The conventional wisdom says dark chocolate is healthier than milk chocolate. In most respects that is true. But the full picture is more interesting than a simple ranking. The difference comes down to three factors: cocoa content sugasugar content and your specific health goals.
Cocoa Content
Dark chocolate with 70% or higher cocoa content contains significantly more flavanols than milk chocolate. A typical 30 gram serving of dark chocolate provides roughly 100 to 200 milligrams of flavanols. Milk chocolate with 30% cocoa content provides about a quarter of that amount. The dark chocolate health benefits that researchers study are almost entirely tied to this flavanol content.
Sugar Comparison
The sugar comparison is equally stark. A 30 gram serving of quality dark chocolate contains 5 to 8 grams of sugar. The same serving of milk chocolate can contain 15 to 20 grams. Over a week of daily consumption that difference adds up to roughly 70 to 100 grams of unnecessary sugar.
Which to Choose
Milk chocolate has one advantage: it is more approachable. People who find dark chocolate too bitter will eat milk chocolate and derive at least some antioxidant benefit. But if you want measurable health benefits dark chocolate is the clear choice. Learn about the healthiest chocolate options for achieving maximum benefits. When you are ready to buy chocolate that delivers real health support browse the dark chocolate selection at BuyChocolate.org.
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