In This ArticleView AllIn This ArticleOur Top PicksReviewsIs Dark Chocolate Healthy?The Bottom LineChoosing a Dark Chocolate BarOur TestsWe Also ConsideredCommon QuestionsOur Trusted Expertise
In This ArticleView All
In This Article
View All
Our Top Picks
Reviews
Is Dark Chocolate Healthy?
The Bottom Line
Choosing a Dark Chocolate Bar
Our Tests
We Also Considered
Common Questions
Our Trusted Expertise
Photo:EatingWell / Russell Kilgore
EatingWell / Russell Kilgore
Who doesn’t crave a piece of chocolate from time to time? There’s nothing quite like reaching for a square or two of chocolate for a mid-afternoon pick-me-up or as a sweet treat after a meal. There are a variety of chocolate profiles, from white to light to dark, that are there for the tasting—but one of them is the healthiest.
Dark chocolate has been shown to have numerous health benefits: It’s chock full of antioxidants (compounds that scavenge for and mop of harmful free radicals in our bodies), eating it regularly may helplower blood pressureand potentially improve heart health. But not all dark chocolates are made equally, and with so many options on the market, choosing a good bar can feel overwhelming—especially when it comes to the finer stuff, like craft chocolate.
Dark chocolate boasts several health benefits: It may improveheart health, helplower diabetes riskand can even help reduce depression. Anda brand new studyfound that adults who eat about five servings of dark chocolate each week lower their risk of developing diabetes. Dark chocolate tends to pack a healthy boost of fiber, too. But not all chocolate bars are created equally, and some chocolates contain ingredients that are not so healthy. To reap the benefits of dark chocolate, look at the cacao percentage (higher usually equals better for you) and be mindful of added ingredients, including excess added sugar, which is used to mitigate the “bitter” taste in dark chocolate bars.
Our Top PicksBest Overall:TCHO Dark Duo 75% Dark Chocolate Bars at Amazon$50Jump to ReviewAlso Great:Divine Dark Chocolate Bar at Amazon$57Jump to ReviewBest Value:Equal Exchange Very Dark Chocolate Bars at Amazon$73Jump to ReviewBest Splurge:Amano Artisan Chocolate Dos Rios Dark Chocolate Bar at Amazon$15Jump to ReviewBest Allergen-Free:Pascha Organic 85% Cacao Dark Chocolate Bars at Amazon$60Jump to Review
Best Overall:TCHO Dark Duo 75% Dark Chocolate Bars at Amazon$50Jump to ReviewAlso Great:Divine Dark Chocolate Bar at Amazon$57Jump to ReviewBest Value:Equal Exchange Very Dark Chocolate Bars at Amazon$73Jump to ReviewBest Splurge:Amano Artisan Chocolate Dos Rios Dark Chocolate Bar at Amazon$15Jump to ReviewBest Allergen-Free:Pascha Organic 85% Cacao Dark Chocolate Bars at Amazon$60Jump to Review
Best Overall:TCHO Dark Duo 75% Dark Chocolate Bars at Amazon$50Jump to Review
Best Overall:TCHO Dark Duo 75% Dark Chocolate Bars at Amazon$50
Best Overall:
Also Great:Divine Dark Chocolate Bar at Amazon$57Jump to Review
Also Great:Divine Dark Chocolate Bar at Amazon$57
Also Great:
Best Value:Equal Exchange Very Dark Chocolate Bars at Amazon$73Jump to Review
Best Value:Equal Exchange Very Dark Chocolate Bars at Amazon$73
Best Value:
Best Splurge:Amano Artisan Chocolate Dos Rios Dark Chocolate Bar at Amazon$15Jump to Review
Best Splurge:Amano Artisan Chocolate Dos Rios Dark Chocolate Bar at Amazon$15
Best Splurge:
Best Allergen-Free:Pascha Organic 85% Cacao Dark Chocolate Bars at Amazon$60Jump to Review
Best Allergen-Free:Pascha Organic 85% Cacao Dark Chocolate Bars at Amazon$60
Best Allergen-Free:
Best OverallTCHO Dark Duo 75% Dark Chocolate BarsPHOTO: Amazon$50 at AmazonView on Tcho.com
Best OverallTCHO Dark Duo 75% Dark Chocolate Bars
Best Overall
TCHO Dark Duo 75% Dark Chocolate Bars
PHOTO: Amazon
$50 at AmazonView on Tcho.com
Origin:Ghana, Africa and Peru, South American |Cacao Percentage:75% |Vegan?Yes
What we like:With transparency and research at its core, TCHO works to ethically source cacao around the globe.
