Note: There is also a comparison review of all healthy chocolates that I've reviewed and that are sold through network marketing (aka MLM). Keep in mind, you can enjoy any of these chocolates without having to engage in the "income opportunity" aspect, but they do give you that option. Each of these also has its own review page, as do those dark chocolates sold in stores that I think surpass the "health value" of both Xocai(TM) and IsaDelight(TM) ... and are cheaper.

 

Tru Chocolate Review

Overall Rating: A-

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

 

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

 

Cacao Content:

I have been told that the cacao content of Tru Chocolate is around 68%.

 

However, as alcohol sugar (xylitol) is listed at 3.5 grams per 8 gram serving, and there needs to be room for the proprietary herbal blend, my estimate was previously around 50% cacao content. So now I have to look into this further and will update this page when I have more details.

 

Having said that, the overall fat content (which comes from cocoa butter) is low and the ORAC score (see below) is high, so I also estimate that cocoa solids comprise a good deal of the cacao content, and this is where the antioxidants and other primary health benefits come from.

 

Organic:

Tru Chocolate is the only MLM chocolate I know of using organic cacao and lecithin ingredients. I find this highly important, since consumers are spending a good deal of money purchasing these chocolates as "healthy". I believe non-organic ingredients will compromise the value of any ORAC score, as some of the antioxidants may be used to "fight" the toxic residue of pesticides, etc.

 

Xylitol vs. Sugar:

Tru Chocolate is the ONLY MLM dark chocolate I know of that replaces sugar with a healthy alternative, namely xylitol. This is highly important, as sugar spikes blood sugar and can lead to a long list of health problems. Sugar is counter-intuitive in any product claiming to be "healthy." (Xocai uses fructose rather than sucrose, which is an improvement, but still spikes blood sugar more than 3 times as much as xylitol.)

 

Xylitol is a "sugar alcohol" (and may be listed this way on labels) that offers many health BENEFITS and causes no known health problems. This is a primary reason why I recommend Tru Chocolate over any other MLM chocolate if you're eating it for health. It is NOT a "cheat" for diabetics or those on diets.

 

I understand that some people will point to the "small amounts" of sugar in other chocolates. But it is a HUGE amount in terms of percentage (usually from 25% to 50% or more, although some bitter chocolates have relatively low amounts). These are not just empty calories; they are poisonous calories. And because of the ratio of sugar to chocolate, the sugar will minimize any good that the chocolate is doing for you. If you're eating for taste, this is one thing. But if you're eating for health, I don't see any excuse for the sugar, especially at the cost of MLM chocolate.

 

Proprietary Formulas

In order to separate themselves from being "just another chocolate," most healthy chocolates sold through network marketing (MLM) add something extra to their chocolate to help market it. Tru Chocolate is no exception. The relative amount of such ingredients will typically be quite small compared to the chocolate content, so it's hard to know how far the benefits will go for any given person.

 

I can say from personal experience, however, that one of the ingredients in Tru Chocolate make for a unique experience, as described below. Tru Chocolate's proprietary herbal blend includes the following ingredients:

 

Momordica Charantia

This herb grows all over the tropical zones of the world and has been used for centuries to combat various human ailments, but to date has not been effectively marketed. In a controlled study, individuals with blood sugar levels above 140 mg/dl had the most significant reductions in blood sugar levels when using this herb; reductions varied from 28.4% to 37.7%.

 

Noni Fruit

The fruit of the Morinda Citrifolia, or "noni," was an important food source for the early French Polynesians. These early settlers wasted none of this highly-valued plant, and used it for nearly every medicinal purpose you can imagine. Today, it is used worldwide for its reported health benefits.

 

Citrus Extract

A sweetener derived from the seeds, pulp, and inner rinds of certified organic citrus fruits.

 

Ellagic Acid

This phenolic compound is a proven anti-carcinogen, anti-mutagen, anti-cancer initiator, and anti-bacterial found in many foods.

 

Green Tea Extract

A report in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that green tea extract can lead to a significant increase in energy expenditure ("boosts the metabolism"), plus had a significant effect on fat oxidation.

 

Fabenol(R)

This is a proprietary extract of kidney beans that has been shown to block sugar absorption. It may help to promote healthy blood sugar levels and overall body composition. Also, see below.

