7 July was International Chocolate Day, and as someone who absolutely loves chocolate, I couldn’t let the occasion pass without writing about it.
Yes, I am a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. And yes, I love chocolate. I love dark chocolate. Not necessarily the 100% kind, though! My personal sweet spot is somewhere between 78% and 85% cocoa, and I’m slowly working on appreciating chocolate with an even higher cocoa percentage.
I also love desserts containing chocolate. Chocolate mousse, chocolate cake, chocolate pastries… honestly, I can never say no to a really good chocolate dessert. And when I say good chocolate, I mean really good quality chocolate. I love chocolate that is rich, dense and intense. I love the flavour, the smell, the taste and even the colour. There is just something about chocolate that fascinates me.
If I wasn’t already busy enough with nutrition, I think having a little chocolate shop would be quite a dream! But for now, I’ll stick to enjoying chocolate and talking about it from a nutrition perspective. Because apart from being delicious, chocolate can also be quite interesting nutritionally.
So, what is so special about dark chocolate?
When we talk about the potential nutritional benefits of chocolate, we are mainly talking about dark chocolate with a high cocoa content. Cocoa contains naturally occurring compounds called flavanols, which are part of a larger group of plant compounds known as polyphenols. These compounds have antioxidant properties and have been studied for their potential role in supporting cardiovascular health and overall wellbeing.
Dark chocolate also contains minerals such as magnesium, iron, copper and manganese, although the amount you get will depend on the product and the portion you eat. Magnesium, in particular, is an important mineral involved in hundreds of processes in the body. It plays a role in normal muscle and nerve function, energy metabolism and maintaining healthy bones. So, from a nutrition point of view, I find chocolate quite fascinating.
Imagine being able to enjoy something that tastes absolutely amazing, while also getting some nutritional value from it. For me, that is the perfect combination. But, we also need to look at the type of chocolate we are eating. Because not all chocolate is created equal.
Dark, milk or white: What’s the difference?
If you walk into a supermarket, you’ll find a huge variety of chocolates. But broadly speaking, we can put them into three categories: dark chocolate, milk chocolate and white chocolate.
The main difference between them comes down to their ingredients and, particularly, the amount of cocoa solids they contain
Dark chocolate
Dark chocolate generally contains a higher proportion of cocoa solids and less milk compared with milk chocolate. Depending on the product, it also contains less sugar. The higher the cocoa percentage, the more intense and bitter the chocolate tends to taste. This is why someone who is used to sweeter chocolate may find a 70%, 80% or 85% chocolate quite strong at first.
Personally, I enjoy around 78% to 85%. I love that deep, intense chocolate flavour without it becoming overwhelmingly bitter.
And if you’re currently used to very sweet chocolate, I would encourage you to experiment – you don’t have to jump straight to 100% cocoa. Start with 60% or 70%, then gradually try 75%, 80% and beyond. Over time, your taste buds can become more accustomed to the natural bitterness and intensity of cocoa.
For me, this is one of the most interesting things about food: our taste preferences can evolve. You don’t have to force yourself to like something. But you can give yourself the opportunity to discover new flavours.
Milk chocolate
Milk chocolate contains less cocoa solids, milk or milk powder and usually more sugar than dark chocolate. Because of this, it tends to be creamier, smoother and sweeter than dark chocolate. That doesn’t make milk chocolate ‘bad’. I really want to emphasise this: Food is not simply good or bad.
If you love milk chocolate, you can absolutely enjoy it. The question is more about understanding what you’re eating and making choices that align with what you want.
If your goal is to enjoy more of the flavour and nutritional properties of cocoa, you may want to experiment with darker chocolate. But if you prefer milk chocolate, that doesn’t mean you should feel guilty for eating it.
White chocolate
White chocolate is a little different. Unlike dark and milk chocolate, it doesn’t contain cocoa solids. It is generally made from cocoa butter, combined with sugar and milk solids.
This means that it doesn’t provide the same cocoa solids and naturally occurring cocoa compounds that we associate with dark chocolate. So, when it comes to the potential antioxidant benefits linked to cocoa flavanols, white chocolate doesn’t offer the same nutritional profile as dark chocolate. And again, that doesn’t mean you can never eat it. If you love white chocolate, enjoy it for what it is: a sweet, creamy treat.
If you love chocolate, learn to appreciate the real taste of chocolate
One of my biggest pieces of advice for chocolate lovers is to slow down and explore. If you’re used to very sweet chocolate, you may initially find dark chocolate too bitter. That’s completely normal. But what if you gradually trained your palate to appreciate the taste of cocoa itself?
Try starting with a good-quality chocolate around 60–70% cocoa. Then move towards 75%, 80% or 85% if you enjoy it. You might start noticing that chocolate isn’t just ‘sweet’. You may begin to appreciate the aroma. The bitterness. The richness. The texture. The way it melts in your mouth. The intensity of the cocoa. And suddenly, you may find that you don’t need a huge amount to feel satisfied.
This is something I often talk about when discussing mindful eating. The goal isn’t necessarily to eat less because you’re restricting yourself. It’s about learning to eat in a way that allows you to genuinely enjoy and appreciate your food. For me, a small piece of really good, intense dark chocolate can be far more satisfying than eating a large quantity of chocolate that doesn’t really taste like chocolate.
But let’s not forget: chocolate is still chocolate
As much as I love chocolate, I also want to be realistic. Dark chocolate may contain beneficial plant compounds and minerals, but it is still relatively energy-dense and can contain significant amounts of fat and sugar, depending on the product. So, yes, there are nutritional benefits to cocoa. But that doesn’t mean dark chocolate is a ‘health food’ that we should eat in unlimited quantities.
It’s about balance. It’s about the bigger picture of your diet. It’s about enjoying food without guilt while also being informed about your choices. And most importantly, it’s about remembering that one food does not make or break your health. You can enjoy different types of chocolate for different reasons.
Sometimes I want a piece of dark chocolate after dinner.
Sometimes I want a chocolate pastry.
Sometimes I want a rich, dense chocolate dessert.
And that’s okay.
Because food is not only about nutrients.
Food is also about pleasure, culture, memories, celebrations and experiences.
My chocolate philosophy
As a dietitian, I believe we should move away from the idea that we have to choose between health and enjoyment. Why can’t food be both? Why can’t we enjoy something delicious while also appreciating its nutritional value?
For me, chocolate is a perfect example of this. I love it because it tastes incredible. But I also find it fascinating from a nutritional perspective. The cocoa, the flavanols, the minerals, the complexity of the flavour… there is so much more to chocolate than simply “a sweet treat”. So, if you are a chocolate lover like me, my advice is simple: explore. Try a good-quality dark chocolate. Look at the cocoa percentage. Start where you feel comfortable and gradually experiment with higher percentages if you want to.
And most importantly, slow down. Taste it. Smell it. Notice the texture. Enjoy the experience. You might discover that you actually love the taste of real cocoa more than you ever realised. And if you still prefer your milk chocolate or your white chocolate? That’s okay too.
There is no need for guilt around food. Because at the end of the day, I don’t believe in a world where we have to choose between being healthy and enjoying the foods we love. I believe in finding a way to have both. And for me, chocolate definitely deserves a place in that picture.
