Dark chocolate is incredibly healthy and nutritious.

However, there are many brands available and not all of them are created equal.

Some are better than others, based on the ingredients and processing methods.

So which one should you choose?

Follow this guide to find out everything you need to know about selecting the best dark chocolate.

Dark chocolate is produced by adding fat and sugar to cocoa. It differs from milk chocolate in that it contains little to no milk solids.

It also goes by other common names, including bittersweet and semisweet chocolate. These differ slightly in sugar content, but can be used interchangeably in cooking and baking.

Usually the simplest way to know if your chocolate is “dark” or not is to select one with a 70% or higher total cocoa content.

Dark chocolate is well known for its powerful antioxidant activity. In fact, it has been shown to have a greater antioxidant effect than many high-antioxidant fruits like blueberries and acai berries (1Trusted Source , 2).

Observational studies have also linked eating dark chocolate with a reduced risk of heart disease and improved brain function (3Trusted Source , 4Trusted Source , 5Trusted Source , 6Trusted Source , 7Trusted Source ).

BOTTOM LINE:

Dark chocolate is a mixture of cocoa, fat and sugar. It is rich in antioxidants and may provide health benefits for the heart and brain.

It is best to choose dark chocolate made with as few ingredients as possible.

The best dark chocolate always has chocolate liquor or cocoa listed as the first ingredient. There may be several forms of cocoa listed, such as cocoa powder, cocoa nibs and cocoa butter. All of these are acceptable additions to dark chocolate.

Sometimes other ingredients are added to dark chocolate to improve its appearance, flavor and shelf life. Some of these ingredients are harmless, while others can have a negative impact on the overall quality of the chocolate.

Sugar

Sugar is often added to dark chocolate to balance its bitter taste.

While sugar is an important component of dark chocolate, some brands go overboard.

It is rare to find dark chocolate that doesn’t have added sugar. A rule of thumb is to choose a brand that does not have sugar listed first on the ingredients list.

Better yet, choose one that lists sugar last.

Note that the higher the cocoa percentage, the lower the sugar content will be.

Lecithin

Lecithin is an optional ingredient in dark chocolate. It’s added to many store-bought chocolates as an emulsifier. It keeps the cocoa and cocoa butter from separating and helps blend flavors.

It is commonly derived from soybeans, so you may see it listed as soy lecithin on the label. Soy lecithin is used in such small amounts in chocolate that it shouldn’t pose any concerns about health effects or quality.

When you’re selecting a brand, keep in mind that lecithin isn’t absolutely necessary to make chocolate.

Milk

High-quality dark chocolate shouldn’t have any milk added to it.

The only exception would be milk fat. This is essentially butter that has had its moisture and non-fat solids removed.

Chocolate makers sometimes add milk fat to dark chocolate to soften it and add flavor.

Just like lecithin, milk fat is not required to make dark chocolate.

Flavorings

Dark chocolate is often flavored with spices, extracts and oils to improve its taste.

The most common flavoring you will see in dark chocolate is vanilla.

Unfortunately, it is difficult to differentiate on a food label which flavors are natural and which are artificial.

If you want flavored dark chocolate, choose one that is organic. That way you can be sure the flavors are not artificial.

Trans Fat

If you come across dark chocolate that contains trans fat, avoid it. Trans fat consumption is a significant risk factor for heart disease (8Trusted Source , 9Trusted Source , 10Trusted Source ).

Although it’s becoming less common to add trans fat to chocolate, manufacturers sometimes add it to improve shelf life and consistency.

To make sure your chocolate doesn’t include trans fat, check the ingredients list. If hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oil is present, that means the bar contains trans fat.

BOTTOM LINE:

Only a few ingredients are required to make dark chocolate. Avoid brands made with trans fats or large amounts of sugar.

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Dark chocolate brands have a wide range of cocoa percentages, which can be confusing. When you’re choosing dark chocolate, look for bars that have a cocoa content of 70% or higher.

Higher-percentage dark chocolate contains a higher concentration of antioxidants and nutrients compared to chocolate with a lower cocoa percentage (1Trusted Source ).

Consuming chocolate with a higher cocoa content is associated with several health benefits, such as improved heart health and brain function (1Trusted Source , 11Trusted Source ).

Chocolate with a higher cocoa percentage also tends to be lower in sugar.

BOTTOM LINE:

The healthiest dark chocolate contains a cocoa percentage of 70% or higher, which provides more antioxidants and health benefits.

Dutching is a chocolate processing method that involves treatment with alkali, otherwise known as alkalization.

This method is used to change the color of the chocolate and reduce the bitter flavor.

However, several studies have demonstrated that Dutching significantly reduces the amount of antioxidants in chocolate (12Trusted Source , 13Trusted Source ).

For this reason, chocolate that has been Dutched should be avoided.

To check whether chocolate has been Dutched, check the ingredients list for something along the lines of “cocoa processed with alkali.”

BOTTOM LINE:

A process called alkalization, also known as Dutching, has negative effects on the antioxidants in dark chocolate.

Choose chocolate made from fair-trade and organic cacao beans whenever possible.

Growing and harvesting cacao beans is a difficult process for the producers.

According to Fair Trade USA, you can ensure the cacao bean farmer earns a fair price for the product by buying fair-trade chocolate.

Choosing organic chocolate may also reduce your exposure to any artificial chemicals, or pesticides sprayed on the coffee beans.

