25 replies to this topic

[CobaltThoriumG]

I feel truly chocolate deprived. My only chocolate intake comes from LEF's chocolate flavored whey isolate. Displeasingly, chocolate flavor is not even the first ingredient after whey, maltodextrin is. More displeasingly, I just received containers from a new lot of the stuff and the chocolate flavor is reduced to the point of it now merely being a brown-colored, flavorless whey isolate. An oversight at the plant, no doubt. Which brings me to my point. I need chocolate. What chocolate do people here eat? I'm talking bars and powders. I want names.

[Forever21]

My Chocolate Powder
http://www.sunfood.c...anic-/1004.aspx

Chocolate 'Milk'
http://www.imminst.o...showtopic=27007

Chocolate Drink
http://www.imminst.o...&...st&p=253211

Chocolate Spread
http://www.imminst.o...showtopic=23195

Chocolate Snack
http://www.imminst.o...&...st&p=283255

[frederickson]

i eat a large amount of very dark chocolate (half a bar a day... probably more than most here), generally rotating among the brands below. i enjoy all of them nearly equally, though each have their own high points.

Ghirardelli 86%
Lindt 85%
Hachez 88%
an 85% bar at Trader Joe's with a black and purple wrapper whose name escapes me... will report back later

i used to eat raw cacao nibs regularly, but i only found them palatable in yogurt/kefir. when i realized that the benefits of the flavonoids and polyphenols in the cacao were somewhat offset by the milk proteins, i stopped eating them this way.

[CobaltThoriumG]

My Chocolate Powder
http://www.sunfood.c...anic-/1004.aspx

Chocolate 'Milk'
http://www.imminst.o...showtopic=27007

Chocolate Drink
http://www.imminst.o...&...st&p=253211

Chocolate Spread
http://www.imminst.o...showtopic=23195

Chocolate Snack
http://www.imminst.o...&...st&p=283255

About how much of that powder would you have to add to 8 oz of liquid for a good chocolate flavor? Also, where can one find that coconut oil you use (Alpha DME) at a good price?

Edited by CobaltThoriumG, 27 January 2009 - 03:52 PM.

[niner]

My Chocolate Powder
http://www.sunfood.c...anic-/1004.aspx

This stuff looks good, given their claims of low temperature production. If you want something cheaper, Trader Joe's Organic Cocoa Powder tastes great. I use it to make a hot drink with water and a little sweetener. It's non-alkalized, which is important, yet it still tastes good. It costs about one third of the sunfood product, but I don't know what temperature it was processed at, or exactly how important that is.

[kismet]

Lindt 85%

Ever tried Lindt 99%? It's incredibly expensive, but definitely the best tasting chocolate I know, worth a recommendation. Most 8x% chocolate bars are way too sweet for me, but YMMV.

[Forever21]

About how much of that powder would you have to add to 8 oz of liquid for a good chocolate flavor?

1 tablespoon. I like mine strong.

I also have Green & Blacks, NOW brand, Navitas, Dagoba. The last two are not recommended. (See the big cocoa thread)

Green & Blacks carry vegan chocolate bars but has "may contain traces of..." in the label so I avoid it. For bars I mostly eat Plamil. Dairy-free, gluten-free, sugar-free (no added sugar), no "may contain traces of..."

Also, where can one find that coconut oil you use (Alpha DME) at a good price?

I got mine from Whole Foods Canada. Picked up the most expensive that they have. But I'll definitely try other brands including what Duke uses when I go back to the States. That way I don't have to pay international shipping.

Edited by Forever21, 27 January 2009 - 05:42 PM.

[Forever21]

Chocolate with whey
http://www.imminst.o...&...st&p=288246

[the big b]

My only chocolate intake comes from LEF's chocolate flavored whey isolate. Displeasingly, chocolate flavor is not even the first ingredient after whey, maltodextrin is.

I would recommend Optimum Nutrition's Natural Whey, it's sweetened with Stevia and has only 3g of sugar. The chocolate flavor isn't extremely rich, but better than some of the others I have tried.

[EmbraceUnity]

My only chocolate intake comes from LEF's chocolate flavored whey isolate. Displeasingly, chocolate flavor is not even the first ingredient after whey, maltodextrin is.

I would recommend Optimum Nutrition's Natural Whey, it's sweetened with Stevia and has only 3g of sugar. The chocolate flavor isn't extremely rich, but better than some of the others I have tried.

I have tried tons of brands and Endangered Species 88% bars are my favorite.

Edited by progressive, 27 January 2009 - 10:41 PM.

