involving large outdoor bonfires <a href="https://www.twosmallpotatoes.com/osterfeuer-embracing-easter-traditions-in-germany/">meant to scare away witches</a>. In Sweden, the popular folklore states that at Easter, the witches all fly away on their broomsticks <a href="http://realscandinavia.com/in-sweden-easter-is-a-time-for-witches/">to feast and dance with the Devil</a> on the legendary island of Blåkulla, in the Baltic Sea. </p>
<h2>Pagan origins</h2>
<p>In 1835, the folklorist <a href="https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Jacob_Grimm">Jacob Grimm</a>, one of the famous team of the fairy tale “Brothers Grimm,” argued that the Easter Hare <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/00438243.2018.1515655">was connected with a goddess</a>, whom he imagined would have been called “Ostara” in ancient German. He derived this name from the Anglo-Saxon goddess Eostre, that <a href="https://exploringcelticciv.web.unc.edu/bede-the-history-of-the-english-church/">Bede</a>, an Anglo-Saxon monk considered to be the father of English history, mentioned in 731. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/458019/original/file-20220413-26-jdne8p.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="The goddess Ēostre/*Ostara flies through the heavens surrounded by winged angels, beams of light and animals." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/458019/original/file-20220413-26-jdne8p.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/458019/original/file-20220413-26-jdne8p.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=375&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/458019/original/file-20220413-26-jdne8p.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=375&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/458019/original/file-20220413-26-jdne8p.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=375&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/458019/original/file-20220413-26-jdne8p.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=471&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/458019/original/file-20220413-26-jdne8p.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=471&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/458019/original/file-20220413-26-jdne8p.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=471&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">‘Ostara’ by Johannes Gehrts, created in 1884. The goddess Ēostre flies through the heavens surrounded by Roman-inspired putti, beams of light, and animals.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C4%92ostre#/media/File:Ostara_by_Johannes_Gehrts.jpg">Felix Dahn, Therese Dahn, Therese (von Droste-Hülshoff) Dahn, Frau, Therese von Droste-Hülshoff Dahn (1901) via Wikimedia Commons.</a></span>
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<p>Bede noted that in eighth-century England the month of April was called Eosturmonath, or Eostre Month, <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/1253567">named after the goddess Eostre</a>. He wrote that a pagan festival of spring in the name of the goddess had become assimilated into the Christian celebration of the resurrection of Christ.</p>
<p>It’s interesting that while most European languages refer to the Christian holiday with names that come from the Jewish holiday of Passover, such as Pâques in French, or Påsk in Swedish, German and English languages retain this older, non-biblical word, Easter.</p>
<p>Recent <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/346357286_The_Shifting_Baselines_of_the_British_Hare_Goddess">archaeological research</a> appears to <a href="https://doi.org/10.2752/175169708X329372">confirm the worship of Eostre</a> in parts of England and in Germany, with the hare as her main symbol. The Easter Bunny therefore seems to recall these <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/00438243.2018.1515655">pre-Christian celebrations of spring</a>, heralded by the vernal equinox and personified by the Goddess Eostre.</p>
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<p>After a long, cold, northern winter, it seems natural enough for people to celebrate themes of resurrection and rebirth. The flowers are blooming, birds are laying eggs, and baby bunnies are hopping about. </p>
<p>As new life emerges in spring, the Easter Bunny hops back once again, providing a longstanding cultural symbol to remind us of the cycles and stages of our own lives.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/180484/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Tok Thompson does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>A folklorist explains the prehistoric origins of the mythical Easter Bunny and why this longstanding cultural symbol keeps returning each spring.Tok Thompson, Professor of Anthropology and Communication, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and SciencesLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1805492022-04-08T09:03:14Z2022-04-08T09:03:14ZWant to buy guilt-free Easter chocolate? Pick from our list of ‘good eggs’ that score best for the environment and child labour<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/457058/original/file-20220408-21-e0o04r.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=651%2C128%2C2579%2C1312&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Eva Elija/Pexels</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>What do <a href="https://beyondgood.com/">Beyond Good</a>, <a href="https://alterecofoods.com.au/">Alter Eco</a>, <a href="https://tonyschocolonely.com/int/en">Tony’s Chocolonely</a> and <a href="https://www.whittakers.co.nz/en_AU/">Whittaker’s</a> all have in common? Besides producing delicious chocolate, they are the “good eggs” in this year’s <a href="https://www.chocolatescorecard.com/">chocolate scorecard</a>.</p>
<p>Each is an industry leader in producing sustainable chocolate. By “sustainable” we mean doing the right thing to the planet and its people on measures as important as child labour, pesticide use, and deforestation. </p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.chocolatescorecard.com/">Chocolate Collective</a>, made up of Australian charity <a href="https://www.beslaveryfree.com/chocolate">Be Slavery Free</a> and 20 other non-government organisations, with guidance from university experts and consultants, grades 90% of the industry and publishes the results in the lead-up to Easter, the biggest chocolate season of the year. </p>
<h2>How we determine what’s a ‘good egg’</h2>
<p>We scored 38 companies on six measures:</p>
<p><strong>Transparency and traceability.</strong> This is the big one. If companies don’t know where their cocoa comes from, they cannot truly ensure it isn’t tainted by child labour, deforestation, and other abuses.</p>
<p><strong>Child labour.</strong> More than <a href="https://www.norc.org/Research/Projects/Pages/assessing-progress-in-reducing-child-labor-in-cocoa-growing-areas-of-c%C3%B4te-d%E2%80%99ivoire-and-ghana.aspx">1.56 million</a> children work in the cocoa industry. Around 95% of them are exposed to at least one type of hazardous labour as defined by the International Labour Organization.</p>
<p><strong>Living income.</strong> Farmers are poor because of a combination of small farm size, low productivity, high costs, low prices and no alternative sources of income. Most earn about half of a so-called <a href="https://www.globallivingwage.org/about/living-income/">living income</a>, able to provide enough food, water, housing, education, healthcare and provisions for unexpected events.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/turning-to-easter-eggs-to-get-through-these-dark-times-heres-the-bitter-truth-about-chocolate-130295">Turning to Easter eggs to get through these dark times? Here's the bitter truth about chocolate</a>
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<p><strong>Deforestation and climate.</strong> In 2020 alone, more than <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-cocoa-ivorycoast-deforestation-idUSKBN2AJ0T6">47,000 hectares</a> of forest was lost in the cocoa growing areas of Côte d'Ivoire. We explored how companies are minimising their contribution to deforestation through programs such as satellite monitoring their plans to reach net-zero carbon emissions.</p>
<p><strong>Agroforestry.</strong> As opposed to pesticide-soaked monoculture, this is a more <a href="https://voicenetwork.cc/2020/07/cocoa-barometer-consortium-releases-consultation-paper-on-agroforestry-in-the-cocoa-sector/">ecologically sound</a> way of growing cocoa and restoring farm landscapes. We also looked at assessment, monitoring, and support to farmers using such methods. While we saw improvements, greater coordinated action is needed.</p>
<p><strong>Agrichemicals.</strong> This theme is appearing in the chocolate scorecard for the first time. Overall, companies scored poorly, with many still uncommitted to action to reduce agrichemicals and failing to adequately protect farmers (especially children and pregnant women) from being poisoned.</p>
<h2>And the winners are…</h2>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/457054/original/file-20220408-12027-t4zvkg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/457054/original/file-20220408-12027-t4zvkg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/457054/original/file-20220408-12027-t4zvkg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=314&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/457054/original/file-20220408-12027-t4zvkg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=314&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/457054/original/file-20220408-12027-t4zvkg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=314&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/457054/original/file-20220408-12027-t4zvkg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=395&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/457054/original/file-20220408-12027-t4zvkg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=395&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/457054/original/file-20220408-12027-t4zvkg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=395&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<p><a href="https://beyondgood.com/">Beyond Good</a> receives this year’s “good egg” award for a business model which ensures people and the planet are respected and cared for. Its smaller size has enabled this model to be refined, and now it is looking to scale up.</p>
<p>We also gave honourable mentions to previous “good eggs”, <a href="https://alterecofoods.com.au/">Alter Eco</a>, <a href="https://tonyschocolonely.com/int/en">Tony’s Chocolonely</a> and <a href="https://www.whittakers.co.nz/en_AU">Whittaker‘s</a>.</p>
<p>Also <a href="https://www.nestle.com.au/en">Nestlé</a> receives an honourable mention for its huge steps to address the living incomes of farmers, and for its commitment to plant <a href="https://www.nestle.com.au/en/media/nestle-efforts-combat-climate-change">20 million</a> shade trees each year.</p>
<p>Finally, <a href="https://www.ferrero.com.au/">Ferrero</a> now joins other companies whose cocoa is 100% or early 100% certified slavery-free, such as Hershey’s, Unilever, Ritter.</p>
<p>We also want to give a shout out to the best Japanese company, <a href="https://www.fujioilholdings.com/pdf/en/news/181119_02.pdf">Blommer/Fuji</a>. This company has made major improvements over the past year and did particularly well in some aspects of addressing child labour and agrforestry.</p>
<h2>And the losers…</h2>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/457055/original/file-20220408-29254-71h6kk.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/457055/original/file-20220408-29254-71h6kk.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=316&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/457055/original/file-20220408-29254-71h6kk.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=316&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/457055/original/file-20220408-29254-71h6kk.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=316&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/457055/original/file-20220408-29254-71h6kk.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=397&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/457055/original/file-20220408-29254-71h6kk.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=397&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/457055/original/file-20220408-29254-71h6kk.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=397&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<p>“Rotten eggs” were awarded to Starbucks, General Mills, and Storck who did not disclose to us any improvements in their cocoa value chain. </p>
<p>Their online sustainability reports lack the details and transparency many other companies provide to their stakeholders, or are simply out of date. </p>