The dark chocolate bar that stole our hearts is the Dark Duo, which is both soy- and dairy-free, non-GMO and certified kosher. This bar features 75% dark chocolate from Ghana with a fudgy dark chocolate cacao filling from Peru—both of which are single-origin. When we tasted this bar, we loved its flawlessly glossy and silky appearance, as well as its rich hickory hue with hints of auburn undertones. The bar snapped easily with a clean break and very few crumbs, revealing an almost fudge-like center.
In terms of aroma, we observed forward notes of aromatic fruit and mocha with hints of nuttiness. The texture of the Dark Duo is smooth, rich and buttery, with a melt-in-your mouth feel like a ganache or chocolate mousse. Tasting notes revealed jammy flavors and dark-roasted coffee tones that intensified bite after bite with a long lingering finish. We loved the richness and nuanced flavors of the bar, which include fruits, such as raisin and red currant with a touch of anise, a bit of nuttiness and a gorgeously silky mouthfeel.
Nutrition Info for TCHO Dark Duo Chocolate, per 23 g serving:120 calories, 10 g total fat, 7 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 0 mg sodium, 11 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 6 g total sugar (6 g added sugar), 2 g protein
PHOTO: EatingWell / Russell KilgorePHOTO: EatingWell / Russell KilgorePHOTO: EatingWell / Russell KilgorePHOTO: EatingWell / Russell KilgorePHOTO: EatingWell / Russell KilgorePHOTO: EatingWell / Russell Kilgore
Also GreatDivine Dark Chocolate BarPHOTO: Amazon$57 at Amazon$5 at WalmartView on Divinechocolateusa.com
Also GreatDivine Dark Chocolate Bar
Also Great
Divine Dark Chocolate Bar
$57 at Amazon$5 at WalmartView on Divinechocolateusa.com
Origin:Ghana, Africa| Cacao Percentage:85%| Vegan?Yes
Divine Chocolate focuses on tackling climate change and setting up fair wages for cocoa farmers who are often at the peril of exploitation. Additionally, Divine uses 100% pure cocoa butter and never uses palm oil or soy as an additive.
With a whopping 85% cocoa content, this dark chocolate bar has a matte-ish, flat appearance with microscopic granular bubbles and hues of dark coffee beans and deep hickory. The chocolate bar broke easily and cleanly without any residue or crumbles. When we tasted it, we noticed mild fruity and floral notes on the nose and hints of banana and toasted marshmallow on the tongue, with an upfront bitterness that slowly dissipates into a smooth finish.
Nutrition Info for Divine 85% Dark Chocolate Bar, per 28 g serving:180 calories, 14 g total fat, 9 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 0 mg sodium, 10 g carbohydrates, 4 g fiber, 4 g total sugar (4 g added sugar), 3 g protein
PHOTO: EatingWell / Russell KilgorePHOTO: EatingWell / Russell KilgorePHOTO: EatingWell / Russell KilgorePHOTO: EatingWell / Russell KilgorePHOTO: EatingWell / Russell Kilgore
Best ValueEqual Exchange Very Dark Chocolate BarsPHOTO: Equal Exchange$73 at AmazonView on Equalexchange.coop$4 at IHerb
Best ValueEqual Exchange Very Dark Chocolate Bars
Best Value
Equal Exchange Very Dark Chocolate Bars
PHOTO: Equal Exchange
$73 at AmazonView on Equalexchange.coop$4 at IHerb
Origin:Dominican Republic, North America and Peru, South American |Cacao Percentage:71% |Vegan?Yes
What we like:Organic ingredient sourcing in tandem with small co-op farmers.
What to know:We found this bar a bit more bitter than others.
