Dark Chocolate question

I was wondering what % of dark chocolate is the best for you or if it really matters. I know the higher the % the better

But today i was looking at Target and there is just lke Dove dark chocolate and it doesnt say any % on it then theres some thats like 68% and some thats 70% etc.

I ended up buying the Lindt Excellence 70% cocoa extra fine squares, they are 30 cals a piece and decent size but i looked at the ingredients and its
Chocolate
Sugar
Cocoa Butter
Vanilla

I was debating about getting the Lindt 85% cocoa the ingregients are
Chocolate
coca powder
sugar
Salt

im so confused, please enlighten me on dark chocolate

I think cocoa powder is better than cocoa butter but I'm not sure why, so the 85% would be better but it would also be more bitter

It is the cocoa powder that gives dark chocolate its health benefits.  On the other hand, cocoa butter has no benefits which is why white chocolate, using cocoa butter but no powder, has none of the health benefits of dark chocolate and milk only a fraction of them.

Its safe to say the higher the butter, the less powder thats present but an ingredient check is the safest bet.

Also cocoa powder has also shown to reduce blood pressure as well. 

To get the health benefits of dark chocolate, a bar should have 70% cocoa or higher. The Lindt bars are a good quality dark chocolate bar. I didn't like the 85% one though; it was too bitter.

If it doesn't give a percent, it's probably 60% or lower and not much healthier than milk chocolate, really.

Generally, the higher the % of cocoa solids the better the quality of the chocolate.  However, all chocolate is high in fat and sugar so limit yourself to relatively small quantities whichever you choose.

so generally anything 70% or more is good for you..? but the ingredients is coca butter not cocoa powder...?

All chocolate contains cocoa butter.  All foods are good for you in moderation. 

^ That's true but dark chocolate is better for you than milk because it contains more flavoinods, which are antioxidants that are beneficial to health. The darker the chocolate, the more flavonoids. http://www.stuffedchocolate.com/chocolate%20l inks.htm

I have the lindt 85% , and its horrible.

 

K

The 85% bar tastes like bitter chalk! I'm glad I didn't buy the 99% bar!

Haha, well I have the 85% bar, and I think it tastes good.

So does anyone know the % the Dove dark chocolate is? It doesn't say on the package and I'm curious.

LINK

Hershey Special Dark has just 45 percent cocoa, Dove dark chocolate has between 50 percent and 60 percent, Hershey's new Extra Dark has 60 percent and Ghirardelli Intense Dark Gourmet Chocolate has up to 72 percent. Studies say that 72 percent is just enough cocoa to count

I'm new to this sight and love it.  I also Love Chocolate!  I found a source of chocolate called The Doctor's Chocolate.  His website has a really informative interview about the benefits of dark chocolate so I ordered a couple of bags, NOT CHEAP!  But boy are they Good and only 20 calories each.  The chocolate is so rich it would be really hard to eat a whole handful.  They are like a raspberry truffle.  I have 3 in the afternoon and it takes care of my craving for something sweet for energy...  Hope this helps someone, it sure did me!!!

Maybe some one here can help me too! :)

I know this isn't very common, but I prefer the taste of the bitter 100% baking chocolate. Whenever I've tried to search around for the health benefits, it's not really mentioned in comparison charts because most people don't choose to consume this high of a % of dark chocolate.

my question: The calorie / fat content from the 100% isn't that significant from 70-80% dark chocolates.. is the only "health" difference between the %'s the flavnoids? Does anyone know if there really is much of a difference between the higher numbers, or once you hit maybe 75%, the health benefits are pretty much the same up till 100%?

I hope that wasn't confusing.. I'd REALLY REALLY like any feedback!! :)

To get any health benefits from the flavenoids in chocolate you'd have to eat quite a lot.  And then the benefits would be offset by the fat and sugar content.  Rather like red wine, one glass contains a few useful ingredients but if you drink 3 or 4 glasses those are completely offset by the damage caused by the alcohol.

So if you are going to eat chocolate it's always going to be for pleasure rather than something you do for your health.   If you choose better quality darker chocolate you can rationalise the treat because the extra cocoa solids mean it is a little healthier than milk chocolate.  If you want the benefits and none of the fat/sugar etc., you'd be eating pure, unsweetened cocoa powder.   Which actually makes a nice addition to some savoury dishes.

The higher the percentage cocoa of the chocolate the less sugar so you should always aim for the higher % dark chocolate. I personally don't eat chocolate at all and if I did I think I'd choose small portions of the tastier milk chocolate because the benefits of dark chocolate are only slight- you can get more antioxidants from healthier sources not coupled with the fat and calories. So unless you really like the taste of dark chocolate it's not worth eating at all. 

You can recieve the health benefits of dark chocolate (70% cocoa or more) but eating as little as 1 ounce.

I LOVE my 85% bar.  I have a third of one almost every night.  It keeps my chocolate cravings under control, and is SO good.

I had a bite of a regular milk chocolate bar the other day, and it was just so nasty.  Too sweet and runny feeling in my mouth.

Target makes a really good lemon pepper chocolate bar, too.  I even love the chili pepper chocolate.  I like the Intense Pear, but they put nuts in it, and I hate nuts in my chocolate.

There is a ton of great chocolate choices out there, and if they actually do me some good, I am thrilled!

Livelaugh,

Baking chocolate has the 2nd highest flavonoid content behind cocoa but ahead of dark, semisweet and milk.  HERE is a link that addresses other benefits based on studies.  The more antioxidents the better for you though.  The reason for the cut off point is because below that, they are balancing out positive versus negatives of added fats (not the healthier ones found from cocoa beans).

Im with sunkissed - I dont eat chocolate so if I did, I would go small but as discretionary calories for my preference which would not be dark, but only due to my disliking it.  I do eat SF choc pudding and fudgesicles though.

Original Post by korali:

I have the lindt 85% , and its horrible.

 

K

If you dont like that bar (i havnt worked my way up to it yet) then i highly reccomend the Chili chocolate. its like 49%, and its amazing with a hint of spice, perfectly and barely noticable at the end. Its truely amazing.