[CobaltThoriumG]

My only chocolate intake comes from LEF's chocolate flavored whey isolate. Displeasingly, chocolate flavor is not even the first ingredient after whey, maltodextrin is.

I would recommend Optimum Nutrition's Natural Whey, it's sweetened with Stevia and has only 3g of sugar. The chocolate flavor isn't extremely rich, but better than some of the others I have tried.

Last time I used ON natural whey, it contained fructose. Not that I want to consume maltodextrin either (I used to consume it in quantity as part of an MRP and know it adds fat to me), but the LEF protein contains roughly half the carbs of the ON protein, (~1.5g/30g) and, therefore, likely less maltodextrin than ON contains fructose. I also like the apolactoferrin in LEF's isolate and the fact that the whey source is Glanbia's Provon, a highly undenatured whey. If I can confirm at some point that one of the build-your-own protein sites has Provon or something similar, I'll probably buy unflavored Provon and add cocoa and stevia to it myself.

[CobaltThoriumG]

Anyone know of a chocolate bar, preferably organic and unroasted, sweetened with stevia? This is the only stevia sweetened bar I have found:

http://www.melvilles...te-bar-1lb.html

[Skötkonung]

Lindt 85%

Ever tried Lindt 99%? It's incredibly expensive, but definitely the best tasting chocolate I know, worth a recommendation. Most 8x% chocolate bars are way too sweet for me, but YMMV.

Not tried the Lindt brand at that high a concentration, but I typically eat Scharffen Berger 99%.

In a 55g serving (5 servings per package):
- 370 Calories
- 30g Fat (19g Sat. Fat)
- 5mg Sodium
- 17g Total Carb (2g Sugars)
- 7g Protein

Ingredients:
-Cacao beans, and whole vanilla beans

I usually eat only a few grams daily and the entire package, while expensive, can last a very long time. It is a great way to get your chocolate fix - especially if you are on a low carb diet.

Edited by shawn57187, 01 February 2009 - 10:35 PM.

[ajnast4r]

Lindt 85%... Lower sugar compared to other brands gram for gram. Excellent flavor and CHEAP!

Also coco_via bars have standardized amounts of polyphenols...they are a tad expensive but good quality and taste fantastic

[CobaltThoriumG]

These sites looks interesting:

http://www.therawcho...op.com/shop.asp

http://www.therawcho.../chocolates.htm

http://www.pacaricho...php?op=products (This one offers the only bar I've seen so far that contains only organic, unroasted, 100% cacao, I find it difficult to believe there is no other ingredient, but that's what they say.)

http://gnosischocolate.squarespace.com (Because I like to be inclusive, the hot chocolate girl page)

Edited by CobaltThoriumG, 02 February 2009 - 02:41 AM.

[Forever21]

sugar-free, dairy-free, glutten-free. sweet. thx

[niner]

sugar-free, dairy-free, glutten-free. sweet. thx

But were they alkalized? I haven't seen any mention of that at the raw chocolate sites.

[JackChristopher]

Ghirardelli 86%
Lindt 85%
Hachez 88%
an 85% bar at Trader Joe's with a black and purple wrapper whose name escapes me... will report back later

That must be Valrhona brand. The bar is called, Le Noir Extra Amer.

[nameless]

I like Lindt 85% probably the best. I've tried the 99% ones too... good... sort of unusual taste. But they are super thin, expensive and hard to find. Valrhona are good too.

ChocoLove and Green & Black probably would be at the next tier for me, taste-wise. And then Endangered Species, which for some reason seem too sweet to me, even at high percentages of cocoa.

The sterols in CocoVia scares me off. Although sterols can lower cholesterol, it may not really be heart-healthy (sterols may replace cholesterol in plaque). I think they have soy added too, which I'm not super fond of either.

[openeyes]

After reading this thread I just went by the local foodie place, Southern Seasons, and picked up a bar of 99% Lindt, and the 9.7 ounce Scharffen Berger 99%. Compared to my old favorite, Dolfin 88% going for $5 for a 2.47 ounce bar, the Lindt was cheap at $3.25 for ~3 ounces, and the Scharffen Berger 99% was similarly affordable at $9.95. I came home, fixed some coffee in keeping with Lindt's tasting instructions, let it melt on my tongue as I sipped some coffee, and then tried the SB. All of it was quite good and I'll likely buy more when I run out. My standard "cheap" chocolate is a pound bar of Belgian 72% cocoa at Trader Joes, going for $4.