<p>If they are making progress on increasing the sustainability of their chocolate supply chains, then we (and presumably their customers) would like to hear more about it. There might be improvement, but they are not telling.</p>
<h2>What you do makes a difference</h2>
<p>The chocolate industry is laced with <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1045235420300770">unsustainable practices</a>. The farmers are extremely poor, and sustainability often takes second place to cheap cocoa. Our <a href="https://www.chocolatescorecard.com/">scorecard</a> can help.</p>
<p>Also, it helps to look out for products that are 100% organic. You might pay a little more, but you can enjoy your chocolate knowing that in itself protects the lives of farmers, children and the environment.</p>
<p>There’s plenty of room for improvement across the industry – if there’s enough consumer demand for change. For instance, the manufacturers of Cadbury and Lindt chocolate were not among the top band of good eggs, instead only scoring a “Starting to implement good policies”.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/457101/original/file-20220408-41073-cickfe.GIF?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/457101/original/file-20220408-41073-cickfe.GIF?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/457101/original/file-20220408-41073-cickfe.GIF?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=229&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/457101/original/file-20220408-41073-cickfe.GIF?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=229&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/457101/original/file-20220408-41073-cickfe.GIF?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=229&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/457101/original/file-20220408-41073-cickfe.GIF?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=288&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/457101/original/file-20220408-41073-cickfe.GIF?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=288&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/457101/original/file-20220408-41073-cickfe.GIF?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=288&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<p>As well as using <a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/621486a23f6a6b01d7dbfbe3/t/624e466982edf83f8762d67b/1649297046231/Chocolate+Scorecard+2022+-+Eng.pdf">our guide</a> to help your shopping choices, it might also help to send the scorecard to your favourite company via a tweet, Facebook post or Instagram, telling them you would prefer ethical chocolate.</p>
<p>Australians might be asking about local brands such as Darrell Lea, Haigh’s and Robern Menz. They are not big enough to be scored in the global scorecard, but the good news is each is taking sizeable steps. Ask them if you want to know more.</p>
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<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Are the eggs you’re buying this Easter good for cocoa farmers, kids and the Earth – or actually doing harm? Our 2022 scorecard of the big brands can help you buy better than before.John Dumay, Professor - Department of Accounting and Corporate Governance, Macquarie UniversityCristiana Bernardi, Senior Lecturer in Accounting and Financial Management, The Open UniversityStephanie Perkiss, Senior Lecturer, University of WollongongLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1805212022-04-05T10:45:09Z2022-04-05T10:45:09ZA history of Easter feasts and why the English breakfast might be medieval<p>Easter is the principal festival of the <a href="https://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/worship/festivals-and-dates">Christian year</a>. Both Easter and its long prelude Lent have traditions associated with food. Lent is traditionally a time of giving up food, especially meat and dairy. Easter is, by contrast, a feast. </p>
<p>Versions of <a href="http://www.foodsofengland.co.uk/simnelcake.htm">simnels</a> (high-quality bread), decorated eggs, pancakes, and roast lamb can all be found in <a href="https://books.google.co.uk/books/about/Food_in_Medieval_Times.html?id=jtgud2P-EGwC">medieval European culture</a>. Whether hot cross buns come from the same period is open to question. Some argue <a href="http://foodhistorjottings.blogspot.com/2012/03/hot-cross-buns-and-grains-of-paradise.html">that hot cross buns</a> come from <a href="https://www.stalbanscathedral.org/the-alban-bun">St Albans buns</a>, apparently invented by the monk of St Albans Thomas Rockcliffe in the mid-14th century. </p>
<p>From around the seventh century, prayers in the north Italian monastery of <a href="https://www.historyofinformation.com/detail.php?id=1398">Bobbio</a>, founded by the Irish monk Columbanus, blessed lamb eaten for Easter lunch. Two centuries later, <a href="https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/lamb-god">roast lamb at Easter</a> had been adopted more widely by the papacy, the leaders of the <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1016/j.jmedhist.2009.12.001">Catholic church</a>.</p>
<h2>Lamb for Easter feasts</h2>
<p>Lamb was certainly a meat with specific links to the festival, but traces of other foodstuffs now associated with Easter and Lent can also be found in the period. A good example is <a href="http://blogstaging.yupnet.org/2016/03/26/easter-medieval-food/">simnels</a> – not the almond cake but a very high-quality wheat loaf, known across medieval Europe. <a href="https://www.medievalists.net/2013/07/bread-in-the-middle-ages/">Medieval bread</a> came in many different forms and qualities. Simnels as white wheat bread were at the top of the pile.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Illuminated manuscript of people eating in gold and orange." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/456138/original/file-20220404-11-c5960w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/456138/original/file-20220404-11-c5960w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=394&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/456138/original/file-20220404-11-c5960w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=394&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/456138/original/file-20220404-11-c5960w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=394&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/456138/original/file-20220404-11-c5960w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=495&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/456138/original/file-20220404-11-c5960w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=495&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/456138/original/file-20220404-11-c5960w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=495&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="attribution"><span class="source">From The Hague medieval illuminated manuscripts, The Hague, KB, 78 D 38 II Gospels Fol. 186v</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
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<p>During Lent medieval society operated within a system of <a href="https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300181913/culture-food-england-1200-1500/">dietary regulation</a> set by the church. This involved <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1016/j.jmedhist.2006.09.005">abstinence</a> from meat on particular days, for example, Fridays and periods before major church festivals. Fish was therefore important for <a href="https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781315568447-10/medieval-cuisine-seasons-year-1-paul-freedman?context=ubx&refId=ac65a44d-e1c5-477d-a2df-f8c6d513790c">Lenten diets</a>, for those that could afford it. Of especial importance was the range of dried sea fish that formed one of the mainstays of the northern European economy.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/what-are-the-origins-of-lent-155622">What are the origins of Lent?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Drying (stockfish) and salting were the two principal methods of preservation, with herring and cod the dominant species. <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2019/05/medieval-people-were-already-ruining-fish/589837/">Freshwater fish</a> including trout, pike and, in some cases, sturgeon seem to have been served in elite households. Large fish such as sturgeon also feature in many stories of the saints, for example <a href="https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=VqMmtwAACAAJ&redir_esc=y">Anselm of Canterbury</a>, (1033-1109) and <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03044181.2019.1658617">Bernard of Clairvaux </a>(1091-1153). </p>
<p>The Lenten fast also banned dairy. The beginning of Lent was marked gastronomically by Shrove Tuesday, perhaps more familiar as Pancake Day, where people used up their stocks of eggs and animal fat. Less known is Collop Monday, an occasion to eat up preserved meats such as bacon in slices – <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/collop">collops</a>. Take the two together and you have bacon and eggs, the origin, perhaps, as historian <a href="http://blogstaging.yupnet.org/2016/03/26/easter-medieval-food/">Chris Woolgar</a> suggests, of the “English” breakfast.</p>
<p>Although eggs were not allowed during the Lenten fast, ingenious medieval chefs created confectionery alternatives. A fascinating recipe for “eggs in Lent” is recorded in the <a href="https://www.bl.uk/collection-items/potage-dyvers">British Library</a>, from about 1430.</p>
<blockquote>
<p><em>Take eggs and blow out their insides through the other end. Then wash the shell clean in warm water; take good almond milk and set it on the fire, and take a fair cloth and pour the milk onto it and let the water run through. Then take the residue on the cloth and gather it together in a dish and add enough sugar to it. Then take half and colour it with a little saffron, and also add ground cinnamon. Then take some of the ‘white’ (the uncoloured mixture) and put it in the lower end of the shell, and put the ‘yolk’ (the coloured mixture) in the middle, and fill up the shell with (the remaining) white – but not too full in case it runs over. Then set it in the fire and roast it, and serve</em></p>
</blockquote>
<h2>Moderation and feasting</h2>
<p>Easter day was the end of 40 days of moderation and restraint and the moment when flesh and dairy could be consumed again. An example comes from 1290 and the celebrations of the bishop of Hereford, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Swinefield">Richard Swinfield </a>, at his manor at Colwall, about 20 miles from Hereford. Unusually for the period, we have a full <a href="https://medieval.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/catalog/manuscript_6430">set of accounts</a> for his household for <a href="https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/A_Roll_of_the_Household_Expenses_of_Rich/-GdKAAAAYAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1%5D">1289-90</a>. </p>
<p>The accounts show the amount of hay required for horses, allowing an estimate of at least 70 guests for the feast. Preparations include an unquantified amount of bread and ale and 11 sextaries of wine (about 66 gallons). And then, two and a half carcasses of salt beef, a bacon, two boars, one live ox, two fresh beef carcasses, five pigs, six calves, 27 lambs, 12 capons, 148 pigeons, three fat deer, milk, cheese, flour, suet, three bushels of salt and 4,000 eggs. </p>
<p>Richard Swinfield’s Easter feast includes, as we should expect, lamb, which was almost certainly roasted. A near-contemporary recipe (now in the <a href="https://www.bl.uk/catalogues/illuminatedmanuscripts/record.asp?MSID=9473&CollID=27&NStart=32085&_ga=2.202512913.167382695.1648809835-1329288859.1648809835">British Library</a>) details how to prepare a roasted lamb – filled with spices and ginger. </p>
<blockquote>
<p>“<em>Instructions for roasting kid in its skin. Take the kid and slaughter it; scald like a young hog, clean and dress it; then put it on a spit; in it, put fine spices and a good filling made with the same spices, adding saffron and salt; then put it to roast; when it is hot, lard it with long lardoons; when it is cooked, remove it from the spit and serve it with the filling and good ginger</em>.” </p>
</blockquote>
