When you’re looking to experience the finer things in life, nothing is better than chocolate. Whether you’re eating it as a snack, dessert, or at any other time, it can feel like a luxury and a sinful decadence. However, when you’re considering being healthier about your food choices, chocolate might be a concern for you.
Many people have stated that dark chocolate is much healthier than milk chocolate, but you shouldn’t just make the switch based on hearsay. Before you head out to buy Lindt Excellence dark chocolate or any other chocolate, find out what the science says about dark chocolate.
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What is Dark Chocolate Made Of
Dark chocolate is a variant of traditional chocolate that usually contains cocoa butter and solids. If you’re buying dark flavored chocolate, it can also include additional extracts and seasonings. Depending on where you’re buying the chocolate, the standards for dark chocolate can vary.
Dark chocolate has been known to humankind for around 3000 years, and it has been around long enough for people to love the luxurious and deep taste. It contains approximately 45% carbohydrates, 40% fats, and 8% protein. It is also a powerhouse of various minerals.
How It Differs From Milk Chocolate
The main difference between milk and dark chocolate is that there is no milk and butter in dark chocolate. Besides, milk chocolate also has a higher sugar content than dark chocolate.
Milk that is added to milk chocolate can also come in various forms, which includes:
- Milk powder
- Condensed milk
- Full-fat milk
- Cream
The source of milk can also vary, with different types of animal milk being utilized for different types of milk chocolate. Like dark chocolate, milk chocolate can also have additional flavorings and seasonings to enhance its taste. Milk chocolate, on average, will also tend to have a higher calorific value due to the presence of milk and sugar.
Health Benefits
Dark chocolate like Lindt Excellence dark chocolate has been long renowned for being better for health and longevity. When you’re wondering whether there’s any truth to the matter, here is information on the health benefits of eating dark chocolate.
Cacao tree seeds are utilized for making dark chocolate, and they are one of the best sources of antioxidants you can find. A 100g provides 11g of fiber and 67% of the daily intake for iron. It also provides 98% of the recommended daily intake for manganese.
Studies have also shown that substances present in dark chocolate can help improve blood flow and lower blood pressure. It has also been shown that heart disease risk can be reduced with regular and moderated consumption of dark chocolate. It can also improve the blood flow to your brain, improving overall brain function.
Different Types of Dark Chocolate
When you’ve decided to switch to dark chocolate, you have to ensure that you find the perfect type. Eating the wrong kind of dark chocolate can permanently prevent you from eating it, so you have to do your research beforehand.
Common types with percentage of dark chocolate include:
- Bittersweet: 80% or higher
- Semi-sweet: 50 to 60%
- Sweet: 30% or lower
You can also find different flavors of dark chocolate. They can include fruity, floral, and nutty flavors. If you’re buying dark chocolate, you’ll be surprised to find how many different kinds of dark chocolate you’ll find.
Common flavors include mandarin orange, almond, raisins and nuts, matcha, raspberry, and more. You have to pay particular consideration to how much dark chocolate content is in the bar before consuming it.
How to Find The Ideal Chocolate For You
If you’re on the hunt for the perfect dark chocolate for your taste buds, you have to find out about your preferences first. If you can handle bitter and intense flavors exceptionally well, it might be ideal to go with bitter dark chocolate on the first go.
When you’re not a fan of bitter or deep flavors, you might want to try out sweeter dark chocolate first and go from there. If you don’t like the strong notes of cocoa in it, you might also want to consider going for unique fruity or floral flavors. Finding the ideal chocolate can be a hit or miss, and you might want to see if you can buy some mini-bars before buying a full-sized one.
Dark chocolate has a lot of benefits, especially when you compare it to traditional milk ones. When you’re looking to adopt a healthier lifestyle, many people cut it out first from their diet. However, that’s not necessary when you opt to eat dark chocolate, which can provide many benefits for your body.
