Category: News

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The #1 Dessert to Help Lower Dementia Risk, According to Dietitians

The #1 Dessert to Help Lower Dementia Risk, According to Dietitians

EATINGWELL.COM

Cocoa contains plant compounds called flavanols, which have antioxidant properties. These flavanols have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and they’re especially known for supporting blood flow and keeping blood vessels healthy. With healthier blood vessels, blood flow to the brain is improved, enabling more oxygen and nutrients to reach brain cells while also allowing waste to be removed. That’s particularly important for reducing dementia risk, because restricted blood and oxygen can damage brain cells or parts of the brain, triggering cognitive decline or vascular dementia. Along with other things, (increase omega-3 intake, eat more plants, get moving, prioritize quality sleep), eating dark chocolate as part of a balanced diet may stave off dementia risk with aging.

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There’s a fascinating reason European chocolate tastes better than the American version

There’s a fascinating reason European chocolate tastes better than the American version

UPWORTHY.COM

European chocolates are required by law to have at least 14% dry milk solids while the US only requires 12%. European chocolate is also slightly richer because it’s required to have at least 3.5% milk fat. In the US, the minimum is 3.39%. European chocolate ALSO has a higher requirement for cocoa content, aka the ingredient that gives bars their deep, chocolaty flavor. These differences might not seem so big, but taken together, they add up. ALSO, there’s evidence which suggests that Hershey’s chocolate, for example, contains butyric acid, a compound that is also found in, well, vomit. Before you get too grossed out, butyric acid is also found in parmesan cheese and many other things that many people find delicious. And there’s always, “where the beans come from”. American chocolatiers tend to use beans from South America, while Europeans, such as those in Great Britain, often use beans from West Africa instead.

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Is 100% dark chocolate actually good for you? A nutritionist weighs in on the surprising health benefits – and the catch, as Lindt launches new total cocoa bar

Is 100% dark chocolate actually good for you? A nutritionist weighs in on the surprising health benefits – and the catch, as Lindt launches new total cocoa bar

DAILYMAIL.COM

Now that Lindt has launched its first 100 per cent cocoa dark chocolate bar in the UK, we wanted to know whether going darker really means going healthier. What does 100 per cent dark chocolate actually do for your body – and is it worth acquiring a taste for? Click, HERE, to find out.

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American Vs British Chocolate Bars: Is There A Difference?

American Vs British Chocolate Bars: Is There A Difference?

THEDAILYMEAL.COM

The difference in taste has several specific reasons, some of them regulatory. For example, for U.S. milk chocolate, the FDA allows products to be labeled as chocolate if they are made up of at least 10% cocoa solids. In comparison, U.K. milk chocolate must have at least 25% cocoa solids, or 20% for bars considered family milk chocolate (as long as there is a minimum of 20% milk solids). Read more, HERE.

 

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Here’s What Happens If You Eat Dark Chocolate Every Day

Here’s What Happens If You Eat Dark Chocolate Every Day

JULIESCAFEBAKERY.COM

Scientists and dietitians have been quietly building a case for dark chocolate as one of the more surprisingly beneficial things you can eat, with a few caveats worth knowing before you break off that next square. The antioxidants are real, the mood lift is measurable, and the heart benefits are backed by solid research. Learn more, HERE.

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Chocolate Returns to No. 1 and Butter Pecan Surpasses Vanilla Ahead of National Ice Cream Day

Chocolate Returns to No. 1 and Butter Pecan Surpasses Vanilla Ahead of National Ice Cream Day

IDFA.ORG

Chocolate has reclaimed the title of America’s favorite ice cream flavor, while butter pecan has scooped past vanilla for second place, according to the International Dairy Foods Association’s latest National Ice Cream & Frozen Novelty Trends Survey. To see the top 10, click, HERE.

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The Dark Chocolate Mistake That’s Spiking Your Blood Sugar, According to an Endocrinologist

The Dark Chocolate Mistake That’s Spiking Your Blood Sugar, According to an Endocrinologist

PARADE.COM

If you’re someone who craves something sweet every day, such as in the late afternoon or after dinner, it’s helpful to have some foods on hand that will satisfy your sweet tooth without completely wreaking havoc on your blood sugar. For many people, dark chocolate has become a perfect fix. Learn more, HERE.

 

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Smelling chocolate could make your leg day workout easier, even on an empty stomach

Smelling chocolate could make your leg day workout easier, even on an empty stomach

EARTH.COM

Smelling chocolate between sets at the gym pushed men to complete far more repetitions than they managed with no scent at all, a new study has found. The men had not eaten for at least ten hours. Yet the boost showed up anyway, and it was strongest with dark chocolate. They did not feel like they were working any harder, even as their rep counts climbed. That gap suggests the brain, not the muscles, is where the smell did its work, hinting that a simple sensory trick could help people train on an empty stomach.

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West Africa produces roughly 2/3 of the world’s cocoa and lost up to 40% of its harvest across two seasons, which is why chocolate is now being grown in a lab in West Sacramento

West Africa produces roughly 2/3 of the world’s cocoa and lost up to 40% of its harvest across two seasons, which is why chocolate is now being grown in a lab in West Sacramento

SPACEDAILY.COM

In a 12,000-square-foot facility in West Sacramento, a startup called California Cultured has been growing cocoa without soil, without trees, and without West Africa.

