Cocoa Parlor (USA)– USDA organic and fair-trade, 70% up to 100%. The subtitle is “organic plant-based chocolates”. Well, I guess cacao does come from a tree !? not all chocolate is created equal – levels of flavonoids vary according to the percentage of cocoa in the chocolate, the growing conditions, initial handling of the cocoa beans and the manufacturing process. What you buy might not be in the same league as what was proven beneficial in tests Solomon’s Gold (New Zealand)– 70% bars and a 75% with cacao nibs. The nibs give it a unique texture and mouthfeel. improves blood vessel health by increasing the elasticity of artery walls so they can dilate more readily, which in turn affects blood flow volume and pressure

A true dark chocolate will never have sugar listed first in the ingredients. It should always be below the cocoa ingredients. Sansone, R., Rodriguez-Mateos, A., Heuel, J., Falk, D., Schuler, D., Wagstaff, R., ... & Flaviola Consortium. (2015). Cocoa flavanol intake improves endothelial function and Framingham Risk Score in healthy men and women: a randomised, controlled, double-masked trial: the Flaviola Health Study. British Journal of Nutrition, 114(8), 1246-1255.

The ingredients list is ambiguous (they list “chocolate” as an ingredient). However, these are high in sugar (more like candy than dark chocolate). If you're trying to avoid animal products, keep an eye out for the following in the ingredients lists of dark chocolate: Ingredients: Semi-Sweet Chocolate (Sugar; Cocoa Butter; Chocolate; Milk Fat; Natural and Artificial Flavor, Soy Lecithin; Milk). Again – a milk chocolate.

Vlachopoulos, C., Aznaouridis, K., Alexopoulos, N., Economou, E., Andreadou, I., & Stefanadis, C. (2005). Effect of dark chocolate on arterial function in healthy individuals. American journal of hypertension, 18(6), 785-791.If you enjoy strong dark chocolate, you get more of the good stuff – cocoa – and less of the sugar, and your chocolate craving should be satisfied with less. The report also includes the clinical evidence for or against cocoa flavanols for cardiovascular and cognitive benefits, dosage information, and cautions regarding the safety and potential side effects of cocoa-based products. it's unclear whether or not short-term trial effects will translate into long-term real-life health benefits, especially when taking a person's normal diet and lifestyle into consideration

some people really don't like dark chocolate; they would much rather eat milk chocolate and see the good news stories as licence to do so. However, the findings aren't transferable, with tests suggesting that the milk proteins inhibit the absorption of the all-important cocoa flavonoids The Good Chocolate– A selection of chocolates for Keto dieters (sweetened with Stevia and erythritol).Brookside Dark Chocolate. This Hershey’s brand is a milk chocolate. Originally marketed as ‘containing fruit’, they have now changed their wording to fruit ‘flavors’. Given the positive health findings, it's not surprising that chocolate is being promoted – especially by chocolate companies – as a deliciously useful part of the diet for improving cardiovascular health. Yet many health professionals have hesitated to embrace chocolate as the new cure-all superfood. This brand is exclusive to Aldi stores. However the ‘dark’ is only 45% cocoa and is really a milk chocolate. Aldi was also forced to recall the chocolates in 2017 due to almond pieces ended up in some bars. Pana Organic (UK)– Selection of raw organic bars, including ‘Eighty’– sweetened with dark agave nectar. Grassi, D., Desideri, G., Necozione, S., Lippi, C., Casale, R., Properzi, G., ... & Ferri, C. (2008). Blood pressure is reduced and insulin sensitivity increased in glucose-intolerant, hypertensive subjects after 15 days of consuming high-polyphenol dark chocolate. The Journal of nutrition, 138(9), 1671-1676.