Since 1986, Equal Exchange has been on a mission to ensure fair-traded channels with small co-op farmers in Latin America. Originally focused specifically on sourcing coffee beans, Equal Exchange’s mission has grown to include chocolate, tea and other dry goods while ensuring ethical trade measures and fair wages to over 40 farms globally.
When we tried this chocolate, we noticed the overall appearance of the bar was more matte than glossy, with some slight bloom and chalkiness and a hickory-brown hue. The chocolate bar easily snapped into a clean break, and the aromatic notes included light toffee, plum and raisins. We noted more tannin-forward tasting notes alongside hints of mocha, marshmallow, raisins and burnt caramel with a slow melting point in the mouth and a sharper bitter finish.
Nutrition Info for Equal Exchange Organic Very Dark Chocolate, per 30 g serving:170 calories, 13 g total fat, 8 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 0 mg sodium, 14 g carbohydrates, 4 g fiber, 8 g total sugar (8 g added sugar), 2 g protein
Best SplurgeAmano Artisan Chocolate Dos Rios Dark Chocolate BarPHOTO: Amazon$15 at AmazonView on Amanochocolate.comView on Worldwidechocolate.com
Best SplurgeAmano Artisan Chocolate Dos Rios Dark Chocolate Bar
Best Splurge
Amano Artisan Chocolate Dos Rios Dark Chocolate Bar
$15 at AmazonView on Amanochocolate.comView on Worldwidechocolate.com
Origin:Dos Rios,Dominican Republic |Cacao Percentage:70% |Vegan?Yes
What we like:Amano thoughtfully sources rare and precious cocoa beans from small-batch farmers.
The company carefully sources special craft beans from around the globe, and this particular Dos Rios Dark Chocolate Bar features cocoa beans from the Dominican Republic. Each three-ounce bar arrives individually wrapped and is vegan, gluten-free and non-GMO.
When we unwrapped our Dos Rios bar, we noticed a smooth and slightly glossy texture with very few visual imperfections. While it required a bit of force to snap this bar in two, we achieved a clean break with very little crumbling. The aroma gave us fruit-forward notes of raisins and prunes, along with a slight sourness, and tasting notes included raspberry, bitter orange, salted caramel and licorice.
Nutrition Info for Amano Artisan Chocolate Dos Rios Dark Chocolate Bar, per 40 g serving:202 calories, 17 g total fat, 10 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 6 mg sodium, 19 g carbohydrates, 4 g fiber, 12 g total sugar (N/A added sugar), 3 g protein
Best Allergen-FreePascha Organic 85% Cacao Dark Chocolate BarsPHOTO: Amazon$60 at AmazonView on Paschachocolate.com
Best Allergen-FreePascha Organic 85% Cacao Dark Chocolate Bars
Best Allergen-Free
Pascha Organic 85% Cacao Dark Chocolate Bars
$60 at AmazonView on Paschachocolate.com
Origin:Peru|Cacao Percentage:85%|Vegan?Yes
What we like:Chocolate is made in adedicated allergen-free facility with high ethical standards.
Pascha’s bars are organic, plant-based, keto-friendly, non-GMO, kosher and gluten-free. Pascha is also Rainforest Alliance-certified, meaning there are high ethical and sustainable practices and no forced child labor.
At first glance, the 85% Cacao Organic Vegan Dark Chocolate Bar showed no blooming and a relatively silky appearance with darker reddish-rust and a hickory hue. The aroma included hints of moss, oat and toffee with slightly acidic undertones, and the bar gave off a loud, clean and crisp snap when broken. When we tasted the Pascha chocolate bar, it had a very smooth mouthfeel with notes of peanut butter, coconut and burnt caramel. As the chocolate melted on the tongue, there was a very faint bitterness and flavors of cinnamon, earthiness and a sweet raspberry finish.
Nutrition Info for Pascha 85% Cacao Organic Vegan Dark Chocolate Bar, per 27 g serving:160 calories, 12 g total fat, 8 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 0 mg sodium, 10 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 4 g total sugar (4 g added sugar), 3 g protein
The Bottom Line: The Best Dark Chocolate Bars
When it comes to craft dark chocolate bars, theTCHO Dark Duo(view at Amazon) is our favorite. We love the smooth texture, long finish and fruit and coffee notes of this bar, and its applaudable company mission and dedicated research labs were the icing on the cake. If you’re looking for a splurge, theAmano Artisan Dos Riosbar (view at Amazon) is an excellent treat.