<p>And while chocolate eggs had no place in the Middle Ages, decorated eggs did. A very early example comes from <a href="https://blogs.bl.uk/digitisedmanuscripts/2017/04/a-hunt-for-medieval-easter-eggs.html.">Edward I of England</a>, who, according to his household accounts, spent some 18 pence on 450 eggs decorated with gold leaf or dyed. This was for Easter in 1290 when these eggs were offered to the royal household. There were, however, definitely no Easter bunnies.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/180521/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Giles Gasper receives funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council and the Leverhulme Trust.</span></em></p>Many Easter treats hark back to medieval times.Giles Gasper, Professor in High Medieval History, Durham UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1322642021-03-31T18:59:44Z2021-03-31T18:59:44Z7 ways to make Easter safe and inclusive for children with food allergies<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/392042/original/file-20210327-15-1e54nvy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C5%2C1000%2C660&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/portrait-toddler-kid-wearing-medical-mask-1886438929">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Easter can be a challenging and anxious time for children with food allergies and their families. </p>
<p>First, there are the foods we commonly associate with Easter — chocolate and hot cross buns. Then, Easter is a time when families and friends come together. So celebrations at home, at daycare or at school can include a spread of other foods containing common allergens, including dairy, eggs, peanuts and tree nuts.</p>
<p>However, there are many things parents and educators can do to help make Easter safe and inclusive for children with food allergies and their families.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/curious-kids-how-do-we-get-allergic-to-food-82503">Curious Kids: How do we get allergic to food?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Kids’ food allergies are common, and becoming more so</h2>
<p>The prevalence of food allergies is on the rise globally, particularly among <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/imj.13362">wealthy, westernised nations</a>. </p>
<p>Food allergies and related <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0091674915007022">hospital admissions</a> among Australian children have increased significantly since the 1990s. Some 11% of one-year-olds and 4% of pre-schoolers <a href="https://www.aaaai.org/global/latest-research-summaries/Current-JACI-Research/food-allergy-australia">have a diagnosed food allergy</a>. One study in the ACT showed <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1440-1754.2008.01436.x">one in 30 children</a> starting school had a severe nut allergy.</p>
<p>Nine foods cause <a href="https://allergyfacts.org.au/allergy-anaphylaxis/what-is-anaphylaxis">the vast majority</a> of allergic reactions in Australia: cow’s milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts (such as cashews and walnuts), soy, sesame, wheat, fish, and shellfish (such as prawns and crab). </p>
<p>Allergic reactions can range from mild, such as watery eyes or itchiness, to anaphylaxis, the most severe form of allergic reaction. Anaphylaxis involves breathing difficulties and can be life-threatening. </p>
<h2>How do allergies affect families?</h2>
<p>A food allergy doesn’t just affect the child; it can have a psychosocial effect on the whole family. </p>
<p>Fear of a severe allergic reaction may drive parents and caregivers to exclude children from special events and celebrations, such as school camps, excursions, or birthday parties. Some parents also stop sending their child <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1081120610609088">to school</a>.</p>
<p>They may be concerned life-saving medication (such as the adrenaline auto-injector EpiPen) may be delayed or not available, or worry their young child <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/183693911604100414">may not be able to resist temptation</a>, particularly when their friends offer food. This might be because children with allergies are afraid of being labelled “different” or they don’t understand the risk. </p>
<p>In the words of one review study, for affected families, <a href="https://www.karger.com/Article/Abstract/375106">social events</a> can “have a different meaning […] giving rise to feelings of exclusion and difference”.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/392439/original/file-20210330-23-xlqgtm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="School children sharing packed lunch" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/392439/original/file-20210330-23-xlqgtm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/392439/original/file-20210330-23-xlqgtm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=484&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392439/original/file-20210330-23-xlqgtm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=484&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392439/original/file-20210330-23-xlqgtm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=484&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392439/original/file-20210330-23-xlqgtm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=608&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392439/original/file-20210330-23-xlqgtm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=608&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392439/original/file-20210330-23-xlqgtm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=608&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Parents worry about their children sharing food or accessing life-saving medication.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/primary-school-pupils-enjoying-packed-lunch-58963948">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>It’s important children are included</h2>
<p>Celebrations can help to foster friendships, family relationships, and are vital for children’s socio-emotional development and well-being. So, children should not be left out or excluded from celebrations and events because of their allergy. </p>
<p>Other children also benefit when children with additional needs <a href="https://alana.org.br/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/A_Summary_of_the_evidence_on_inclusive_education.pdf">are included</a>. They can learn to appreciate and develop empathy and tolerance for differences — traits that need to be nurtured in children in the early years.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/empathy-starts-early-5-australian-picture-books-that-celebrate-diversity-153629">Empathy starts early: 5 Australian picture books that celebrate diversity</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Some tips for parents and educators</h2>
<ol>
<li><p>Take the focus off food when celebrating Easter by organising a non-food Easter egg hunt, such as for stuffed bunnies or toys, or other activities like Easter-themed arts, crafts, and dress-ups. However, craft items including eggshells, egg cartons, milk cartons, peanut butter jars and lids may still pose an allergy risk</p></li>
<li><p>consider non-food treats for all children, such as stickers or story books</p></li>
<li><p>if you’ve invited a child with allergies, ask their parents to provide alternative, allergy-safe treats for their child if food treats are to be distributed to other children. Sometimes, parents of the child with a food allergy offer to provide the same treats for everyone so their child is not getting something different (always check with other parents of children with food allergies first) </p></li>
<li><p>if you’re an educator, check parents are happy for you to give food treats to the child with a food allergy, after reading ingredient labels, and after following a strict process developed with the family. Look for hidden ingredients in packaged foods and understand what each label means. For example, whey is a protein in cow’s milk and a child with cow’s milk allergy needs to avoid it. Encourage all children to eat Easter loot at home so parents can check ingredients</p></li>
<li><p>encourage all children to wash their hands before and after eating. Peanut protein, for example, can last on hands <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23608728/">for three hours</a> after eating. Hand washing with soap, not just water, can help reduce the risk of cross-contamination </p></li>
<li><p>make sure children know they must not share food or drink bottles</p></li>
<li><p>if a child shows signs of an allergic reaction, parents and educators should follow instructions in the child’s individual <a href="https://www.allergy.org.au/hp/ascia-plans-action-and-treatment">allergy management plan</a>. So, make sure your child has one, it is up to date, and people know what to do in an emergency. </p></li>
</ol>
<p>With some planning, empathy and a management plan, Easter can be a joyful and safe celebration for children with food allergies and their families.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/i-think-my-child-has-outgrown-their-food-allergy-how-can-i-be-sure-130455">I think my child has outgrown their food allergy. How can I be sure?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<hr>
<p><em>For more information on allergy and anaphylaxis, contact <a href="http://www.allergyfacts.org.au">Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia</a>, 1300 728 000; or the <a href="https://www.allergy.org.au/patients">Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy</a>.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/132264/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Maria Said, CEO of Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia, co-authored this article. Prathyusha Sanagavarapu has previously received research funding from Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia. The authors wish to note that the information provided in this article is general and parents are strongly encouraged to seek specific medical advice on diagnosis and management of food allergies from a GP or immunologist.</span></em></p>There’s no need for children with food allergies to miss out this Easter. Here’s how to include them in your celebrations and help keep them safe.Prathyusha Sanagavarapu, Senior Lecturer, Early Childhood Education, Western Sydney UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1330772020-04-09T04:07:41Z2020-04-09T04:07:41ZEaster eggs can bring a little ‘normality’ to kids in isolation. But should we ration them or let kids eat how many they like?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/326417/original/file-20200408-125020-cnsb16.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C1000%2C667&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/colourful-easter-eggs-wicker-basket-9516346">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>This Easter will be especially challenging, with family isolation and many parents under financial strain, or other stressors. </p>
<p>So, many parents will be looking to restore some sense of “normality” by welcoming the Easter bunny into their home.</p>
<p>But when it comes to Easter eggs, is it better for parents to ration them or let kids eat as many as they like? Or is this year’s Easter so unusual it doesn’t really matter?</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-tiny-moments-of-pleasure-really-can-help-us-through-this-stressful-time-134043">Coronavirus: tiny moments of pleasure really can help us through this stressful time</a>
</strong>
</em>
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<hr>
<p>Chocolate Easter eggs are high in both fat and sugar. For these reasons children, like most of us, typically find them delicious and hard to resist. </p>
<p>But how many Easter eggs we eat is not just about whether we like them. When we eat them, we activate the <a href="https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev-psych-122216-011643?journalCode=psych">reward centres</a> in the brain whether or not we even notice how delicious the eggs are, making us want more, sometimes <a href="https://ijbnpa.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12966-020-00928-5">undermining our good intentions</a>.</p>
<h2>Some children eat until they are sick</h2>
<p>Many parents notice children have different approaches to managing their Easter egg stash. </p>
<p>Some children save their eggs and eat them in an orderly fashion, treasuring one every so often. Others eat them in one go, until they feel sick. Others might try and save their eggs, but struggle to resist the temptation. </p>
<p>The difference is likely related to their temperament. Children with a more <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/ijpo.12159">impulsive temperament</a> find it more challenging to resist the inner urge, or impulse, to reach for the next Easter egg.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/fact-or-fiction-is-sugar-addictive-73340">Fact or fiction – is sugar addictive?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>In contrast, children with different temperaments can resist immediate temptation and <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1467-8721.2007.00505.x">delay their gratification</a>. In other words, they can forgo something now for something better in the future. </p>
<p>These children would probably do well on the <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1972-20631-001">famous marshmallow task</a> developed in the 1970s. This is where children are given a choice of eating one marshmallow immediately or receiving more later. </p>