BOTTOM LINE:

Fair-trade and organic chocolate supports cacao farmers and reduces your exposure to pesticides and artificial chemicals.

Here are a few high-quality dark chocolate brands for you to check out.

Alter Eco

Alter Eco chocolate is fair-trade and organic. They have many types of dark chocolate bars to choose from.

The richest chocolate you can get from them is their Dark Blackout bar, which is 85% cocoa. It only contains 6 grams of sugar and four ingredients: cacao beans, cocoa butter, raw cane sugar and vanilla beans.

Pascha Chocolate

Pascha Chocolate makes chocolate in an allergen-free facility, so their products are free from common food allergens such as soy, dairy and wheat.

They have a variety of dark chocolate bars that contain up to 85% cocoa.

Their commitment to making high-quality chocolate is impressive. They take pride in using only essential ingredients to make their products, such as cocoa, sugar, vanilla and some fruit.

Antidote Chocolate

Antidote Chocolate makes potent organic chocolate with ethically sourced cacao beans. Their bars are low in sugar and high in nutrients.

All of their dark chocolate bars have a cocoa content of 70% or greater. They even have a bar that contains 100% raw cacao.

Equal Exchange

Equal Exchange chocolate is fair-trade and organic, made with high-quality ingredients.

They carry an Extreme Dark chocolate bar that is made from four ingredients, contains only 4 grams of sugar and has a cocoa percentage of 88%.

Others

Keep in mind that these are just a few suggestions. There are many other manufacturers that produce excellent dark chocolate, including Lindt, Green & Black’s and others.

BOTTOM LINE:

There are many brands of high-quality dark chocolate to choose from. A few examples include Alter Eco, Pascha, Antidote and Equal Exchange.

The best dark chocolate has distinct characteristics, including the following:

• High in cocoa: 70% or higher cocoa percentage.
• Cocoa comes first: Cocoa or a form of cocoa is the first ingredient.
• No unnecessary ingredients: Avoid dark chocolate that contains trans fat, milk, artificial flavorings, high amounts of sugar and other unnecessary ingredients.
• No alkali processing: Alkali processing is also known as Dutching. Avoid chocolate processed this way.
• Fair-trade and organic: This type of dark chocolate is more likely to be high-quality, ethically sourced and pesticide-free.

Follow these tips to make sure your dark chocolate is high-quality, rich in antioxidants and of course, delicious.

Tehrene Firman・October 24, 2018

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Where does chocolate even come from?

Before going into which kind of chocolate belongs in your belly, you should know what it actually is. It's actually been beloved since way back in 1,900 BC, when the Mesoamericans first began sipping it as a frothy fermented beverage. Yep, cocoa was basically the original kombucha. Obviously things have changed a lot since then, but chocolates all start the same. After seeds are harvested from cacao pods that grow on small trees native to the Amazon Basin, they're fermented, dried, and roasted into cocoa beans, then turned into cocoa nibs. Then from there, those nibs go through different processes that result in the many forms of chocolate you see on store shelves, from powders and liquids to chocolate bars.

Dark chocolate vs. milk chocolate

The more chocolate is processed, the more is loses the qualities that make it healthy in the first place. Many of the benefits of chocolate come from flavanols (phytonutrients found in cocoa), which have antioxidant effects—and a very bitter taste. But as it's fermented, alkalized, and roasted to help neutralize that taste, those flavanols start to disappear, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Since dark chocolate contains a minimum of 35 percent cocoa, it keeps more of its health benefits than milk chocolate, which only contains under 10 percent cocoa—AKA you're barely getting any chocolate at all (but something that tastes really stinkin' good).

The healthiest type of chocolate

When it comes to which type of chocolate is the healthiest, the answer is simple: it's dark chocolate by a landslide. Since dark varieties contain super-high cocoa contents (usually 70 to 80 percent, but many up to 100!), they contain more flavanols than milk chocolate. But the more cocoa you have, the more bitter your chocolate will be—and that's exactly why milk chocolate adds in a lot of milk and sugar to sweeten things up. Unfortunately, eating something that's primarily sugar and saturated fat is a no-go for your health, though.

But don't worry: You can still get your choco-fix and do something good for your body at the same time. Experts recommend sticking with varieties that are 70 percent cocoa or higher to reap the benefits—like helping you fight off disease and even making you smarter. Plus, dark chocolate is packed with important minerals—like magnesium, zinc, and iron—which can also help keep your brain healthy as you age.

How to shop for a healthy dark chocolate

The key is to make sure you're getting a real dark chocolate option—not milk chocolate in disguise. Nutritionists say that means looking for something that has more than 70 percent cocoa, a low natural sugar content, and a short ingredient list (with no dairy, including lactose, milk solids, whey, casein, or butter fat). Also, most dark chocolates contain vanilla bean to help with the bitterness, so make sure you're getting the actual vanilla—not something synthetic, like vanillin.

Now, you're probably not going to find a suitable dark chocolate option hanging out by the checkout at regular grocery stores—Hershey's "dark chocolate" bar, for instance, has sugar as its first ingredient and contains multiple different types of milk—but there are plenty of brands that have both the great taste and benefits you're craving. To get started, look for options from Go Raw, Alter Eco, Hu Kitchen, and Theo. You have every excuse to indulge in a few pieces every night—it's for your health, after all.

These three cacao powder recipes will let you have all-chocolate everything. Or, check out the delish chocolate breakfast spread that's totally healthy and easy to make.