Is dark chocolate healthier than milk chocolate? 2 dietitians explain
- Written by Lauren Ball, Professor of Community Health and Wellbeing, The University of Queensland
Easter chocolate is all over supermarket shelves. Some people reach straight for milk chocolate eggs while others pause at the darker varieties, assuming they’re healthier.
Dark chocolate has gained a reputation as the “better” choice because it usually contains more cocoa and less sugar than milk chocolate.
But is dark chocolate actually healthier?
Let’s see how the evidence stacks up.
How do they compare?
All chocolate begins with the cocoa (or cacao) bean. Cocoa beans are the seeds of the Theobroma cacao[1] tree, a tropical plant native to Central and South America.
Processing the bean gives you cocoa solids (the bitter part) and cocoa butter (the fat part that gives chocolate its smooth texture).
Chocolate is made from[2] cocoa solids, cocoa butter and sugar. Milk chocolate also contains milk powder or condensed milk.
Dark chocolate typically contains a much higher proportion of cocoa solids, usually 50–90%[3].
Milk chocolate generally contains 20–30%[4] cocoa solids, with the remaining bulk made up of milk ingredients and sugar.
How about nutritional benefits?
Because dark chocolate contains more cocoa solids than milk chocolate, it naturally provides slightly higher amounts of certain minerals.
This table shows the differences[5] between milk chocolate (30% cocoa) and dark chocolate (more than 60% cocoa) per 20-gram serve. That’s about one row of a Lindt chocolate block.
As you can see, dark chocolate provides more minerals such as magnesium, iron and zinc. It also contains noticeably more caffeine (but far less than in a typical cup of coffee, which would contain about 100mg).
Milk chocolate offers significantly more calcium due to its milk solids, but it generally contains more added sugar.
Cocoa is naturally rich in plant compounds called polyphenols[6]. These act as antioxidants in the body, helping to protect the body’s cells from damage.
Because dark chocolate contains more cocoa, it naturally contains higher levels of these compounds[7]. In fact, dark chocolate contains roughly five times[8] more flavanols (a type of polyphenol) than milk chocolate.
Compared to other foods often praised for their antioxidant content, cocoa contains around 17 times[9] more catechins (another type of polyphenol) per serving than black tea. It also contains around three times[10] more than red wine.
Does dark chocolate improve your health?
Research into cocoa and dark chocolate has produced some interesting findings, particularly about heart health.
Cocoa flavanols appear to help blood vessels relax and support better blood flow[11]. Some clinical trials[12] have reported small reductions in blood pressure and improvements in measures of blood vessel function after consuming cocoa products.
There is also broader evidence suggesting diets rich in flavanols may be linked with a lower risk[13] of cardiovascular disease overall.
However, these findings come with important caveats.
Many of these trials use cocoa extracts containing high levels of flavanols. Others contain specially formulated chocolate rather than the typical chocolate bars or Easter eggs you’d find in supermarkets. The doses tested are also often far larger and far more concentrated than what people normally consume.
A large umbrella review[14] (a review of reviews) involving more than one million participants did find links between eating chocolate and lower risks of cardiovascular disease, stroke and diabetes.
But the overall quality of evidence was rated as weak or very low, largely because many of the studies were observational. Observational studies can identify patterns, but they cannot prove chocolate itself caused those benefits.
The bottom line is that cocoa does contain beneficial plant compounds but the chocolate most of us enjoy is not a health supplement.
But I thought dark chocolate has less sugar?
Choosing dark chocolate doesn’t automatically make it the healthier option, especially where sugar is concerned. Some dark chocolate contains surprisingly high amounts.
Depending on the cocoa percentage and recipe, some dark chocolate products contain 40–50%[15] sugar.
So a 150g dark chocolate Easter bunny containing 50% sugar, for example, can contain about 19 teaspoons of added sugar.
This applies to Easter eggs too. Some dark chocolate Easter eggs[16] sold in supermarkets still list sugar as one of their first and main ingredients, ahead of cocoa butter. This means sugar makes up a significant chunk of what you’re eating.
So it’s always worth flipping the packet over and checking the ingredients list and nutritional panel to be sure.
What to choose this Easter?
Dark chocolate has a nutritional advantage over milk chocolate. But how much depends on the cocoa percentage and how it’s been made.
As a general rule, aim for 70% cocoa or more, and flip the packet over before you buy. In a higher-quality dark chocolate, cocoa should appear first in the ingredients list – not sugar.
A higher-quality dark chocolate might have its ingredients listed in this order: cocoa mass, cocoa powder, cocoa butter, sugar, vanilla.
A lower-quality dark chocolate might look like this: sugar, cocoa mass, cocoa butter, emulsifiers, flavour, milk solids.
If sugar is listed first, it’s the largest ingredient by weight.
Beyond that, choose chocolate you actually enjoy and watch your portion size. Remember that your overall diet matters far more than a few Easter eggs.
The real health benefit of Easter chocolate? The enjoyment of sharing it.
References
- ^ Theobroma cacao (www.sciencedirect.com)
- ^ made from (doi.org)
- ^ 50–90% (doi.org)
- ^ 20–30% (doi.org)
- ^ differences (www.foodstandards.gov.au)
- ^ polyphenols (doi.org)
- ^ higher levels of these compounds (doi.org)
- ^ five times (doi.org)
- ^ 17 times (doi.org)
- ^ three times (doi.org)
- ^ help blood vessels relax and support better blood flow (doi.org)
- ^ clinical trials (doi.org)
- ^ lower risk (doi.org)
- ^ umbrella review (doi.org)
- ^ 50% (www.woolworths.com.au)
- ^ Some dark chocolate Easter eggs (www.coles.com.au)