<p>Children better at delaying gratification are also <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022347612007378">less likely</a> to have obesity later in life.</p>
<h2>Children’s responses may change over time</h2>
<p>Children’s abilities to delay eating Easter eggs (and other sugary or highly processed foods) <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30679360">aren’t fixed</a>. They can get better at managing their haul.</p>
<p>As children get older and their brains develop, they <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2678872">get better</a> at self-control, including their ability to control their emotions and reactions to tasty food and treats. </p>
<p>And <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/desc.12073">parents</a> can help kids develop better <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2678872">self-control and to manage</a> situations where there are lots of tasty foods around.</p>
<h2>How can parents help?</h2>
<p>If your child is eating all their eggs in one go, or trying to save up the eggs, but struggling to do so, parents can:</p>
<ul>
<li>help children to think about the pleasure of eating them in the future, </li>
<li>encourage children to set a goal about making them last longer,</li>
<li>introduce some rules about when and how their children can eat Easter eggs (for instance, only during afternoon tea)</li>
<li>suggest children remove them from sight, or easy access, by putting them in a container with a lid. </li>
</ul>
<p>These strategies either help young children find ways to resist the impulse to eat the eggs, or lessen the urge to eat them by removing constant temptation and reminders they are there.</p>
<h2>How about parents rationing the eggs?</h2>
<p>Parents concerned about their child eating too many Easter eggs may hide them in a cupboard, ration them, or only give out an egg as a reward if the child behaves well.</p>
<p>But restricting access to available foods <a href="https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/92/2/359/4597330">can increase</a> how much children want to eat those types of food, <a href="https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/101/5/908/4564476">now and in the future</a>.</p>
<p>And using food as a reward might teach children food is a <a href="https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/92/2/359/4597330">good way</a> of rewarding yourself when upset or when happy, something called <a href="https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/101/5/908/4564476">emotional eating</a>, which is <a href="https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/101/5/908/4564476">linked to over-eating</a>.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/should-we-use-food-as-a-reward-for-kids-we-asked-five-experts-103771">Should we use food as a reward for kids? We asked five experts</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Haven’t parents got enough on their plates this Easter?</h2>
<p>Parents shouldn’t worry too much about how they manage the Easter egg stash and its impact on their child’s long-term eating behaviour. Especially because these are difficult times and we’re all doing the best we can to get by.</p>
<p>But what’s more likely to have an impact on how children think about food and eating are the habitual strategies parents use.</p>
<p>Using food to help children calm down when they are upset, as a reward or punishment, or restricting access to a food that is in the home, can contribute to <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/ijo201530">unhealthy relationships</a> with food such as emotional eating or <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25777357">eating for other reasons not related to hunger</a>.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/tips-to-reduce-your-waste-this-easter-but-dont-worry-you-can-still-eat-chocolate-113916">Tips to reduce your waste this Easter (but don't worry, you can still eat chocolate)</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>However, food is not only about nutrition. It’s also a social experience. Easter and Easter eggs provide an opportunity for a fun and positive time for parent-child relationships. Parents and children can enjoy the adventure of finding eggs and then the pleasure of eating them. </p>
<p>This year, that pleasure could be even greater. If at the same time children learn something about eating, that’s a bonus.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/133077/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Backyard Easter egg hunts can be a joy for all the family and a great way to lift the spirits in isolation. They can also provide insight into how different children manage treat foods.Georgie Russell, Senior Lecturer, Deakin UniversityAlan Russell, Emeritus Professor of Education, Flinders UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1156452019-04-18T13:34:41Z2019-04-18T13:34:41ZEaster: eggs, hares, lamb and the return of warmth and sunshine – a Christian festival that feels pagan<p>There’s a lot of confusion about Easter – not least because this most important of all Christian festivals moves around so much from year to year, decided by a complex set of calculations based on the vernal equinox and the phase of the moon. Easter symbols – eggs, bunnies, lambs and the rest – give the festivities an air of pre-Christian paganism. </p>
<p>So where do the origins of Easter and the rituals observed by so many – whether Christian or not – really lie?</p>
<p>The first mention of Eostre is in the eighth century, in The Venerable Bede’s frustratingly cryptic account of the native Anglo-Saxon calendar in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/De-temporum-ratione">De Temporum Ratione</a> (On the Reckoning of Time). The Anglo-Saxon equivalent of April called Eostremonath is named for the goddess Eostre – but we only know about Eostre via Bede’s writings and the only thing he tells us about her is that “feasts were celebrated” in her honour. So, if modern Easter is frequently a festival of overeating, this has tradition on its side. </p>
<p>But Eostre was evidently significant enough for the Anglo-Saxons to later transfer her name to the Christian festival of the resurrection rather than adopting the Latin name “Pascha”.</p>
<p>Similarly, Easter is “Ostern” in German – which implies she must have been known outside England. Confusingly, the great 19th-century folklorist and philologist, Jacob Grimm, <a href="https://blogs.loc.gov/folklife/category/jacob-grimm/">invented a German goddess called Ostara</a> – “the divinity of the radiant dawn, upspringing light, a spectacle that brings joy and blessing” – on purely etymological grounds: the name is derived from a proto-Indo-European root meaning “to shine”. But Grimm didn’t present a shred of supporting evidence that such a deity had ever been worshipped in Germany, leaving us with just Bede to go on.</p>
<p>Easter roughly coincides with the <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-47631820">spring equinox</a> – so there is a good deal of lore attached to the season which is not actually Christian. Easter is preceded by Lent – a period of fasting in memory of Christ’s 40 days in the wilderness. But it is also a season when, in pre-modern Europe, food would have been running low. Winter supplies would have been coming to an end and there was not enough sun and spring growth yet for hens to start laying and cows to give milk. In a sense, therefore, Easter is a natural feast – to celebrate passing out of that hardship.</p>
<h2>Easter and Passover</h2>
<p>The association of lamb with Easter is something we have borrowed from Jewish tradition and Passover – which was also the festival that Jesus and his disciples celebrated with their Last Supper. </p>
<p>At least as far back as the 15th century, Easter was also marked in England by eating “tansies” – a kind of <a href="http://www.foodsofengland.co.uk/tansy,ortansypudding.htm">custardy pudding</a> made with the bitter (and poisonous) herb tansy and sometimes with other bitter greens such as nettles. The 17th-century antiquarian <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Aubrey">John Aubrey</a> adds a further detail: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>Our tansies at Easter have reference to the bitter Herbs [eaten at Passover by Jews] though at the same time ’twas always the Fashion for a man to have a gammon of Bacon, to shew himself to be no Jew.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Eggs are an ancient and natural symbol of returning life in many parts of Europe, but the Easter egg may also derive from Passover – which includes, among various symbolic foods, a roasted egg: <a href="https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/roasted-egg-beitzah/">the beitzah</a>. Until at least the mid-20th century, more people marked Easter with decorated, hard-boiled hen’s eggs than chocolate ones. </p>
<p>The <a href="https://blogs.bl.uk/digitisedmanuscripts/2017/04/a-hunt-for-medieval-easter-eggs.html">earliest documented mention</a> in England of decorated eggs comes in 1290, from the household accounts of King Edward I for 1290, which records the purchase and decoration of 450 eggs , some gilded, some dyed. These eggs were presented to the royal household at Easter, and cost 18 pence. </p>
<p>In many parts of Britain the custom was for people, children especially, to play with their “<a href="https://www.historic-uk.com/CultureUK/Pace-Egging/">pace-eggs</a>” by rolling them down a chosen slope before eating them. In Iona and Peter Opie’s <a href="http://www.nybooks.com/media/doc/2010/02/16/lore-language-introduction.pdf">1959 study</a> The Lore and Language of Schoolchildren, a child reports that: “In Cumberland we take more notice of the pace eggs than chocolate eggs.” Easter eggs as also rolled on the lawn of the US White House, a custom going back to 1878.</p>
<h2>Bunny business</h2>
<p>The association of hares with Easter also considerably predates foil-wrapped chocolate bunnies. As early as 1682, Georg Franck von Franckenau’s essay <a href="https://blogs.royalsociety.org/history-of-science/2017/04/12/bunny-eggs/">De ovis paschalibus</a> (About Easter Eggs) speaks of a German tradition of an Easter hare bringing coloured Easter eggs for the children. </p>
<p>In southern Germany, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1971/04/11/archives/an-egg-at-easter-a-folklore-study-by-venetia-newall-illustrated-423.html">children used to be told</a> that a hare laid the pace-eggs and they would make a nest for the creature to lay them in. The Easter hare was also known in parts of the British Isles and was particularly associated with having to hunt out eggs hidden in the garden, where the hare was supposed to have put them.</p>
<p>A curious entry in the <a href="https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/domestic/jas1/1619-23">Calendar of State Papers</a> for April 2 1620, suggests that hares were also often eaten at Easter: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>Thos. Fulnety solicits the permission of Lord Zouch, Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, to kill a hare on Good Friday, as huntsmen say that those who have not a hare against Easter must eat a red herring. </p>
</blockquote>
<p>Hares were also ritually hunted at Easter in England – there is a note in the <a href="https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/N13934437">Chamberlains’ Accounts</a> for the year 1574 that twelvepence was “given to the hare-finders at Whetston Court”. </p>
<figure class="align-left zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/269960/original/file-20190418-28103-o981vc.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/269960/original/file-20190418-28103-o981vc.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/269960/original/file-20190418-28103-o981vc.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=800&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/269960/original/file-20190418-28103-o981vc.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=800&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/269960/original/file-20190418-28103-o981vc.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=800&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/269960/original/file-20190418-28103-o981vc.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1005&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/269960/original/file-20190418-28103-o981vc.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1005&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/269960/original/file-20190418-28103-o981vc.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1005&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Cornish pagan Easter hare made from papier-mâché.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Malcolm Lidbury via Wikiemedia Commons</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/">CC BY-NC-SA</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>An Easter hare hunt survived as part of Leicester’s ritual year as <a href="https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Folk-Lore/Volume_3/The_Easter_Hare">late as the 18th century</a>, though by then a dead cat was substituted for an actual hare. Jacob Grimm, looking at this evidence for an association of ritual activity involving hares with the Easter season, conjectured that the hare was sacred to the goddess Ostara, piling one conjecture on top of another. </p>
