The popularity of 100% dark chocolate is increasing as more people become aware of the negative health effects of eating too much sugar. Around 2016, as more people tried keto and paleo diets, they also started looking for healthy snacks. Essentially, the definition of 100 percent dark chocolate is that it has no sugar in it.
Originally it was not considered a treat due to its bitterness and dry texture. Artisan chocolatiers saw an opportunity to help people enjoy 100 percent dark chocolate and have worked with textures and flavors to enhance the taste of 100 percent dark chocolate and make it more enjoyable.
So what is 100% dark chocolate other than a sugar-free snack? Keep reading to learn more about what 100 percent dark chocolate is, its health benefits and what you can do with it.
100% health benefits of dark chocolate
Dark chocolate is full of flavonoids, which provide many health benefits. Flavonoids are a type of polyphenol that contain powerful antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. They occur naturally in vegetables, fruits and products made from plants (such as 100 dark chocolate). Dark chocolate contains two to three times more flavonoid-rich cocoa than milk chocolate.
The health benefits of 100% dark chocolate include:
- Combats the presence of free radicals, which cause chronic diseases and conditions
- Improves the function of the vascular endothelium (the cells that line the inside of your blood vessels)
- Reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease
- Can protect against conditions such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's
- Provides protection against digestive problems such as inflammatory bowel disease
- Improves blood flow, which in turn improves brain function
- Protects your skin from sun damage
- Can lower blood pressure
- Relieves constipation
- May reduce the risk of diabetes
How much sugar is in 100% dark chocolate?
You may have noticed the percentages printed on high-quality chocolate labels. What does this number mean? The percentage stated is the percentage of cocoa mass contained in the chocolate, the rest consists of sugar or other additives. The higher the percentage on a chocolate bar, the higher the cocoa content and the lower the sugar content. One hundred percent pure chocolate contains no added sugars at all.
“No added sugar” means no added sugar and no ingredient that contains sugar during processing. It also means that no other ingredients have been added to the recipe. A 100 percent dark chocolate bar contains only processed cocoa beans and no added fat or sugar.
Reducing the amount of sugar in your diet is just one of many of the 100 health benefits of dark chocolate. Eating too much sugar can lead to weight gain and an increased risk of diabetes, among other health problems, but 100 percent dark chocolate, prepared by artisan chocolatiers with nuanced flavors, allows you to enjoy a treat without added sugar.
Does 100% dark chocolate contain milk?
Because milk is one of the top eight food allergens, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires products made with milk to be labeled as such. Any product that does not contain milk is labeled 'milk-free'.
The FDA has found that some dark chocolate claiming to be "dairy-free" contains potentially dangerous traces of the milk allergen. In ainspectionconducted in 2018 and 2019, four of 52 products sampled by the FDA had enough milk to cause an allergic reaction in people with dairy sensitivities. All four of these products were recalled.
Why would milk be found in chocolate labeled 'dairy-free'? Commercial chocolatiers often use the same equipment to make dark chocolate and milk chocolate or other chocolate products containing milk, allowing milk to be converted into dark chocolate products.
If you are allergic to dairy products, read the label. Statements such as 'may contain milk' or 'manufactured in a factory using milk' suggest that the chocolate bar may contain milk. Even if the product is labeled "milk-free," you can contact the manufacturer to confirm how the chocolate was made.
What to do with 100% dark chocolate
Just eat it as it is of course! You can taste the flavors of the cocoa bean, and because it is such a decadent treat, you don't need much.
Baking is another good use for 100 percent dark chocolate. Consider doing the following:
- Brownies
- Hot chocolate made with dark chocolate and topped with marshmallows, nuts, seeds, coconut or chili powder
- Orange and dark chocolate cake
- Dark chocolate raspberry cake
- Dark chocolate ganache (add to a pastry or dip strawberries in it)
- Dark chocolate bark
- Cookies with dark chocolate chips
- Banana nut bread with pieces of dark chocolate
- Homemade dark chocolate ice cream
If the product contains chocolate, you can make it yourself and enjoy all the health benefits of 100% dark chocolate.
What is the difference between dark chocolate and 100% cocoa
Cacao and chocolate both start as cocoa beans that grow on the Theobroma tree in tropical areas. Cocoa is the powder left over after the cocoa beans have been roasted and the cocoa butter has been pressed.
Chocolate consists of cocoa solids and cocoa butter. The flavor comes from the dry cocoa solids and the creamy texture comes from the cocoa butter.
The biggest difference between chocolate and cocoa is that there is no cocoa butter in cocoa powder. Cocoa has the same health benefits as chocolate.
What to eat with 100% dark chocolate
Now that you know the health benefits of 100% dark chocolate, you may be wondering what to eat or drink with it.
One hundred percent dark chocolate goes well with a cheese plate. The intensity of dark chocolate goes well with stronger cheeses such as camembert. You can add honey or fruit preserves to balance the intensity of the cheese.
Another option is to combine your dark chocolate with high-quality black coffee. Sweetened chocolate makes regular coffee taste sour, but combining like with like is a good start. For example, you can combine unsweetened coffee with unsweetened chocolate, fruity coffee with fruity chocolate, and nutty coffee with nutty chocolate.
Just like coffee, sweetened chocolate can make your wine sour. Try pairing unsweetened chocolate with a dry wine and experiment with flavors to find the combination you like best.
The stimulants in dark chocolate pair well with spirits such as whiskey or rum, which usually have the opposite effect. Dark chocolate also goes well with iced green tea, oolong tea and red wines. And you can sprinkle some dark chocolate shavings over your sweet and savory dishes to give them more depth.
How many 100 dark chocolate per day?
The recommended amount of 100% dark chocolate per day is approximately one to two ounces (or 30 to 60 grams). And if you need another reason to eat dark chocolate, consider this oneinspectionof nearly 20,000 people followed over an eight-year period, those who ate an average of 0.2 ounces (or 6 grams) of chocolate per day had a 39 percent lower risk of heart attack or stroke.
At Cococlectic you can find the best artisan chocolates through their online bean-to-bar subscription service. Cococlectic's chocolate is vegan, non-GMO, fair trade and ethically produced and contains no soy, gluten, dairy or nuts. However, the chocolates may have been produced in a factory that processes these ingredients.
Cococlectic features a different small-batch American bean-to-bar chocolate maker every month. These chocolatiers are passionate about their craft and make artisanal chocolate bars with just three main ingredients: cocoa beans, sugar and cocoa butter.
Cococlectic offers a variety of artisan chocolates in gift boxes or through a chocolate of the month subscription club.
RegisterJoin the subscription club today and join us for a free virtual chocolate tasting with our featured chocolatier of the month.
