The Meteoric Rise of Dark Chocolate’s Popularity

Chocolate is the new “super food” according to the heath gurus and enthusiasts around the globe who expound its virtues. As a result, there seems to be a trend, both in the retail and wholesale chocolate markets, away from the sweetness of sugar rich milk chocolate to the more intense, complex flavours of bittersweet, extra dark and 100% chocolate.

Riding on the wave, we are also experiencing an explosion of artisan chocolate “alchemists” making their own, unique creations to feed the ever growing demand for different chocolates with even more exotic fillings.

Across the country, we are seeing how more and more people are taking to the “Dark Side” (With apologies to Darth Vader)

Chocolate – The New Super Food

A super food is one that has qualities and characteristics which contribute to your health and may even help alleviate some medical conditions. Research indicates that our well-loved chocolate, especially dark chocolate (rich in cocoa solids), may well be a super food. Research shows that chocolate contains high levels of anti-oxidants which fight the damaging effects of oxidative stress on the body’s cells and can have a beneficial effect in preventing heart related problems.

The two anti-oxidants found in chocolate are polyphenols and flavonols which are said to reduce the risk of blood clots and to help lower blood pressure. In addition, chocolate also contains iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, and healthy fats.

Increased public awareness of the health benefits to be gained from eating dark chocolate has led to a sharp increase in the sales of retail and wholesale chocolate products.

Chocolate Alchemy

Good chocolate, and especially dark chocolate, has entered the realm of the connoisseur. As with wine, coffee and many other foods, dark chocolate is evaluated based on its origins: the variety of cacao tree, the soil and climate in the growing region, the beans’ fermentation and drying processes, and finally, how the beans are roasted and ground. If all these elements are good then you can expect the chocolate to have a superior aroma, and richness of flavour and texture.

In the past, wholesale chocolate was often a blend of chocolates produced from cacao beans from different countries and regions. Single origin chocolate, which is a much sought after chocolate these days, is produced from cacao beans from just one region.

Another popular chocolate is known as “bean to bar”. This is the process adopted by many artisan chocolate manufacturers who produce batches of wholesale chocolate using selected beans from a specific location and use traditional methods to produce a fine quality chocolate bar, all under one roof. As a result, no two batches will ever be the same which makes this exciting for the chocolate fanatic.

Health and Pleasure Wrapped in a 100 Gram Bar

So, there it is – dark chocolate, not only delicious and comforting, but also healthy. A dream come true!