<p>So the truth is that Easter rituals as we know them today represent an untidy collection of customs connected with celebrating spring growth and the end of austerity – a time for new clothes and rich food. Any connection with pre-Christian paganism is entirely coincidental.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/115645/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jane Stevenson does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Easter is actually a mish-mash of different traditions celebrating the coming of spring.Jane Stevenson, Senior Research Fellow at Campion Hall, University of OxfordLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1153172019-04-12T11:58:22Z2019-04-12T11:58:22ZEaster eggs: hunting for a solution to excessive packaging<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/268809/original/file-20190411-44805-1hs8yqx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/large-happy-easter-chocolate-egg-pink-128055260?src=qIelQVZXZymSenvzH8YQCA-1-93">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>So which Easter tradition came first? The packaging or the egg? The answer is of course not that surprising (it’s the egg). The tradition of giving people eggs at spring time has <a href="https://www.chocolatetradingco.com/magazine/features/history-chocolate-easter-eggs">roots in ancient pagan festivals</a> and exists in the history of a range of religions. </p>
<p>It is only in recent decades that the amount of packaging around a hollow chocolate egg has become a noticeable problem – partly because of a rise in the number of eggs sold. It’s true that some manufactures <a href="https://www.fswaste.co.uk/2018/03/can-easter-egg-packaging-recycled/">have made progress</a> in reducing packaging, with a big focus on reducing plastics. Many popular eggs are wrapped in just a layer of foil and a card box (plus any wrappers that come on accompanying confectionary). But this does not mean the problem has gone away. </p>
<p>A <a href="https://www.which.co.uk/news/2018/03/the-truth-about-easter-egg-packaging/">report by Which?</a> revealed that around a quarter of the total weight of Easter eggs sold in the UK is taken up by the plastic and cardboard packaging they are wrapped up in. The outer packaging of one of the top-ten selling brands tipped the scales at 152g of a 418g product (36.4%). </p>
<p>According to the environmental charity <a href="https://friendsoftheearth.uk/plastics/easter-egg-firms-still-failing-crack-plasticfree-packaging">Friends of the Earth</a>, Easter egg makers are still failing when it comes to plastic waste. This leads to some <a href="https://www.direct365.co.uk/blog/easter-egg-waste-the-season-of-plastic/">3,000 tonnes of packaging waste</a> each year. But it is too easy to blame the manufacturer – after all, we buy the eggs.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-defuse-the-easter-egg-arms-race-54783">How to defuse the Easter egg 'arms race'</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>And the packaging does play some role in protecting the chocolate from damage and contamination – otherwise you may end up with food waste (which is <a href="https://theconversation.com/food-security-we-throw-away-a-third-of-the-food-we-grow-heres-what-to-do-about-waste-64854">actually far worse</a>). </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/268811/original/file-20190411-44781-1u8nxuu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/268811/original/file-20190411-44781-1u8nxuu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/268811/original/file-20190411-44781-1u8nxuu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/268811/original/file-20190411-44781-1u8nxuu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/268811/original/file-20190411-44781-1u8nxuu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/268811/original/file-20190411-44781-1u8nxuu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/268811/original/file-20190411-44781-1u8nxuu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Egging on consumers.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/hampstead-london-march-21-2019-piles-1345479581?src=2W3zOJuCMEKhrbUw2JwkQQ-1-69">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>We appear to be at a stalemate – manufactures do not want to change the big, bright packaging in fear of losing sales. Customers still want to present their friend or relative with a pristine, attractive, traditional gift. </p>
<h2>Breaking with tradition</h2>
<p>So how can food providers and consumers help to reduce packaging waste?
Here are a few options (although some may not be so sweet).</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Make the eggs flat. A two dimensional egg can be packaged far more easily and is less prone to damage than a 3D egg which requires additional packaging to protect those thin chocolate walls around a hollow space. Flat eggs could be made just as attractive and would certainly taste the same. They would also improve logistics efficiency by not having to transport so much air. </p></li>
<li><p>“Build your own” Easter egg kits - packs could include everything you need to produce a bespoke egg (including two egg halves) for your loved one. There would be no need for plastic packaging and you would be giving a personalised, hand-crafted gift.</p></li>
<li><p>Opt for cardboard and items wrapped in packaging that can be recycled – such as cardboard and foil. Typically, it is the more luxurious brands that want to show off their extravagant produce in-store who still use large amounts of plastic. </p></li>
<li><p>Avoid getting drawn in by the additional items or “gifts” that may come with eggs. These are the kind of gifts that nobody really wants, such as a low-quality mug or plastic toy – and the negative environmental impact of producing those could be much greater than that of the chocolate egg and packaging combined. And you will pay a premium for them. </p></li>
<li><p>Ignore chocolate this Easter and opt for something more meaningful. Regardless of your religion (or lack of), Easter is about new life, not new waistlines. Bake or make something (egg shaped if you like) that your family will really like and will mean much more to them than manufactured chocolate. And which the planet will thank you for too.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Whichever way you choose to cut down on packaging this Easter, remember that this is just one of many ways you can reduce your household waste. The world it seems is in the midst of a packaging crisis. Together we can (ahem) crack it.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/115317/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Elliot Woolley receives funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council. </span></em></p>Do we really need to celebrate with boxes and plastic?Elliot Woolley, Lecturer in Sustainable Manufacturing, Loughborough UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/941512018-03-29T12:39:39Z2018-03-29T12:39:39ZEaster eggs were once a rare luxury – so how did they become so commonplace?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/212622/original/file-20180329-189824-8uxmnf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/still-life-photo-lots-colourful-speckled-97602800?src=VB9-lt_8AwogpEsJW1_1vw-2-84">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>For weeks (and weeks) in the run up to Easter, brightly packaged chocolate eggs fill the shelves of British supermarkets. Piled high and sold cheap, they are easy to get hold of – even hard to avoid.</p>
<p>But this wasn’t always the case. For almost a century after the first ones were produced in the 1870s by Fry’s and Cadbury’s, chocolate eggs were a luxury product. They were expensive, and difficult to find, with specialist confectioners often requiring orders to be made several months in advance. </p>
<p>The ease of buying an Easter egg changed dramatically for British consumers in the middle of the 20th century, as they appeared in a wider range of retail outlets. Just a few years after the end of wartime rationing, Easter eggs were <a href="https://ore.exeter.ac.uk/repository/handle/10871/9691">widely available</a> in 246,400 outlets and thousands more co-operative shops. </p>
<p>But even then, matching supply and demand was a real headache for both manufacturers and retailers. After Easter Sunday, remaining stock was difficult to sell, potentially wiping out profits. </p>
<p>Shopkeepers did not want to over order because they had much less power over how much they could charge for sweet treats. Manufacturers were allowed to fix the prices of chocolate and confectionery until 1967 through Resale Price Maintenance legislation. If a shop wanted to discount Easter goods after the festival ended, they had to ask the permission of the manufacturer. </p>
<p>Although it sounds like manufacturers had it all their own way, confectionery producers made only slightly higher margins on Easter eggs compared to other chocolate goods – and eggs were much more difficult to make.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, self-service was becoming the major innovation in post-war British retailing. The <a href="https://ore.exeter.ac.uk/repository/handle/10036/4221">number of supermarkets grew</a> from approximately 50 in 1950 to 572 by 1961, and by 1969 there were as many as 3,400. Self-service operations (including smaller stores and supermarkets) accounted for around 15% of grocery turnover in 1959, rising to as much as 64% ten years later. Specialist confectionery shops were worried by the trend – and rightly so.</p>
<p>Then in 1967 the <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00076791.2017.1400012">abolition of price fixing legislation</a> led to Easter-themed goods becoming increasingly important in the supermarkets’ calendar. Ever since, they have offered cut-price chocolate eggs before Easter to attract shoppers into their stores.</p>
<p>Competing for for the deepest discounts and the largest sales, the pressure switched to manufacturers who had to meet demand, but risk over production.</p>
<h2>How do you eat yours?</h2>
<p>In the 1970s, supermarkets routinely cut the price of Easter eggs, meaning shoppers were shielded from some of the worst effects of inflation and soaring cocoa prices. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/212635/original/file-20180329-189798-87lzkm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/212635/original/file-20180329-189798-87lzkm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/212635/original/file-20180329-189798-87lzkm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/212635/original/file-20180329-189798-87lzkm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/212635/original/file-20180329-189798-87lzkm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/212635/original/file-20180329-189798-87lzkm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/212635/original/file-20180329-189798-87lzkm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Piled high.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/brent-cross-london-march-6-2018-1039868581?src=xy2m4F7D3NyIpHMY7VjEzw-1-5">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Yet despite the difficult economic environment, in 1974, Grocer magazine reported that Cadbury’s aimed to significantly boost its share of the annual Easter egg business, which was worth around £23m. The following year, Cadbury’s hoped to gain 45% of the market with 21 items in its Easter range. </p>
<p>Since the 1980s, manufacturers have invested heavily in technology and production abroad, in a bid to reduce their costs. And to meet supermarket demands for heavy discounts, they have reduced the variety of Easter eggs they produce.</p>
<p>Consequently, the consumer price of chocolate eggs has remained broadly similar for the last 40 years or so. Taking into account retail price inflation, an egg costing two shillings in 1962 should be around £2.20 today, which isn’t too far from what we would expect to pay in most supermarkets for a chocolate egg in 2018 (despite the rising costs of cocoa over the past ten years).</p>
<p>The Easter Bank Holiday is a time when shoppers spend money on groceries, which means that attracting people into stores is a particularly important objective for retail managers at this time of year. One way to do this is through big discounts on traditional chocolate treats.</p>