 

Bioprene(R)

This is a proprietary extract of black pepper or long pepper. It may help to boost metabolism and improve the body's use of nutrients.

 

Unique Experience

This is not part of my standard review template, but this is an important matter to discuss when reviewing Tru Chocolate.

 

Because of the Fabenol, it's worth mentioning that Tru Chocolate provides for a UNIQUE EXPERIENCE. After eating the chocolate, it's ideal to follow it with a big glass of water. This helps with weight loss efforts and -- because water is essential in every body process -- is healthy regardless of weight loss efforts. And when you drink the water, get ready for a surprise: the water will taste SWEET (some say it's like chocolate) for up to 30 minutes after the chocolate is gone!

 

So although you're only eating a small piece of chocolate (their serving size is the smallest of any MLM chocolate reviewed), the TASTE will last a long time (so it feels like you get a lot of chocolate for the price), giving you a luscious and HEALTHY experience.

 

Taste

Tru Chocolate has a sweet, dark chocolate flavor with a hint of its own, unique flavor due to the herbal blend. Those who prefer a bitter flavor would probably look to options other than MLM chocolates, which are all fairly sweet.

 

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.

 

At 40 mg (10% of the recommended daily value) of magnesium, Tru Chocolate contains more per serving than any other MLM chocolate reviewed. (And the Tru Chocolate serving is smaller than the others.)

 

I will note that the Tru Chocolate package currently lists just 4 mg of magnesium, but this seems to be a typo, and I have informed the company. This should be updated on packages before long.

 

ORAC Scores

If you've read my page on ORAC scores, you know that this topic can be misleading. Experts recommend that we get up to 5000 ORAC units in a day, and that anything more may be redundant. Those promoting ORAC scores will probably argue against this.

 

At just over 3000 ORAC units, a serving of Tru Chocolate and Xocai(TM) Nuggets are just about identical; IsaDelight(TM) contains closer to 6000 units; and Xocai Power Squares contain over 10,000 per serving. (The extra ORAC units may be beneficial since these chocolates are not organic, as mentioned above.)

 

Gram for gram, however, the numbers are quite different. By the gram, ORAC comparisons are as follows:

 

Tru Chocolate: 380

Xocai Nuggets: 260

Xocai Power Squares: 600

IsaDelight: 530

 

Fat, Calories, and Sugar

For all the benefits that Tru Chocolate provides, one serving of this chocolate is actually smaller than any of the others. As mentioned above, however, because the taste sticks with you through a whole glass of water (it can actually reside on your tongue for up to 30 minutes), it seems that it is an ENORMOUS serving.

 

Between ingredients and serving size, it offers lower fat levels (3 grams, 0 saturated), fewer calories (36), and less sugar (NONE!) than all other MLM chocolates reviewed.

 

(To be more precise, there is a tiny amount of natural sugar in cacao, and this probably makes up a tiny percentage of Tru Chocolate by weight. But this totals less than half a gram, and thus no sugar is listed on the label. There is certainly no processed sugar added to Tru Chocolate.)

 

 

BOTTOM LINE

For all the reasons above, Tru Chocolate is the only one that I can fully recommend when health is the bottom line. It didn't win an "A" rating for two picky details -- but as a reviewer and health consultant, I have to be picky. One reason is that it has two proprietary extracts that are hard to know much about. The other reason is that, like virtually all chocolate on the market, it is not raw. Only a few exceptional chocolates, sold through retail, are raw. This would include Gnosis Chocolate.

 

Other than that, Tru Chocolate is an ideal, "guilt-free" and "health supporting" dark chocolate, and the only MLM chocolate worth investing in.

 

Getting involved with Tru Chocolate is easy -- it only costs $10 to become an independent distributor, which gives you access to wholesale rates. If you want to earn an income from recommending it to others, you can. But you don't have to.

 

As a distributor, your cost per serving is only $1.40. (Retail is about $1.70.) And remember, when you follow this with 16 ounces of water that all has a sweet flavor to it, this is an OUTSTANDING experience and value!

 

To learn more about the opportunity aspect, please click here.

 

To get started with Tru Chocolate, please talk with the person who referred you to this site. Or if you found it on your own, then please contact Steve, an independent distributor of Tru Chocolate.