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Do you ever wonder why some chocolates are better than others? While you may mostly care about the taste, these treats come in varying grades. However, different varieties are available, so you may wonder how to choose the best option.

 

For those obsessed with chocolates, one bite tells you all you need to know about their quality. However, many others may be unsure about the quality even after a few tries. Here is how to know whether you’ve bought good chocolates or not.

 

1. Check the Ingredients

High-quality chocolates typically contain premium cocoa beans, sugar, milk powder, cocoa butter, and other flavours. These ingredients are usually organic and come from reputable suppliers. Go for chocolates with a good quantity of cocoa solids from good cocoa beans.

 

Conversely, low-quality chocolates contain inferior cocoa beans, vegetable oils, excessive sugar, preservatives, and artificial additives. They may also contain less cocoa than high-quality ones. Always check the ingredients to determine their content. Ensure they are more natural since ultra-processed options may be harmful.

 

2. Observe its Appearance

Most of the time, you know the chocolate is good as soon as you see it. Even before tasting, you may notice its smooth and glassy appearance without discoloration or blemishes. Proper chocolate tempering and high cocoa content add to its aesthetic appeal.

 

Low-quality chocolates, on the other hand, mostly appear dull and greyish. Their quality drops even further if they comprise inferior cocoa or are stored in poor conditions. If there's excessive sugar, they may also look waxy or greasy.

 

3. Taste the Chocolate

Good chocolates usually taste complex and linger on your buds for longer periods. Depending on the beans used to make them, you may notice some taste of cocoa, nuts, fruits, and spices. They also melt in your mouth easily. For instance, the Golden Door Chocolate Bar is discrete and tasty.

 

However, low-quality options mostly have faint flavours. They may also be extremely sweet and taste more artificial. Bad chocolate leaves a greasy taste in your mouth, leaving you unsatisfied.

 

4. Get its Smell

High-quality chocolates have distinct aromas. You do not necessarily need to be a pro in this area to determine the quality of your treats by their smells. Good options have rich, complex aromas with traces of cocoa and other flavours like nuts or vanilla.

 

Low-quality chocolates may not smell like chocolate. Instead, they absorb scents from the surrounding environment, especially if not stored properly. For instance, they may smell like smoke or the cardboard where they’re stored.

 

5. Feel its Texture

Good chocolate feels smooth and delicate and melts quickly in the mouth before you start chewing. So, swirl a chunk in your mouth to determine its texture. This delicate feel comes from the finely ground cocoa particles that make up the bar.

 

Good amounts of cocoa butter and careful production also account for the smooth texture of high-quality chocolates. Besides enjoying them better, high-quality ones are great for your health. Dark chocolate is especially good for your heart.

 

6. Snap it Into Two

Breaking a chocolate bar into two gives an idea about its quality. Good ones will make a crisp, neat, and clean break due to low tempering during production. On the other hand, low-quality bars often make soft, hollow sounds when broken. They may even fall into multiple pieces.

 

Endnote

High-quality chocolates are more enjoyable and have several health benefits. However, to determine the quality of a bar, check the ingredients, appearance, taste, texture, and smell. Knowing the features of high-quality chocolate will prevent you from buying low-grade ones in the future.

 

This article is part of the HealthManagement.org Point-of-View Programme.

 



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