<p>Nobody remembers resale price maintenance now, but we are left with the effects of this change in supermarkets up and down the country. The cut price Easter egg is now a major feature of our supermarkets – and is likely to stay.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aHKJQ9DahSY?wmode=transparent&start=68" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
</figure>
<p>Changes in the law and the rise of self-service shopping have provided a huge boost to the total Easter chocolate trade. Worth an estimated £10m in 1960, it has jumped to <a href="http://www.mintel.com/press-centre/food-and-drink/sweet-success-for-seasonal-chocolate">around £364m today</a>.</p>
<p>The real losers from this were smaller sweet shops, who lost out as sales migrated to supermarkets. And although Easter eggs are big business, it is likely that we don’t value them as much today. There is less variety, less novelty and our way of buying them has changed. </p>
<p>And this bountiful supply of cheap chocolate also means we are eating more of the stuff. By some measures <a href="http://www.mintel.com/press-centre/food-and-drink/a-feast-of-innovation-global-easter-chocolate-launches-up-23-on-2017">Britons currently eat</a> an average of 8.4kg of chocolate per year. That’s double the <a href="https://ore.exeter.ac.uk/repository/handle/10871/9691">amount reported</a> before 1967’s pricing rule change – and proves the confectionery industry is still on a roll.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/94151/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Adrian Bailey does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>A short history of Easter egg economics.Adrian Bailey, Senior Lecturer in Management, University of ExeterLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/938442018-03-28T18:56:58Z2018-03-28T18:56:58ZSustainable shopping: save the world, one chocolate at a time<p><em>Shopping can be confusing at the best of times, and trying to find environmentally friendly options makes it even more difficult. Our <a href="https://theconversation.com/au/topics/sustainable-shopping-38407">Sustainable Shopping</a> series asks experts to provide easy eco-friendly guides to purchases big and small. Send us your suggestions for future articles <a href="mailto:michael.hopkin@theconversation.edu.au">here</a>.</em></p>
<hr>
<p>Cocoa is probably the most sustainable of all internationally traded commodities, so there are several “feelgood” reasons for eating the chocolate made from it this Easter – at least when the cocoa is grown by smallholder producers and traded by processors that are committed to equitable sharing of profits. </p>
<p>Here are some ways to tell if you are onto a good thing.</p>
<h2>Environmental impact</h2>
<p>As a wild species, cocoa (<em>Theobroma cacao</em>) originates from the rainforest of the Amazon basin and the foothills of the Andes. In nature, it grows as an “understorey” species, shaded by the rainforest canopy. Much of the world’s cocoa crop is similarly grown in the shade of taller trees in mixed plantings. </p>
<p>Unlike many plantation crops, like rubber and oil palm, cocoa can be grown with a diverse mixture of other plants. Of course, not all growers produce this way, so if preserving biodiversity is a priority for you, look for <a href="https://www.rainforest-alliance.org/">Rainforest Alliance</a> certification.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/212334/original/file-20180327-109207-6rtv5l.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/212334/original/file-20180327-109207-6rtv5l.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/212334/original/file-20180327-109207-6rtv5l.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/212334/original/file-20180327-109207-6rtv5l.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/212334/original/file-20180327-109207-6rtv5l.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/212334/original/file-20180327-109207-6rtv5l.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/212334/original/file-20180327-109207-6rtv5l.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Healthy cocoa, grown in an agroforestry system with minimal chemical inputs, in Fiji. The cocoa beans are in the yellow pods.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Richard Markham</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Cocoa needs a lot of water to survive, so large irrigated plantations have a high water footprint. On the other hand, almost all smallholder cocoa is grown without irrigation in high-rainfall areas, so the water used in production of the cocoa is close to zero (apart from a small amount of water used in processing). </p>
<p>Another environmental aspect is the use of fertilisers and pesticides. When cocoa pods are harvested they take a lot of nutrients with them, out of the ecosystem. On average, a kilogram of dry cocoa contains 36 grams of nitrogen, 6g of phosphorus, 72g of potassium, 7g of calcium, and 6g of magnesium.</p>
<p>This means maintaining soil condition is critical. This can be achieved with careful application of fertiliser, though this rarely occurs and soil depletion has become a major problem prompting aid groups to <a href="https://www.idhsustainabletrade.com/initiative/cocoa-fertilizer-initiative/">encourage more fertiliser use!</a>. </p>
<p>However, research in Sulawesi, supported by the <a href="http://aciar.gov.au/project/hort/2010/011">Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research</a> and <a href="http://aciar.gov.au/content/research-partnership-helps-sulawesi-cocoa-growers">chocolate giant Mars Inc</a>, has shown that using a judicious combination of nitrogen-fixing shade trees and compost (ideally produced with the help of goats) can maintain soil fertility – and even reclaim depleted speargrass savanna – for cocoa production. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/212337/original/file-20180328-109175-z7cj1x.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/212337/original/file-20180328-109175-z7cj1x.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=800&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/212337/original/file-20180328-109175-z7cj1x.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=800&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/212337/original/file-20180328-109175-z7cj1x.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=800&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/212337/original/file-20180328-109175-z7cj1x.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1005&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/212337/original/file-20180328-109175-z7cj1x.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1005&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/212337/original/file-20180328-109175-z7cj1x.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1005&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Trials by Indonesian and Australian researchers in Sulawesi suggested that a combination of compost and inorganic fertiliser gave the best results.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Richard Markham</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/212338/original/file-20180328-109169-ewfcn0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/212338/original/file-20180328-109169-ewfcn0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/212338/original/file-20180328-109169-ewfcn0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/212338/original/file-20180328-109169-ewfcn0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/212338/original/file-20180328-109169-ewfcn0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/212338/original/file-20180328-109169-ewfcn0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/212338/original/file-20180328-109169-ewfcn0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Research trials on sustainable cocoa production at the ‘Mars Academy’ research station in Sulawesi, Indonesia.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Richard Markham</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Finding good chocolate</h2>
<p>The good news is that there are plenty of chocolate producers who avoid all of these problems. There are two ways to find it: look for certifications, or seek out small operations in our region.</p>
<p><a href="http://fairtrade.com.au/">Fairtrade</a> certification means that smallholder producers in developing countries are getting a fair share of the price you pay.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.rainforest-alliance.org/">Rainforest Alliance</a> certification, meanwhile, ensures that rainforest hasn’t been cleared to make way for unsustainable plantations.</p>
<p>If you’re concerned about fertiliser and pesticide use, <a href="https://utz.org/">UTZ</a> (who have recently merged with the Rainforest Alliance) has built sustainable productivity into their certification systems.</p>
<p>All of these certification schemes are largely available to multinational companies. Some of the biggest chocolate companies in the world, including Mars, Ferrero, Hershey and Nestlé, have committed to sourcing 100% certified cocoa, so it’s possible to buy sustainable cocoa without even realising it.</p>
<p>On the other end of the scale are smallholdings, which are likely to lack these kinds of certifications. That doesn’t always mean they are bad for the environment, or that the growers aren’t getting a fair price. It may simply be that the expense of formal certification <a href="https://theconversation.com/bitter-sweet-easter-how-our-demand-is-melting-sustainable-cocoa-farming-6264">is not worth it</a> for many small operations. </p>
<p>Much of this chocolate is organic more or less by default, as many smallholders, especially in the Pacific region, simply do not use agrochemicals. It’s also more likely to be grown in heavily rainforested areas, with almost zero water footprint.</p>
<p>In their search for high quality and unique flavours, several Australian boutique chocolate makers have started to source their beans directly from cacao growers. </p>
<p>For instance, Bahen & Co. in Margaret River, Western Australia, purchases beans directly from communities on Vanuatu’s Malekula island, while Jasper & Myrtle in Canberra buys beans from growers on PNG’s previously troubled island of Bougainville. </p>
<p>These programs mean that these growers have been able to taste chocolate from their own beans for the first time, and thus understand how their own processing of the beans – through fermentation and drying – affects the quality of the final product.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/212340/original/file-20180328-109196-38xfs0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/212340/original/file-20180328-109196-38xfs0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=810&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/212340/original/file-20180328-109196-38xfs0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=810&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/212340/original/file-20180328-109196-38xfs0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=810&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/212340/original/file-20180328-109196-38xfs0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1018&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/212340/original/file-20180328-109196-38xfs0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1018&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/212340/original/file-20180328-109196-38xfs0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1018&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Australian chocolate maker Mark Bahen evaluates samples of beans from individual growers in Vanuatu.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Conor Ashleigh for ACIAR</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Even more value can remain with the local growers and their communities if the chocolate itself is manufactured in-country. Visitors passing through duty free shops as they leave PNG may have picked up <a href="http://www.paradisefoods.com.pg/product_qecc.php">Queen Emma</a> chocolate, made by Paradise Foods in Port Moresby, while those leaving Nadi may have bought <a href="https://fijianacacao.com/">Fijiana</a> chocolate made by local company Adi’s Chocolate. </p>
<p>Australian shoppers will soon be able to buy <a href="http://aelanchocolate.com/">Aelan</a> chocolate – single-origin bars from four different islands of Vanuatu, made in Port Vila by <a href="http://www.activassociation.org/">ACTIV</a>, a Victorian NGO founded and operated on fair-trade principles.</p>
