Lindt Extra Dark Chocolate Review

Overall Rating: C+

(Rating based on objective health and value factors and not on flavor, which is subjective.)

 

Summary:

A:   Starting Grade.

B:   Cooked.

B-:  Not Organic.

C+: Sugar, but in low amounts.

C+: No additional health features (but it doesn't use soy lecithin).

 

 

To keep my reviews consistent for "apples to apples" comparisons, I use the same overall structure for each.

 

Cacao Content:

I'm specifically reviewing this version of Lindt's dark chocolate line because I'm looking for the healthiest chocolates to recommend. At 85% cocoa content (portions derived from cacao) Lindt's Extra Dark chocolate is just about top of the line in terms of cocoa, and this also means that it's low in sugar relative to other bars using sugar as a sweetener.

 

Organic:

At one point I was under the impression that Lindt chocolate was organic, but it's not. None of its ingredients seem to be, and if you've read through this site, you know that I feel this is an important issue if buying chocolate as a health supplement rather than as a candy. Had this bar been organic, my overall rating would have been a "B-".

 

It's worth noting, though, that Lindt does NOT use soy lecithin in its chocolate, which indicates a higher-quality chocolate. I believe that it's especially important to only eat organic soy because most other soy is genetically modified, and the writing's on the wall (even if special interests want you to think otherwise) about the negative effects that GMOs have on our bodies. The absence of soy in Lindt is a good sign.

 

Xylitol vs. Sugar:

Lindt uses sugar rather than xylitol or agave nectar for sweetening its chocolate. Sugar just leads to a long list of health problems, so this always degrades my overall rating of a chocolate as a health supplement. However, the Extra Dark bar is only 12.5% sugar, whereas most dark chocolates are 25% or more sugar. This low sugar and high cocoa content give this chocolate a better rating than IsaDelight, which is sold via network marketing and is much more expensive.

 

Taste

Lindt's Extra Dark chocolate has a very nice dark chocolate taste, definitely not sweet. At 12.5% sugar, you know this is a more bitter chocolate, but I found it very satisfying.

 

Magnesium

Any quality dark chocolate should represent a good source of magnesium, so this isn't a KEY item to consider, but it's worth noting because magnesium plays so many important roles in our health, and most people only get 50% of the recommended amount. The Lindt label does not give exact magnesium levels per serving.

 

ORAC Scores

Lindt does not provide an ORAC score for their chocolate.

 

Fat, Calories, and Sugar

Lindt's recommended serving size is 25 grams of chocolate, which will naturally feature quite a lot of fat and calories. To measure it a little better against other chocolates we've reviewed, I'll cut that in half (2 squares of the bar), which is almost identical to the size of a Xocai Nugget or a piece of IsaDelight (and about 50% larger than a piece of Tru Chocolate).

 

At 12.5 grams, the Lindt chocolate would represent 9 grams of fat (5.5 saturated) and 105 calories, which is a good deal more than any of the other "healthy chocolates" reviewed. Admittedly, most of this comes from cocoa butter, which is not a bad form of fat; nevertheless, it should be considered by those trying to watch their fat intake.

 

Again, the sugar content is lower than that in either Xocai or IsaDelight (but the Xocai sugar is lower on the glycemic index), but of course Tru Chocolate replaces sugar with healthy, natural xylitol.

 

BOTTOM LINE

Because of the low sugar content and high cocoa content, and because it's priced lower (not sold through network marketing), I think that Lindt's Extra Dark chocolate represents a healthier choice and better value than IsaDelight. Because I believe in eating chocolate in moderation as a health supplement rather than as a candy, I recommend Gnosis Chocolate over Lindt.