Check the Ingredients
When choosing a high-quality dark chocolate bar, it’s important to take a close look at the ingredients. Cacao can often be a bit bitter, so many conventional chocolate manufacturers add extra sugar as well as emulsifiers and additives like soy lecithin to add texture and depth. Ingredients such as cocoa butter, however, can be a more natural way to achieve the desired texture and integrity of a chocolate bar.
When choosing a gourmet bar, chocolate expert Kathy D’Agostino ofChocolatásuggests giving the ingredient list a thorough read and trying to avoid fillers and unnecessary flavorings. “The fewer the ingredients, the better,” says D’Agostino. “Some people put wax or paraffin in [the chocolate] to replace the cacao butter. You want cacao, cacao butter and sugar.”
Finally, if you suffer from a particular allergy or follow a vegan diet, taking a close look at a chocolate bar’s ingredient list can help you decipher if a dark chocolate bar is vegan or dairy-free, and if any factories call out allergen-friendly manufacturing practices.
Note the Percentage of Cacao or Cocoa
When it comes to chocolate, you’ll also want to look at the cacao and cocoa percentages—the darker the chocolate, the higher the percentage. Since cacao and cocoa beans boast manyhealth benefits, chocolate bars with higher cacao or cocoa percentages will most likely have more health benefits than those with lower percentages. Choosing bars with at least 70% cacao or cocoa is a good starting place.
Is It Ethically Sourced?
Historically, the chocolate industry has been known to have some unethical practices, such as child labor, unfair farmer wages and even deforestation. However, thanks to independent verification certifications, it’s a bit easier to understand which chocolate makers are compliant with safe, ethical and transparent sourcing. Looking for labels such as USDA-organic, Fairtrade and Rainforest-Alliance can be helpful when choosing an ethically produced chocolate bar.
Our Dark Chocolate Tests
To find the best dark chocolate available, we enlisted a team of taste testers to sample over a dozen high-end craft dark chocolate bars. For each bar, we observed the appearance, including the glossiness, color and hue, and looked for any signs of blooming or bubbling. We broke each chocolate bar in half to observe how “snappy” it was—an indication of the quality of production. (Did it give us a clean break? Did it crumble into pieces afterward?) If it didn’t snap well and it crumbled, then it suggested the chocolate wasn’t tempered properly.
After cleansing our palates with water and saltines, we placed a piece of chocolate on our tongues to observe the texture (i.e. gritty or smooth) and the taste, mouthfeel and any lingering flavors. We also researched the sourcing and manufacturing practices of each chocolate producer. Other factors we considered were the origin of the chocolate, the cacao percentage (at least 70%), the ingredients and dietary considerations (like vegan or allergen-free) and the value and overall quality of each chocolate bar.
K’UL Chocolate Bar—Pure Dark Chocolate, 80%($7 per bar at K’UL):We enjoyed the lovely notes of licorice, fruit and tea in this dark chocolate bar, and we appreciated the long-lasting flavors and growing aftertaste of orange pith and tannins. With that said, we did not find this bar exceptional or very unique.
Beyond Good Organic 70% Madagascar Dark Chocolate Bar($7 per bar at Amazon):When we tasted this bar, we observed notes of umami soy flavors, herbs and black tea, but the taste ended with a short, unremarkable finish. We also noticed some slight bubbling and blooming on this bar, and it wasn’t as glossy as some of the others we tried.
Taza Chocolate Bars—Deliciously Dark, 70%(10-pack for $45 at Amazon):The texture of these bars was very rough and gritty due to the unrefined, stone-ground chocolate. While we appreciate the manufacturing process, we found the texture to be a little too distracting.
Theo 85% Dark Chocolate Bar($5 per bar at Theo Chocolate):This bar coats the mouth well and has pleasant notes of almond, peanut butter and toasted sesame, with the gentle presence of tannins throughout. However, there was a distinct bitterness on the back end that we didn’t love.
K+M Chocolate 85% Hacienda Victoria Ecuador (now unavailable):This was a wonderful option and a close runner-up to the ones on our list—a luxurious, glossy chocolate with distinct notes of earthiness and a viscous, velvety finish. Ultimately, though, we thought this bar was a tad too expensive to include in our list.
