What The Percentage On A Chocolate Actually Means

Whether you’re looking at bars labeled as 50%, 70%, or 90%, the percentage refers to the total cacao content in the chocolate, including cocoa solids and cocoa butter. For example, a 70% chocolate bar means that 70% of the bar comes from cacao components, while the remaining 30% is usually sugar. Cocoa butter is the fat found in cacao beans, while cocoa solids are all the “dry” parts of the bean that are not fat. With a strong, bitter, aromatic taste, solids supply that essential “chocolatey” flavor, while the butter creates the creamy, rich, and smooth-melting texture of good-quality chocolate.