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Kara Swanson is a certified nutritionist and the founder of Life Well Lived. She is married to her best friend and the proud mother of three. Her passion is to make nutrition simple+easy+delicious!
mybest US' editing team consists of experienced members who have backgrounds in writing, editing, translation, and more. We are dedicated to researching what makes a product or service the best to users in the US in order to create top-quality articles. From skincare, to kitchen appliances, and to DIY supplies, our mission is to find the best ones for you.
The expert oversees the Buying Guide only, and does not determine the products and services featured.
Table of Contents
The most common ingredients that you’ll want to avoid in chocolate include stabilizers, preservatives, high fructose corn syrup, and artificial flavors and dyes. These ingredients may cause adverse health effects such as weight gain and increased risk of diabetes.
However, of course, there are exceptions to this rule. Botanical additives could provide additional health benefits (like the relaxing effects of lavender), and added protein can keep you satisfied for longer periods of time.
The best and healthiest foods are minimally processed and have minimal ingredients. Make sure you read the labels but don't just look at the calories, fat, and carbs. Start to make a habit of looking at the ingredients, this tells you what is actually in the food you're eating.
For a good milk chocolate, look for about 50% cocoa. If you can appreciate bitter dark chocolates, look for a minimum of 70%. Some bars with more cocoa could taste sweeter depending on sugars or flavor additives, so see what else is included if you're not a fan of bitter foods.
When you're looking for a healthy chocolate, the darker and higher the cocoa content it has, the better. The higher the cocoa content the less sugar there typically is as well. But dark chocolate can be bitter so it might take you some time to get used to. Grab one that's higher in cocoa than you normally eat and gradually work your way up to a higher cocoa content if you need to.
According to the American Heart Association, you shouldn’t have more than about 25 grams of added sugar per day, and many chocolates can have that much in one serving. Instead, look for chocolates lower in total sugars that use sweeteners like unrefined sugar, coconut palm sugar, or agave syrup.
You should also be careful about how much fat a chocolate has. Chocolate is a naturally fatty food thanks to cocoa butter, but many bars include other oils that can inflate your fat intake unnecessarily. To avoid this, look for bars that cocoa butter as the only source of oil.
Sugar seems to be added to everything now and chocolate is no exception. That's why it's important to read the labels and determine how much sugar is being added so you don't exceed the recommended amount you should have in a day. And added oils will add extra calories and fat so make sure you choose a dark chocoalte with the least amount of ingredients.
On the other hand, chocolate production can sometimes be exploitative or potentially harmful to the environment. So if you’re concerned about the ethics of your bar, read the packaging to see if it’s Fair Trade or Rainforest Alliance certified.
It's always a good idea to look for official certifications if you struggle with certain dietary needs, preferences, or allergies. Most healthy dark chocolate bars should be free of dairy or gluten because chocolate is naturally free of both, so try and choose one that has minimal ingredients added so it's naturally free of gluten and dairy.
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Price | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Endangered Species Strong + Velvety Dark Chocolate|12 pack | $37.15 High Mid | Best High Cocoa Content Dark Chocolate | ||
2 | Hu Cashew + Pure Vanilla Bean Dark Chocolate|4 pack | $22.25 Low Mid | A Delicious Dark Chocolate for Milk Chocolate Lovers | ||
3 | The Good Chocolate 54% Cacao Dark Milk|6 pack | $45.00 High Mid | Sugar-Free Milk Chocolate That Won't Up Your Blood Sugar | ||
4 | Equal Exchange Dark Chocolate Organic Minis | $48.88 High | Individually Wrapped Chocolate for Your Stash | ||
5 | Simply Lite Chocolates Sugar Free Dark Chocolate|10 pack | $28.95 Mid | Low-Carb Chocolate That Tastes a Little Sweet | ||
6 | Elements Truffles Ayurveda Inspired Artisanal Chocolate|Peppermint infused with lavender, 4 pack | $24.99 Low Mid | Raw Chocolate With Botanical Notes | ||
7 | JOJO's Chocolate Guilt-Free Chocolate|Original, 7 pack | $14.99 Low | 70% Dark Chocolate for Appetite Satisfaction | ||
8 | Alter Eco Super Blackout Organic Dark Chocolate|12 pack | $41.99 High Mid | 90% Cocoa and a Low Amount of Sugar | ||
9 | Lily's Creamy Milk Milk Chocolate Style|4 pack | $23.99 Low Mid | A True Milk Chocolate Flavor | ||
10 | Bouchard Belgian Chocolate Probiotic Chocolate | $29.99 Mid | Probiotic Chocolate for Intestinal Health |
My personal favorite for when chocolate cravings hit is JoJo's Dark Chocolate. They have been my chocolate of choice for years now and I love how it satisfies my sugar cravings, is low in sugar, and has plant-based protein added.
And when you're craving chocolate, but want something a little different, a simple and fun treat is to make chocolate-covered strawberries. All you do is melt some dark chocolate and dip the strawberries in, let harden, and enjoy. You'll get a big antioxidant boost from both the chocolate and strawberries.
If you're shopping for chocolate, chances are that you're a snacker. Here's even more temptation to keep you satisfied!
This expert reviewed the contents of the buying guide for accuracy and provided factual corrections when necessary. They did not participate in the product selection process, nor are they affiliated with any of our choices unless explicitly stated so.
No. 1: Endangered Species|Strong + Velvety Dark Chocolate|12 pack
No. 2: Hu|Cashew + Pure Vanilla Bean Dark Chocolate|4 pack
No. 3: The Good Chocolate|54% Cacao Dark Milk|6 pack
No. 4: Equal Exchange|Dark Chocolate Organic Minis
No. 5: Simply Lite Chocolates|Sugar Free Dark Chocolate|10 pack
View Full RankingThe descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.
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