Katie's Writing Notes

Most people can’t, or won’t, tolerate the higher percentages of cocoa found in dark chocolate bars, at least at first taste, which simply is too bitter for them, especially if that person is used to eating milk chocolate.  If you want to acquire the taste for the more healthy dark chocolate, those bars with 70% cocoa or more, you will need to wean yourself off of milk chocolate.

The process is quite simple and truly wonderful to do, but it can add inches to your waistline if you are not careful.

Step 1: Start by eating “dark chocolate” containing less than 50% cocoa.  If the package doesn’t reveal the cocoa percentage, chances are it is at this lowest level.  Some products do tell you the “% of cocoa solids.”

If the percentage is higher, the manufacturer will want consumers to know that fact, so they put the percentage right on the package.

Step 2: Eat the dark chocolate at this level until you feel ready to move on. You might find that the bars start to taste like milk chocolate again but with a little more bite.  If so, move up

Step 3: Move up to the 54% cocoa bars.  Try one; is it tantalizing and satisfying at the same time? Stay at this level to get used to the stronger cocoa percentage.  Being at this level may take months before you’re ready to move up.  Again, when the chocolcate tastes weak, like milk chocolate, move up again.

Step 4: If you can find a 60-65% cocoa bar, try that one next.  A few manufacturers produce bars at this level, often in wonderful flavors.  Otherwise, try the much more common 70% cocoa bar.

You must realize that each manufacturer produces a different tasting and looking dark chocolate bar because of the location and growing processes of the cacao trees (they are grown all over the world), the other ingredients of the bar (and whether they use organic or not, whether they use sugar to sweeten the bitter cocoa taste), the manufacturing process, and so on.  All of these factors influence the taste of the product.

Step 5: Find some 70% dark chocolate bars you can easily acquire and afford.  They are plentiful on the market.  Do a personal taste test by purchasing several different bars by different manufacturers, with different flavors.  Taste each of the bars, taking a small bite of each, and really compare your reaction to each one.  You might want to have a glass of water handy to swish out your mouth between tastings. Have a pad of paper handy to record your reactions. Select the bars you like the best and enjoy.

Step 6: Eat your preferred bars until they, too, lose their satisfaction level.  The process of moving to the next percentage level may take a longer time at this level.  And you may never go beyond the 70% level.  Or you might jump to the 85% level much more quickly.  Your own tastes will dictate the satisfaction at each percentage level and the percentage of cocoa you eventually stay with.

Dark chocolate is a healthier alternative to other chocolates, so this process of evaluating percentage levels of the bars is a valid pursuit.  And it’s fun, too.  Just remember to moderate your consumption of all this dark chocolate and reduce calories in other areas of your life to balance it all out.