<p>At the furthest end of the fine-flavour chocolate trend are chocolate bars with no artificial additives of any kind. A favourite recipe among discerning chocolate-tasters is simply to mix 80% cocoa “nibs” (coarsely ground beans) with 20% sugar and “conch” it gently until smooth and delicious. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/212335/original/file-20180328-109204-lu4b2y.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/212335/original/file-20180328-109204-lu4b2y.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=337&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/212335/original/file-20180328-109204-lu4b2y.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=337&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/212335/original/file-20180328-109204-lu4b2y.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=337&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/212335/original/file-20180328-109204-lu4b2y.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=423&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/212335/original/file-20180328-109204-lu4b2y.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=423&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/212335/original/file-20180328-109204-lu4b2y.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=423&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Drying cocoa beans in the sun helps to develop the best flavour (in this case Kerevat, PNG)</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Yan Dicbalis</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>What about food miles and the carbon footprint?</h2>
<p>The typical cocoa bean from the Asia-Pacific region is bought by the local representative of a global commodity trader. It is shipped to Singapore, or directly to Indonesia, which has the capacity to grind some 600,000 tonnes of cocoa each year. The ground or whole beans then travel onward to Europe.</p>
<p>Belgium has a well-established reputation as the world’s preferred provider of “cocoa liquor”, and some of this is shipped back to Australia as the raw material for local chocolate manufacture – now with a sizeable carbon footprint. </p>
<p>Other beans will be shipped to France, Italy, Switzerland (or will remain in Belgium) for manufacture into delicious chocolates, and some of these too will be shipped back to our region for retail sale. If fossil fuels and global warming are among your concerns, consider seeking a chocolate product that was grown and processed nearby. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/212341/original/file-20180328-109190-69dqj4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/212341/original/file-20180328-109190-69dqj4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=392&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/212341/original/file-20180328-109190-69dqj4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=392&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/212341/original/file-20180328-109190-69dqj4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=392&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/212341/original/file-20180328-109190-69dqj4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=493&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/212341/original/file-20180328-109190-69dqj4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=493&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/212341/original/file-20180328-109190-69dqj4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=493&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The big players are Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana and Indonesia, with small amounts of smallholder-dominated production in the Pacific.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">ICCO, 2017. Quarterly Bulletin of Cocoa Statistics. Vol. XLIII, No. 3. Cocoa year 2016/17. International Cocoa Organization, London</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>In sum, with a bit of attention to the back story, you can enjoy a whole range of delicious new chocolate experiences this Easter – and feel that you are contributing at the same time to the equitable and sustainable development of the planet.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/93844/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Robert Edis works for the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR). He has previously received funding from ARC and GRDC</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Kanika Singh works at the University of Sydney on a grant funded by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research ( Project- SMCN/2014/048)</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Richard Markham works for the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR).</span></em></p>Chocolate is proof the universe loves us and wants us to be happy. Here’s how to hunt up the best, most-sustainable and ethically-tasty chocolate eggs this Easter.Robert Edis, Soil Scientist, Australian Centre for International Agricultural ResearchKanika Singh, Research Fellow, University of SydneyRichard Markham, Research Program Manager for Horticulture, Australian Centre for International Agricultural ResearchLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/760962017-04-13T09:01:05Z2017-04-13T09:01:05ZHow to eat chocolate without piling on the pounds
this Easter<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/164834/original/image-20170411-26706-s0ffgq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Easter is once again upon us and for many people it is a time when a little more chocolate than usual is consumed. Chocolate gives many of us pleasure mainly because it has physiological effects that make it moreish – if not downright addictive. </p>
<p>Some <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002822302000329">research studies</a> even claim that certain types of chocolate are a “super food” – something that’s particularly good for us. After all, one of the ingredients of chocolate is cocoa, which is a good source of iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorous and zinc. But is this really the case?</p>
<p>In dark chocolate – which has a high cocoa level – there is some evidence to show that small amounts may reduce the risk of heart disease. This is because of the <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/07315724.2004.10719361">presence of flavonoids</a> – a type of plant chemical. </p>
<p>Flavonoids are said to be a powerful antioxidant with anti-inflammatory and immune system benefits. Health benefits include better blood sugar control and better insulin sensitivity – which are both indicators of protection from diabetes. </p>
<p>There are, of course, a <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Peter_Hollman/publication/40131264_Content_of_potentially_anticarcinogenic_flavonoids_of_28_vegetables_and_9_fruits_commonly_consumed_in_The_Netherlands/links/547ee64d0cf2d2200edeb065/Content-of-potentially-anticarcinogenic-flavonoids-of-28-vegetables-and-9-fruits-commonly-consumed-in-The-Netherlands.pdf#page=44">lot of other foods that contain flavonoids</a> – vegetables, for instance – but maybe they are not as marketable as a bar of dark chocolate.</p>
<h2>Other ingredients</h2>
<p>But despite this evidence, few neutral studies have been done, and work has only ever been done over the short term. </p>
<p>So before we can say for certain whether chocolate is actually a super food, there need to be far longer trials – that are not funded by chocolate manufacturers. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/164835/original/image-20170411-26712-ov61qp.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/164835/original/image-20170411-26712-ov61qp.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/164835/original/image-20170411-26712-ov61qp.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/164835/original/image-20170411-26712-ov61qp.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/164835/original/image-20170411-26712-ov61qp.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/164835/original/image-20170411-26712-ov61qp.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/164835/original/image-20170411-26712-ov61qp.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Easter egg bounty.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Pexels.</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>There is also the issue of the other ingredients apart from cocoa – given that your average Easter egg is likely to contain more sugar and saturated fat than plain cocoa. </p>
<p>There’s also the fact that there is little or no nutritional benefit to standard milk chocolate. So the only reason to eat it is because it gives us pleasure.</p>
<p>But whether its dark, milk or white, if you only binge on it once a year, the type of chocolate is not going to make much difference. What matters most is the rest of your lifestyle – what your diets like over the rest of the week, and how much you move around and exercise. </p>
<h2>Healthy chocolate?</h2>
<p>Maybe instead of worrying about the health benefits of chocolate, we should just see it for what it is – an indulgence or a treat – leaving us to get on with enjoying it occasionally.</p>
<p>With this in mind, we recently <a href="http://www4.shu.ac.uk/mediacentre/trevor-simper?filter=Food-and-nutrition">conducted an experiment</a> that split people into three groups. The first group consumed a drink which contained calories from sugar only. The second group drank the same beverage but then did some gentle walking. And the third group drank a beverage with the same calories but from protein and a little fat, and not so much sugar. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/164836/original/image-20170411-26730-1x68duo.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/164836/original/image-20170411-26730-1x68duo.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/164836/original/image-20170411-26730-1x68duo.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/164836/original/image-20170411-26730-1x68duo.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/164836/original/image-20170411-26730-1x68duo.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/164836/original/image-20170411-26730-1x68duo.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/164836/original/image-20170411-26730-1x68duo.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The joys of spring.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Pexels.</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>When we traced everyone’s blood sugar levels over the next two hours, we found that the second and third groups had a much lower spike in blood sugar. </p>
<p>This is a good indicator that gentle exercise after eating or consuming foods which contain a mixture of protein and fat – rather than sugar alone – helps us to maintain steady blood sugar levels. </p>
<p>So maybe rather than worrying about chocolate as an occasional treat you should just enjoy it this Easter – and combine it with a nice spring walk.</p>
<p>Because at the end of the day, Easter is once a year, and your annual chocolate egg is unlikely to make a huge difference to your overall health or weight. So go ahead and enjoy – because that’s what Easter eggs are for. Just take advantage of the bank holiday to go for a walk as well.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/76096/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Trevor Simper does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>It’s all about what you do after you indulge.Trevor Simper, Senior Lecturer/Researcher in nutrition and health, Sheffield Hallam UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/750252017-04-12T00:38:52Z2017-04-12T00:38:52ZWhy Easter is called Easter, and other little-known facts about the holiday<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/164906/original/image-20170411-26706-ygcz2u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">What is the origin of Easter eggs?</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/kmorrow/26078653846/in/photolist-FJtVdS-e9Yznm-7R1yKK-bwABoa-e2SXf7-J5nqH-4Au4JD-hetpL-9Gjjdw-bwBiti-bwQLss-4Au3Ur-bwABHg-bwAKNk-4Au4cc-e9nZwK-4A1TNi-nn4YSq-ct1go-6jw4Mp-aduWrh-4A1XNX-aduZEW-ERwqPz-GPZj1-4NEJR6-FVb8R-qrPBTD-qazARZ-9Bc7et-9Bcdd6-qazxUB-f8viFr-bKZQHX-aduTCu-7QFDLx-GQ2F8-bKTaze-7R1zpv-SRVxdx-ngZzP2-bwBjUR-bLGDPk-7R4Q1Q-bwAKfB-7R4P2o-7R4NnS-8kyJoK-bwBkjF-bwBfsH">Katie Morrow</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/">CC BY-NC-ND</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>The date of Easter, when the resurrection of Jesus is said to have taken place, changes from year to year.</p>
<p>The reason for this variation is that Easter always falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the spring equinox. </p>
<p>I am a <a href="https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/rs/faculty/bl23254">religious studies scholar</a> specializing in early Christianity, and my research shows that this dating of Easter goes back to the complicated origins of this holiday and how it has evolved over the centuries. </p>
<p>Easter is quite similar to other major holidays like Christmas and Halloween, which have evolved over the last 200 years or so. In all of these holidays, Christian and non-Christian (pagan) elements have continued to blend together.</p>