Raaka Philippines 71% Classic Dark(now unavailable):We appreciated the aromatic cacao scent of this chocolate, and we loved how glossy the bar was. We also thought the unique, terraced design on the top of the bar was a nice touch. Ultimately, though, we found the bar to be a bit chalky and rather mild in flavor.
Is there caffeine in dark chocolate?
Yes! Generally speaking, the darker the chocolate, the more caffeine it contains. For example, a 1-ounce piece of chocolate as dark as the bars on this list (70% to 85%) has around 23 mg caffeine.Whereas a similar-sized piece of milk chocolate has about half that amount of caffeine.
Is dark chocolate vegan?
Fortunately for vegans, many dark chocolate bars are vegan. Certain chocolatiers place great care into selecting and using natural and very specific ingredients when crafting dark chocolate bars—whereas some larger chocolate mass-producers may use fillers, such as dairy, to change the structure and texture of bars. When searching for vegan chocolate, take a close look at the list of ingredients and the fine print to make sure the manufacturer does not use dairy or animal products in its bars.
Does dark chocolate have heavy metals in it?
Consumer Reports recently led a study that found increased levels of heavy metals, such as cadmium and lead, in over one-third of dark chocolate tested. High levels of metals can harm your immune system, raise your blood pressure, and cause other negative health effects.In young children and pregnant women,the effects can be worse. Dark chocolate may be more susceptible to heavy metals because cacao beans contain more cocoa solids, and metals can accumulate in those solids. Experts recommend limiting your consumption of dark chocolate, especially for children, and enjoying it in moderation.
What’s the difference between craft chocolate and conventional chocolate?
Sophia Rea, steward of chocolate, owner ofProjet Chocolatand Atlas Obscura chocolate course teacher, explains that large chocolate producers often use cheaper and lower-quality cacao than craft chocolate makers. “Industrial chocolate is mass-produced and is uniform in taste, while craft chocolate is more nuanced" Rea says. “This is because craft chocolate makers work with the intention of focusing on the flavor of the beans they are working with, using transparency with cacao bean sourcing and making chocolate in smaller batches.”
To distinguish between conventional and craft chocolate, D’Agostino recommends looking to see if the chocolate maker lists the region the cacao was sourced from. “If the region is listed, then you know the company is paying close attention to sourcing, and that’s a sign of higher quality chocolate.” Price can also be an indicator; D’Agostino says it “costs a lot more to make fine chocolate, as cacao butter is really expensive.”
Lastly, D’Agostino suggests checking to see if the bar was tempered properly. Tempering refers to the process of heating and cooling chocolate, and when done correctly, it makes the chocolate “glossy, shiny, and snappable.” A chocolate bar should snap cleanly and easily; if it crumbles, then the chocolate bar may have not been tempered properly.
Marisa Olsenhas more than 10 years of experience writing and reporting on food, lifestyle and product reviews, and she has written for multiple publications including Chowhound, Southern Living, The Spruce Eats, Food & Wine, Byrdie and Liquor.com. Marisa has been a dark chocolate lover since a young child, thanks to her father’s passion for high-cacao-content chocolate bars, and she ends her evenings with a piece (or two) of dark chocolate every night.
For this article, we also consulted chocolate experts Kathy D’Agostino ofChocolatáand Sophia Rea ofProjet Chocolatfor insights on how to identify the highest-quality dark chocolates and what distinguishes craft chocolate from conventionally made chocolate.
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SourcesEatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central. Chocolate, dark, 70-85% cacao solids.A Third of Chocolate Products Are High in Heavy Metals, CR’s Tests Find.Consumer Reports.
Sources
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central. Chocolate, dark, 70-85% cacao solids.A Third of Chocolate Products Are High in Heavy Metals, CR’s Tests Find.Consumer Reports.
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.
U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central. Chocolate, dark, 70-85% cacao solids.A Third of Chocolate Products Are High in Heavy Metals, CR’s Tests Find.Consumer Reports.
A Third of Chocolate Products Are High in Heavy Metals, CR’s Tests Find.Consumer Reports.
