Dark times ahead for chocolate

The Telegraph (UK) ^ | 10-14-2006 | David Derbyshire

[blam]

Dark times ahead for chocolate

By David Derbyshire, Consumer Affairs Editor
(Filed: 14/10/2006)

Britain's taste for chocolate is growing more sophisticated, figures out yesterday suggest.

Sales of dark chocolate have trebled in a year, while the number of dark mainstream brands has risen tenfold.

Confectionary analysts say the figures reflect a more discerning palate. They also follow several studies — some funded by chocolate makers — indicating that dark chocolate can have health benefits.

Antioxidants in dark chocolate can help lower cholesterol and blood pressure, say researchers. However, dark and milk contain the same amount of fat and sugar.

Although milk still outsells dark, the rapid recent growth of the latter has surprised many in the industry.

Woolworths, Britain's biggest confectionary retailer, reported £600,000 worth of dark sales in 2005. The figure for the first eight months of 2006 was nearly £1.5 million.

Stephen MacDavid, the company's chocolate buyer, said: "Dark chocolate is in vogue at the moment. It is fast catching milk chocolate in terms of sales and there are now over 30 dark chocolate bars on the market compared with only three last year."

Older shoppers are fuelling much of the boom. Nestlé, which launched a dark KitKat this year, said it was now the most popular variety among 34 to 45-year-olds.

[djf]

I'm south of Seattle, near Tacoma. Would love to find a place to get nibs.

But since I ain't got any, when I eat chocolate, about 2-3 times a week, it's always the darkest, most expensive I can get. There's place near here called "Chocolate Art" and they make some really incredible stuff. Cashew clusters in dark chocolate... yummmmmmm.......

I love to eat a piece of dark with a really hot cup of black coffee.

[Revolting cat!]

Anyone else here try CocoaVia?

Guilty here. Surprisingly good for a mainstream domestic product.

I just finished a Droste's Superior Extra Dark 75% Cocoa. Highly recommended. 14% "Daily Value" Dietary fiber, 60% (ouch!) Saturated fat. Well, I was only finishing yesterday's bar, before I had 4 squares of Trader Joe's Bittersweet with Almonds...

[McGavin999]

Actually, Hershey has some 70% chocolate that is pretty good. It's not their regular waxy stuff, they have one that even has blueberries and chopped almonds that is out of this world.

[Salamander]

http://www.hersheys.com/products/details/sugarfree.asp

[Mike Bates]

Sounds like health food I need to try.

[Tiny]

I guess my tastes are very simple because I love a plain old fashioned Hershey bar. Nestle's chocolate is too sweet and the more expensive chocolates just don't do it for me. Snapping off a chunk and letting it melt in the mouth is the best way to pass the time while I'm working in the afternoon.

[albee]

(standing at the podium in front of a crowded audience)

My name is albee...and I am a chocaholic!

It has been nearly three hours since I devoured my last chocolate bar. (applause)

[CommandoFrank]

A long time ago I used to like Hersheys but once you have the best, you realize Hersheys is a candy and not chocolate.

It is worth the wait. I haven't had any (BC chocolate) for quit a while and I'm ready!

I just went back and added the (BC chocolate) so no one would misunderstand what I was saying, haha. Talk about setting yourself up...

[cyborg]

I splurge on organic 65-85% cacao chocolate. No Hersheys for me and most of the regular companies put artifical ingredients in them.

[diamond6]

Going a tad off topic here, but can anyone recommend a good website to order gummy type candy products, i.e. Twin Cherries, Gummy Strawberries, etc.?

[Trajan88]

a very fine product...

[Yaelle]

What about Cadbury Flakes??? Mmmmmmmm... You can find them at Cost Plus in the USA.

[Yaelle]

I get migraines too, but have never had any after eating my chocki. If chocolate did give me migraines I'd give it up completely. Known migraine triggers for me as far as foods go are MSG and alcohol. I wish I could drink more.

[Yaelle]

Yum. I had a tour through the Lindt factory in Zurich once. The SMELL alone was worth the trip. They did not give out any samples at the end, though -- you had to buy them.

[groanup]

Ghirardelli. I don't see anything on the label about Dutch. It is the G-d awfulest stuff I have ever eaten.

[groanup]

My reason for this maneuver is simply because of a study of islanders who drank a nasty brew of dark chocolate as a main staple and had little or no high bp and little or no heart disease.

[Ditter]

I have finally gotten to the point (66 yrs) where I don't have migraines anymore. Hormonally I am past that and I know all the triggers and avoid them. I was always a cheap date and could never have more than one drink. When it got to the point that a half a glass of wine (or any alcohol) caused an immediate headache, I stopped even pretending to drink. I hate it when all my friends are tipsy and I get to be the designated driver. But I like NOT laying in a dark room in pain.

[Colorado Buckeye]

My reason for this maneuver is simply because of a study of islanders who drank a nasty brew of dark chocolate as a main staple and had little or no high bp and little or no heart disease.

I'm interested in learning more about the health benefits of chocolate and hope to look into the matter more in the future. A year or so ago, I heard a guy on a health oriented talk radio show talking about this. It's been awhile so my memory may be off, but I think he advised eating organic cocoa beans. There was lots of talk about bioflavanoids and antioxidants. In any event, he wrote a book and I don't remember the title but I think I wrote it down somewhere. I'm on my fifth 2 inch three ring binder of health notes and if I can find the information, I'll post it to you.

As for the broader issue of cardiovascular disease including the syndrome-X diseases such as type-2 diabetes, I think that they should be rare and not common as, in fact, is the case. I'm not a medical professional but I've been studying the issues of health, medicine, and nutrition, motivated by self interest, for almost five years now.

What most Americans, including most doctors, don't know is that what they are eating, and not eating, is slowly killing them. The typical diet not only contains very unhealthy substances such as hydrogenated fats, but is also deficient in essential nutrients such as the omega-3 fats.

About the islanders that you referred to, the chocolate they consumed was probably good for them, but don't overlook the likelihood that the fats in their diet were undoubtedly different than those in yours. Being islanders, they likely ate a lot of fish which is rich in omega-3's for example.

[stripes1776]

Ghirardelli. I don't see anything on the label about Dutch

If the label says nothing about Dutched or alkalized, then it isn't. It has the antioxidants that are beneficial.

I do know that Lindt, a Swiss manufacturer of chocolate, bought Ghirardelli a few years back. A lot of Lindt's dark chocolate products are alkalized, as are most European dark chocolates. That may be why I get a headache when I eat them. I don't get that reaction from Ghirardelli or Hersey's dark chocolates.

[Professional Engineer]

ping