<h2>Easter as a rite of spring</h2>
<p>Most major holidays have some connection to the changing of seasons. This is especially obvious <a href="http://www.ucpress.edu/book.php?isbn=9780520258020">in the case of Christmas.</a> The New Testament gives no information about what time of year Jesus was born. <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0009640712001941">Many scholars believe,</a> however, that the main reason Jesus’ birth came to be celebrated on December 25 is because that was the date of the winter solstice according to the Roman calendar. </p>
<p>Since the days following the winter solstice gradually become longer and less dark, it was ideal symbolism for the birth of <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+8%3A12&version=NRSV">“the light of the world”</a> as stated in the New Testament’s Gospel of John.</p>
<p>Similar was the case with Easter, which falls in close proximity to another key point in the solar year: the vernal equinox (around March 20), when there are equal periods of light and darkness. For those in northern latitudes, the coming of spring is often met with excitement, as it means an end to the cold days of winter.</p>
<p>Spring also means the coming back to life of plants and trees that have been dormant for winter, as well as the birth of new life in the animal world. Given the symbolism of new life and rebirth, it was only natural to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus at this time of the year. </p>
<p>The naming of the celebration as “Easter” seems to go back to the name of a pre-Christian goddess in England, Eostre, who was celebrated at beginning of spring. The only reference to this goddess comes from the writings of the Venerable Bede, a British monk who lived in the late seventh and early eighth century. As religious studies scholar <a href="https://www.morningside.edu/about-morningside/directory/bruce-forbes/">Bruce Forbes</a> <a href="http://www.ucpress.edu/book.php?isbn=9780520284722">summarizes</a>: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>“Bede wrote that the month in which English Christians were celebrating the resurrection of Jesus had been called Eosturmonath in Old English, referring to a goddess named Eostre. And even though Christians had begun affirming the Christian meaning of the celebration, they continued to use the name of the goddess to designate the season.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Bede was so influential for later Christians that the name stuck, and hence Easter remains the name by which the English, Germans and Americans refer to the festival of Jesus’ resurrection.</p>
<h2>The connection with Jewish Passover</h2>
<p>It is important to point out that while the name “Easter” is used in the English-speaking world, many more cultures refer to it by terms best translated as “Passover” (for instance, “Pascha” in Greek) – a reference, indeed, to the Jewish festival of Passover. </p>
<p>In the Hebrew Bible, Passover is a festival that commemorates the liberation of the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt, as narrated in the <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus+1&version=NRSV">Book of Exodus.</a> It was and continues to be the <a href="http://undpress.nd.edu/books/P00562">most important Jewish seasonal festival,</a> celebrated on the first full moon after the vernal equinox. </p>
<p>At the time of Jesus, Passover had special significance, as the Jewish people were again under the dominance of foreign powers (namely, the Romans). Jewish pilgrims streamed into Jerusalem every year in the hope that God’s chosen people (as they believed themselves to be) would soon be liberated once more. </p>
<p>On one Passover, Jesus traveled to Jerusalem with his disciples to celebrate the festival. <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+11&version=NRSV">He entered Jerusalem</a> in a triumphal procession and created a disturbance in the Jerusalem Temple. It seems that both of these actions attracted the attention of the Romans, and that as a result Jesus was executed around the year A.D. 30. </p>
<p>Some of Jesus’ followers, however, believed that <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-case-for-christ-whats-the-evidence-for-the-resurrection-75530">they saw him alive</a> after his death, experiences that gave birth to the Christian religion. As Jesus died during the Passover festival and his followers believed he was resurrected from the dead three days later, it was logical to commemorate these events in close proximity. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/164909/original/image-20170411-26726-yti74v.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/164909/original/image-20170411-26726-yti74v.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=466&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/164909/original/image-20170411-26726-yti74v.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=466&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/164909/original/image-20170411-26726-yti74v.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=466&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/164909/original/image-20170411-26726-yti74v.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=586&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/164909/original/image-20170411-26726-yti74v.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=586&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/164909/original/image-20170411-26726-yti74v.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=586&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Resurrection.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/paullew/3433334101/in/photolist-6eoJBx-9xYfQ5-98NWB9-9N1nNo-9xYfQy-6fNEPP-o7Mj6Z-6pJn3Z-8sJRH9-7QE7vk-bGjYtg-e5gTkP-9xVhht-NVXW6G-e4JMZq-8XKaCa-btuxmL-98KQGt-ndsCqj-ndsyLb-9xkuGb-4oW1Nr-e6CLoh-nZaHVF-9xYfPN-e4tsNB-byop5C-ndvC59-6fNEGM-ndsxFe-61PcSp-ENimSF-nfymPn-e5gTKz-61TfaY-9xVhFe-9xkuJy-nfvk3c-e5gTXK-e5nxao-e8ieQd-9xYghy-3hf7MX-dkeTq9-jPwBPc-5CWHP-72VmSJ-koYM94-nfB5hj-4NzxoC">Fr Lawrence Lew, O.P.</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/">CC BY-NC-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Some early Christians <a href="http://www.ucpress.edu/book.php?isbn=9780520284722">chose to celebrate</a> the resurrection of Christ on the same date as the Jewish Passover, which fell around day 14 of the month of Nisan, in March or April. These Christians were known as Quartodecimans (the name means “Fourteeners”). </p>
<p>By choosing this date, they put the focus on when Jesus died and also emphasized continuity with the Judaism out of which Christianity emerged. Some others instead preferred to hold the festival on a Sunday, since that was when Jesus’ tomb was <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+16%3A1-8&version=NRSV">believed to have been found</a>.</p>
<p>In A.D. 325, the Emperor Constantine, who favored Christianity, convened a meeting of Christian leaders to resolve important disputes at the Council of Nicaea. The most fateful of its decisions was about the status of Christ, whom the council recognized as <a href="https://global.oup.com/academic/product/nicaea-and-its-legacy-9780198755050?lang=en&cc=us">“fully human and fully divine.”</a> This council also resolved that Easter should be fixed on a Sunday, not on day 14 of Nisan. As a result, <a href="http://www.ucpress.edu/book.php?isbn=9780520284722">Easter is now celebrated</a> on the first Sunday after the first full moon of the vernal equinox. </p>
<h2>The Easter bunny and Easter eggs</h2>
<p>In early America, the Easter festival was far more popular among Catholics than Protestants. For instance, <a href="http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/122132/the-battle-for-christmas-by-stephen-nissenbaum/9780679740384/">the New England Puritans regarded</a> both Easter and Christmas as too tainted by non-Christian influences to be appropriate to celebrate. Such festivals also tended to be opportunities for heavy drinking and merrymaking. </p>
<p>The fortunes of both holidays changed in the 19th century, when they became occasions to be spent with one’s family. This was done partly out of a desire to make the celebration of these holidays less rowdy. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/164908/original/image-20170411-26706-n6gf07.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/164908/original/image-20170411-26706-n6gf07.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/164908/original/image-20170411-26706-n6gf07.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/164908/original/image-20170411-26706-n6gf07.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/164908/original/image-20170411-26706-n6gf07.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/164908/original/image-20170411-26706-n6gf07.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/164908/original/image-20170411-26706-n6gf07.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Children on an egg hunt.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/101074613@N07/13931110871/in/photolist-e8m1e2-nczvAe-vXZqW-6g57iV-4ARtrd-9B26Qu-8oLCnU-6eLyDP-4BCnLn-6fbdLu-6cCZtG-9AY4wn-cBsJ9-6vs6WD-8oLBPq-cv7Zd-4xeJQi-cv8UN-LWQBH-cv7XV-ngMDaB-dUqjhE-4PMtkY-e5WmSZ-8oHr2z-cBsJ6-7TGya6-dUqjpo-4ymiPP-7QXEuY-H9GUG-e7H5C4-bxgmDS-6E8nst-9AYffM-6f2bE3-FiS5Z-7QUkPX-ctfKZ-bvNZCj-ebV3b3-cxDyP-ne3zUK-6hZQVz-4B6i9o-5trmcj-nwzWK2-n94T57-raSFdA-ndXvWM">Susan Bassett</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/">CC BY-NC-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>But Easter and Christmas also became reshaped as domestic holidays because understandings of children were changing. Prior to the 17th century, children were rarely the center of attention. As historian <a href="http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/22224/stephen-nissenbaum">Stephen Nissenbaum</a> <a href="http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/122132/the-battle-for-christmas-by-stephen-nissenbaum/9780679740384/">writes</a>, </p>
<blockquote>
<p>“…children were lumped together with other members of the lower orders in general, especially servants and apprentices – who, not coincidentally, were generally young people themselves.” </p>
</blockquote>
<p>From the <a href="http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/4742/centuries-of-childhood-by-philippe-aries/9780394702865/">17th century onward,</a> there was an increasing recognition of childhood as as time of life that should be joyous, not simply as preparatory for adulthood. This “discovery of childhood” and the doting upon children had profound effects on how Easter was celebrated.</p>
<p>It is at this point in the holiday’s development that Easter eggs and the Easter bunny become especially important. Decorated eggs had been part of the Easter festival at least <a href="http://www.ucpress.edu/book.php?isbn=9780520284722">since medieval times</a>, <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0015587X.1984.9716293?journalCode=rfol20">given the obvious symbolism of new life.</a> A <a href="https://omnigraphics.com/shop/encyclopedia-of-easter-carnival-and-lent/#description">vast amount of folklore surrounds Easter eggs,</a> and in a number of Eastern European countries, the process of decorating them is <a href="http://www.cs.unc.edu/%7Eyakowenk/pysanky/">extremely elaborate.</a> Several Eastern European legends describe <a href="https://omnigraphics.com/shop/encyclopedia-of-easter-carnival-and-lent/#description">eggs turning red (a favorite color for Easter eggs)</a> in connection with the events surrounding Jesus’ death and resurrection.</p>
<p>Yet it was only in the 17th century that a <a href="http://www.ucpress.edu/book.php?isbn=9780520284722">German tradition of an “Easter hare”</a> bringing eggs to good children came to be known. Hares and rabbits had a long association with spring seasonal rituals because of their amazing powers of fertility. </p>
<p>When German immigrants settled in Pennsylvania in the 18th and 19th centuries, they brought this tradition with them. The wild hare also became supplanted by the more docile and domestic rabbit, in another indication of how the focus moved toward children.</p>
<p>As Christians celebrate the festival this spring in commemoration of Jesus’ resurrection, the familiar sights of the Easter bunny and Easter eggs serve as a reminder of the holiday’s very ancient origins outside of the Christian tradition.</p>
<p><em>This is an updated version of a piece published on March 21, 2018</em>.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/75025/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Brent Landau does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>A scholar explains the rich historical roots of Easter and how it has evolved over the centuries.Brent Landau, Lecturer in Religious Studies, The University of Texas at AustinLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.