With so many different types of dark chocolate bars available on the market today, how do you select the best chocolate bars? One of the easiest ways is to simply turn the dark chocolate bar over and read the label because there are two main things that signify a lower quality chocolate. If they are present then they must be included in the ingredients list. These two ingredients are hydrogenated oils/trans fats and vegetable oils and although there are other factors that determine the overall quality of the chocolate itself, checking the ingredients in the bars themselves is always a good rule of thumb.
The first ingredient that we want to avoid when selecting the best dark chocolate bars is hydrogenated oil otherwise known as trans fats. This is not only one of the worst types of ingredients for our health, but it also detracts from the flavor of the chocolate itself. In recent years, the demand for cocoa butter by the cosmetic industry has forced the price of cocoa butter to sky rocket. So, magic boom bars to keep costs down many companies have started using hydrogenated vegetable oils to keep their expenses down. However, as a naturally occurring ingredient in chocolate, cocoa butter is a vital component to the taste and texture of the chocolate itself and by removing it much of the essence of true chocolate is removed as well.
Next, we want to avoid vegetable oils when searching for the best dark chocolate bars. Although vegetable oils are a natural product they are not naturally occurring in chocolate. This means that the chocolate must undergo a great deal of processing in order to remove the naturally occurring cocoa butter and replace it with a foreign substance. This higher amount of processing removes much of the chocolate’s flavor, texture and nutritional value. So, the best chocolates will not have vegetable oil listed in its ingredients. Additionally, if the company replaces 100% of the natural cocoa butter with vegetable oil or another substitute, then the FDA will no longer allow the candy to be called chocolate. What you will end up with is a product that is labeled “chocolate candy, ” “chocolaty, ” or “made with chocolate. ”
So, the next time that you are searching for the best dark chocolate bars remember the importance of the ingredients. Since the best ingredients makes the best chocolates and when it is so easy to check whether or not the bar includes hydrogenated oils/trans fats or vegetable oils in its ingredients why not just flip the package over and take a look. The flavor of bars that don’t contain these ingredients is so much more intense that your mouth will be happy you did!
The holidays are a time of year when families and friends get together to celebrate the past year and look forward to good times in the future. Another holiday tradition, which is just as sweet, is chocolate. Whether it is gourmet dark chocolate bars, gourmet milk chocolate bars, or something as simple as sipping chocolate, the sweet treat manages to make our holiday season a little bit more memorable.
Most people eat some chocolate throughout the year. However, when it is the holiday season many people want to add something special to their usual treats. A quick and easy way to do this is by opting for a higher quality chocolate. Gourmet dark chocolate and gourmet milk chocolate will not break your budget, but they will provide you with a taste experience you may have never expected. One nice thing about gourmet chocolate is the fact that you do not need to eat much to sate your craving. The added richness means that each purchase goes quite a bit further and you may only need a few gourmet chocolate bars to last you through the holiday season.
Unfortunately, while family and sweet treats are staples of the holidays, so is cold weather. Luckily, sipping chocolate, also known as drinking chocolate, can heat anyone up in a snap. This is a slightly more upscale version of hot chocolate, and its rich chocolate taste is something everyone will enjoy. Additionally, you can easily add some sugar and spice, literally, by using cinnamon and cayenne pepper to give your sipping chocolate a late kick that will tickle your family’s fancy.
Everyone loves the holidays, and almost everyone loves chocolate, so it makes sense that the two would go together so well. The holidays are also a good time to add something special to your usual chocolate offerings by eating your favorite dark chocolate bars or milk chocolate bars and drinking sipping chocolate. Every family has their own traditions during the holiday season, and this is one that every family can enjoy.