Dark chocolate

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

For movie, see Dark Chocolate (film).
Dark chocolate, 70% cocoa
USDA "Chocolate, dark, 70–85% cocoa solids"
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy2,500 kJ (600 kcal)
45.9 g
Sugars24 g
Dietary fiber10.9 g
42.6 g
Saturated24.5 g
Trans0.03 g
Monounsaturated12.8 g
Polyunsaturated1.26 g
7.79 g
Niacin (B3)
7%
1.05 mg
Pantothenic acid (B5)
8%
0.418 mg
Vitamin B6
2%
0.038 mg
Vitamin E
4%
0.59 mg
Vitamin K
6%
7.3 μg
Copper
197%
1.77 mg
Iron
66%
11.90 mg
Magnesium
54%
228 mg
Manganese
85%
1.95 mg
Phosphorus
25%
308 mg
Potassium
24%
715 mg
Selenium
12%
6.8 μg
Sodium
1%
20 mg
Zinc
30%
3.31 mg
Other constituentsQuantity
Water1.37 g
Caffeine80 mg
Cholesterol3 mg
Theobromine802 mg
Link to USDA Database entry
†Percentages estimated using US recommendations for adults,[1] except for potassium, which is estimated based on expert recommendation from the National Academies.[2]

Dark chocolate is a form of chocolate containing only cocoa solids, cocoa butter and sugar. Dark chocolate without added sweetener is known as bitter chocolate[3] or unsweetened chocolate.[4] As with the other two main types of chocolate (milk and white), dark chocolate is used for chocolate bars or as a coating in confectionery.

Government and industry standards of what products may be labeled "dark chocolate" vary by country and market.

History

Main article: History of chocolate
See also: Chocolate bar § History
Image from a Maya ceramic depicting a container of frothed chocolate

Chocolate is made from the seeds of the tropical

cane sugar to make it sweeter, and other additional flavorings as a hot beverage.[7][9]

Spanish explorers encountered chocolate in the early 1500s and introduced it to Spain.[7] In the late 1600s, milk was also added to the dark chocolate beverage by Hans Sloane, who resided in Jamaica at the time.[5] Chocolate was finally made into a solid form in the 18th century and was mass-produced in the 19th century, with several innovations, in particular by Coenraad Johannes van Houten[7][10] and Rodolphe Lindt, who invented a machine to mix and aerate chocolate, giving it a smooth texture.[11]

In the late 19th century, Daniel Peter and Henri Nestlé manufactured milk chocolate which became commonly favored.[7] As a consequence, the term dark chocolate was coined to distinguish the traditional chocolate from the new form. In the late 20th century, demand for dark chocolate increased.[5][7]

Nutrition

Nutrients in dark chocolate include 46%

copper, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, and zinc
.

As of 2018,[update] high-quality

procyanidins, which remain under laboratory research.[12]

Metal content

Chocolate, particularly dark chocolate, may contain appreciable levels of toxic heavy metals, such as cadmium, which may be present naturally in the soil of cocoa plantations.[13] For products containing over 50% cocoa, the European Commission has set a limit for cadmium of 0.8 mg/kg, while for chocolate containing between 30%–50% cocoa, the limit is 0.3 mg/kg.[13] The state of California recommends a maximum daily intake of 4.1 micrograms of cadmium.[14]

According to a Consumer Reports study in 2022, several dark chocolate products were found to contain high levels of lead and cadmium when compared against California's maximum allowable daily dose levels.[15]

See also

References

  1. ^ United States Food and Drug Administration (2024). "Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels". Retrieved 28 March 2024.
  2. PMID 30844154.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link
    )
  3. ISBN 978-0-7407-7334-1
    .
  4. ISBN 978-1-61673-850-1
    .
  5. ^ a b c Tara Mchugh (16 April 2016). "How dark chocolate is processed". PhysOrg. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
  6. ^ Watson, Traci (22 January 2013). "Earliest Evidence of Chocolate in North America". Science. Archived from the original on 6 March 2014. Retrieved 3 March 2014.
  7. ^
    History (American TV network)
    . 10 August 2022. Retrieved 4 September 2022.
  8. Field Museum
    . Retrieved 2 June 2008.
  9. ISBN 978-0-470-39884-5
    .
  10. Field Museum
    . Retrieved 3 March 2014.
  11. History (U.S. TV channel). Archived
    from the original on 8 March 2014. Retrieved 3 March 2014.
  12. ^
    PMID 28439881
    .
  13. ^ a b "Cadmium in chocolate" (PDF). European Commission. 1 March 2019. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
  14. ^ "Cadmium". California Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment. 1 May 1997. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  15. ^ Kevin Loria (15 December 2022). "Lead and cadmium could be in your dark chocolate". Consumer Reports. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
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