Dark Chocolate
Discussion
I decided I needed to improve my diet and lose some weight so I cut out 95% of the sweet foods I used to enjoy on a regular basis. I found myself still missing a tasty treat so I weaned myself onto dark chocolate.
There's no going back now, I've become a huge fan! I think cutting out sweet food at the same time changed my sense of taste so it does not seem at all bitter to me any more.
There are lots of reported health benefits to dark chocolate as it is full of flavanols and antioxidants, lowers blood pressure, lowers LDL cholesterol, prevents strokes, some cancer types and it actually makes you feel good
. Even if the reported benefits are not completely true and correct, I only eat 2-4 squares a day of the 85% stuff, so I don't think it will do me any harm. There is only 1 or 1.5 grams of sugar in each square usually. 10-15g in an entire 100g bar. When I used to eat milk chocolate I would end up eating loads at a time, but dark chocolate is so intense and satisfying when you eat a little slowly by letting it melt in the mouth, I find I am quite satisfied after one or two pieces.
I have sampled 17 bars, all reasonably priced and easy to get hold of so I thought you might be interested in the top five. None of them have flavours added (apart from vanilla extract) but they all taste completely different:
Co-op Truly Irresistible. 85%. It's got a really nice zingy berry taste to it.
Sainsbury's Taste The Difference. 85%. Comes in a box of 5 x 25g bars. Tastes really nutty, like peanut butter.
Moser Roth Dark 85% (Aldi). Has a really chocolatey taste.
Divine exquisitely rich 85% (Waitrose). As it melts it tastes like butter popcorn.
Lindt Excellence 85%. Really creamy. Almost like an amazing milk chocolate.
I recently tried a few 70% bars and they were seriously bland and had no real flavour depth compared to the above. I tried a 99% but the texture was quite unpleasant.
Anyone else have any favourites? I have tried most of the supermarket varieties and Green & Blacks. G&B is also good, but doesn't offer anything better than the above 5 bars do.
There's no going back now, I've become a huge fan! I think cutting out sweet food at the same time changed my sense of taste so it does not seem at all bitter to me any more.
There are lots of reported health benefits to dark chocolate as it is full of flavanols and antioxidants, lowers blood pressure, lowers LDL cholesterol, prevents strokes, some cancer types and it actually makes you feel good
. Even if the reported benefits are not completely true and correct, I only eat 2-4 squares a day of the 85% stuff, so I don't think it will do me any harm. There is only 1 or 1.5 grams of sugar in each square usually. 10-15g in an entire 100g bar. When I used to eat milk chocolate I would end up eating loads at a time, but dark chocolate is so intense and satisfying when you eat a little slowly by letting it melt in the mouth, I find I am quite satisfied after one or two pieces.I have sampled 17 bars, all reasonably priced and easy to get hold of so I thought you might be interested in the top five. None of them have flavours added (apart from vanilla extract) but they all taste completely different:
Co-op Truly Irresistible. 85%. It's got a really nice zingy berry taste to it.
Sainsbury's Taste The Difference. 85%. Comes in a box of 5 x 25g bars. Tastes really nutty, like peanut butter.
Moser Roth Dark 85% (Aldi). Has a really chocolatey taste.
Divine exquisitely rich 85% (Waitrose). As it melts it tastes like butter popcorn.
Lindt Excellence 85%. Really creamy. Almost like an amazing milk chocolate.
I recently tried a few 70% bars and they were seriously bland and had no real flavour depth compared to the above. I tried a 99% but the texture was quite unpleasant.
Anyone else have any favourites? I have tried most of the supermarket varieties and Green & Blacks. G&B is also good, but doesn't offer anything better than the above 5 bars do.
Have you gone to Hotel Chocolat yet?
They do a 95%, it is quite something. Not sweet at all, just very chocolatey
http://www.hotelchocolat.com/uk/shop/collections/p...
The Aldi Moser Roth stuff is my fav.
They do a 95%, it is quite something. Not sweet at all, just very chocolatey
http://www.hotelchocolat.com/uk/shop/collections/p...
The Aldi Moser Roth stuff is my fav.
I've always been a fan of dark chocolate, I prefer savoury stuff (crisps, nuts) to sweet too.
Sadly we are in a minority, anyone remember dark chocolate Walnut Whips? DC Bountys are still available, but not easy to find in the local shops. I get an appetite more for it in Winter for some reason and prefer it cold from the fridge, hate warm chocolate, hot is ok though, You sexy thing.
One thing I can never understand is eating chocolate with wine, eeeuurgh.
Milk chocolate is a bit council really.
Just going to have a nibble on a DC Digestive from the fridge
Sadly we are in a minority, anyone remember dark chocolate Walnut Whips? DC Bountys are still available, but not easy to find in the local shops. I get an appetite more for it in Winter for some reason and prefer it cold from the fridge, hate warm chocolate, hot is ok though, You sexy thing.
One thing I can never understand is eating chocolate with wine, eeeuurgh.
Milk chocolate is a bit council really.
Just going to have a nibble on a DC Digestive from the fridge
Edited by Evoluzione on Monday 6th June 15:18
Trabi601 said:
Not eating chocolate at all is even better for your diet.
(The only time I ever eat it is as a quick energy boost when I'm cycling)
But how s(The only time I ever eat it is as a quick energy boost when I'm cycling)
t would life be if you only ever did what was good for you 
Shouldn't you have Kendal mint cake stuffed down your Lycra instead of chocolate
Murph7355 said:
Trabi601 said:
Not eating chocolate at all is even better for your diet.
(The only time I ever eat it is as a quick energy boost when I'm cycling)
But how s(The only time I ever eat it is as a quick energy boost when I'm cycling)
t would life be if you only ever did what was good for you Evoluzione said:
I've always been a fan of dark chocolate, I prefer savoury stuff (crisps, nuts) to sweet too.
Sadly we are in a minority, anyone remember dark chocolate Walnut Whips? DC Bountys are still available, but not easy to find in the local shops. I get an appetite more for it in Winter for some reason and prefer it cold from the fridge, hate warm chocolate, hot is ok though, You sexy thing.
One thing I can never understand is eating chocolate with wine, eeeuurgh.
Milk chocolate is a bit council really.
Just going to have a nibble on a DC Digestive from the fridge
Dark chocolate and red wine does it get better !Sadly we are in a minority, anyone remember dark chocolate Walnut Whips? DC Bountys are still available, but not easy to find in the local shops. I get an appetite more for it in Winter for some reason and prefer it cold from the fridge, hate warm chocolate, hot is ok though, You sexy thing.
One thing I can never understand is eating chocolate with wine, eeeuurgh.
Milk chocolate is a bit council really.
Just going to have a nibble on a DC Digestive from the fridge
Edited by Evoluzione on Monday 6th June 15:18
Vyse said:
You'll love these
Pure cacao
Is that the 100% stuff? Your pic inst showing for me. I'm not very keen on the really pure chocolate...like a good sausage needs more than 100% lean meat, it needs a little fat and filler. The Lindt 99% stuff tasted like bitter Nutella spread on cardboard that turned to glue as it melted.Pure cacao
This website looks good. Loads of different bars and they are given flavour profiles based on acidity, bitter, fruit and roast.
http://www.chocolatetradingco.com/
I visited an M&S Simply Food last night. Very disappointing, the only 80%+ chocolate they had was £3.95 for a 100g bar. If most of the other supermarkets can do a good chocolate at a reasonable price (including Waitrose), why not M&S?
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