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These 6 Popular Chocolate Candies Are Way Overpriced In 2026, According To Customers

These 6 Popular Chocolate Candies Are Way Overpriced In 2026, According To Customers

TASTINGTABLE.COM

A high price is a mark of good quality, right? In the chocolate industry especially, the more expensive a box, the more premium and high-quality the chocolate will be. Well, that should be the case, anyway. But unfortunately, shoppers have been noticing recently that many popular chocolate candies are increasingly overpriced. Even worse, in some cases, the quality of the chocolate is dropping while the prices are rising. Learn more, HERE.

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What Happened To Chocolate? Why Customers Think The Quality Isn’t What It Used To Be

What Happened To Chocolate? Why Customers Think The Quality Isn’t What It Used To Be

TASTINGTABLE.COM

Because of the effects of climate change and production issues within the cocoa industry, prices have seen a sharp increase, motivating the reduction of actual cocoa in many chocolate-based products. Customer backlash over Hershey recipe changes has even seen some companies attempting to reverse course.

 

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Can You Still Eat Chocolate That’s Turned White? Chocolatiers Explain

Can You Still Eat Chocolate That’s Turned White? Chocolatiers Explain

REALSIMPLE.COM

That chalky film on chocolate is from cocoa butter or sugar shifting to the surface, not spoilage, so the chocolate is usually still safe to eat. The white coating is called a bloom, and it can make chocolate look dull and taste less complex because it melts unevenly on the palate. Temperature changes, humidity, or skipping proper tempering can cause bloom, while a fuzzy texture, odor, or moisture exposure are signs it’s time to toss the chocolate.

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Hershey’s Will Switch Back to Real Chocolate by 2027 After Viral TikTok Backlash

Hershey’s Will Switch Back to Real Chocolate by 2027 After Viral TikTok Backlash

USMAGAZINE.COM

The Hershey Company announced it will return to using “classic milk and dark chocolate recipes” across its Reese’s and Hershey’s products by 2027 — a reversal driven by viral social media scrutiny and a public campaign by the grandson of the brand’s founder.

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Thieves steal 12 tons of KitKat bars in Europe chocolate heist

Thieves steal 12 tons of KitKat bars in Europe chocolate heist

CNN.COM

Thieves have stolen more than 400,000 KitKat chocolate bars weighing around 12 tons from a truck in Europe. The confectionery, which is manufactured by Swiss firm Nestle, was stolen when the vehicle was distributing the bars along a route running from a factory in central Italy to Poland, KitKat said in a statement. A total of 413,793 KitKat bars were stolen, said the company. Each one is traceable using on-pack batch numbers, and KitKat has asked anyone who finds a match to alert the company.

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The Most Famous Chocolate Bar In The US Isn’t Hershey’s Or Reese’s, According To Report

The Most Famous Chocolate Bar In The US Isn’t Hershey’s Or Reese’s, According To Report

THEDAILYMEAL.COM

In an online survey of 6,242 adults in 2025, the participants were asked, “Do you know this brand, even if only by name?” Statista reports that 94% of the respondents knew of Snickers, M&M’s at 93% and Twix at 92%. KitKat ranked highly, tying for second at 93%. Both Hershey’s and Reese’s ranked fourth, with 91% of the surveyed adults saying that they knew of the brands.

 

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What The Percentage On A Chocolate Actually Means

What The Percentage On A Chocolate Actually Means

TASTINGTABLE.COM

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.

 

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The Next Big Trends In Chocolate We’ll See In 2026

The Next Big Trends In Chocolate We’ll See In 2026

TASTINGTABLE.COM

Chief among these predictions, which no one should be surprised about, is price. Due to tariffs, changing supply chains, and other factors, we can expect to see chocolate costs rise for consumers — and for companies to rethink their ingredients in response. As a result, some mass-market manufacturers are adjusting formulations to manage costs, often using less cacao or alternative coatings.

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Popular chocolate brand says it will not make bars smaller despite cocoa crisis

Popular chocolate brand says it will not make bars smaller despite cocoa crisis

THE-INDEPENDENT.COM

Galaxy KitKat, Penguin, Quality Street and Freddo are among those to have made changes in recent years. Dutch chocolatier, Tony’s Chocolonely has vowed not to reduce the size or distinctive ‘chunkiness’ of its chocolate bars, even after raising prices due to escalating cocoa costs.

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This Fruit Has More Sugar Than A Hershey’s Chocolate Bar

This Fruit Has More Sugar Than A Hershey’s Chocolate Bar

THEDAILYMEAL.COM

Everyone knows that sweet treats like chocolate are a sometime food, but it might surprise you to learn that there are fruits that fall into this category as well, and that mango is near the top of the list. It turns out that when it comes to fruits that contain the most sugar, this tropical favorite’s sugar content rivals that of a classic Hershey’s bar. A single, medium-sized mango has around 46 grams of sugar. Meanwhile, a regular, 1.55-ounce Hershey’s chocolate bar contains just 25 grams. But hold your horses before you trade in your fruit for candy.

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Grandson of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup inventor accuses Hershey of “quietly replacing” ingredients

Grandson of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup inventor accuses Hershey of “quietly replacing” ingredients

CBSNEWS.COM

Brad Reese, the grandson of the inventor of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, is criticizing The Hershey Co. for “quietly replacing” the candy’s flagship chocolate and peanut butter ingredients. Reese claimed on LinkedIn last week that the company has replaced milk chocolate with compound coatings and peanut butter with peanut butter‑style crème across multiple Reese’s products, a move he alleges has eroded the Reese’s brand and jeopardized consumer trust.