[JackChristopher]

After reading this thread I just went by the local foodie place, Southern Seasons, and picked up a bar of 99% Lindt, and the 9.7 ounce Scharffen Berger 99%. Compared to my old favorite, Dolfin 88% going for $5 for a 2.47 ounce bar, the Lindt was cheap at $3.25 for ~3 ounces, and the Scharffen Berger 99% was similarly affordable at $9.95. I came home, fixed some coffee in keeping with Lindt's tasting instructions, let it melt on my tongue as I sipped some coffee, and then tried the SB. All of it was quite good and I'll likely buy more when I run out. My standard "cheap" chocolate is a pound bar of Belgian 72% cocoa at Trader Joes, going for $4.

Here's an extensive dark chocolate review site:
http://www.seventype...chocop/bars.asp

I tried 100% cocoa solids, or baker's chocolate, it wasn't too good but maybe it's an acquired taste. But I hear Mind (and/or Duke) eats it, but they melt it first. Whole Foods sells it.

Dagoba brand has an 87% bar called Eclipse, and a 100% one that probably tastes better than baker's chocolate. I've only tried the Valrhona 85%. I can't find good quality (and in stock) bars on Amazon. I want to buy in bulk eventually.

Besides making my own, I want something that's mostly cocoa and cocoa butter with little to no sugar. The 85% to 90% bars are good, and still have detectable sweetness, especially if you're on a low sugar/carb diet.

[openeyes]

Dagoba brand has an 87% bar called Eclipse, and a 100% one that probably tastes better than baker's chocolate. I've only tried the Valrhona 85%. I can't find good quality (and in stock) bars on Amazon. I want to buy in bulk eventually.

Thanks for the link. I've tried and enjoyed the Eclipse bar, but was unaware of the 100%. Before I found good local places to get many of the chocolates I like at a good price, I bought online from here: http://www.chocosphe...cts/dagoba.html I see they have the 100% dagoba bar. Bought in bulk, their prices are still a bit better than local, even with shipping included.

[JackChristopher]

Dagoba brand has an 87% bar called Eclipse, and a 100% one that probably tastes better than baker's chocolate. I've only tried the Valrhona 85%. I can't find good quality (and in stock) bars on Amazon. I want to buy in bulk eventually.

Thanks for the link. I've tried and enjoyed the Eclipse bar, but was unaware of the 100%. Before I found good local places to get many of the chocolates I like at a good price, I bought online from here: http://www.chocosphe...cts/dagoba.html I see they have the 100% dagoba bar. Bought in bulk, their prices are still a bit better than local, even with shipping included.

Thanks.

Went to Walgreens and Stop & Shop today, they had surprisingly good chocolate. At Walgreens, there was Lindt 85% bar for ($1.50 SALE @ 3.5 oz). S&S had Ghirardelli 86% (3.16 oz. @ $2.79) and in the baking section, a 100% bar (4 oz. @ $2.99).

They even had Endangered Species, Green & Blacks (just 72s%) brand and another 85%+ chocolate I don't remember at Walgreens; I'm curious about what Rite Aid and Shaw's has. My local grocer sells Dagoba .

But I wish they made a 90% bar, the 100% bar still too much. I would melt them and add a sweeter, or eat them alternating with an 85%er.

Edited by JackChristopher, 05 March 2009 - 09:57 PM.

[CobaltThoriumG]

I made my own chocolate that seems to work well enough for me in moderation. I feel too stimulated if I eat it too often or eat too much of it. The recipe was 3 parts raw organic cacao butter to 1 part raw organic cacao powder, by mass, with stevia powder added to taste. On the next batch I may try mixing in some coconut oil and vanilla extract.

Edited by CobaltThoriumG, 05 March 2009 - 09:33 PM.

[JackChristopher]

I made my own chocolate that seems to work well enough for me in moderation. I feel too stimulated if I eat it too often or eat too much of it. The recipe was 3 parts raw organic cacao butter to 1 part raw organic cacao powder, by mass, with stevia powder added to taste. On the next batch I may try mixing in some coconut oil and vanilla extract.

Where do you buy the cocoa buter?

On Amazon I found mostly skin products, and just one edible brand.

[CobaltThoriumG]

I made my own chocolate that seems to work well enough for me in moderation. I feel too stimulated if I eat it too often or eat too much of it. The recipe was 3 parts raw organic cacao butter to 1 part raw organic cacao powder, by mass, with stevia powder added to taste. On the next batch I may try mixing in some coconut oil and vanilla extract.

Where do you buy the cocoa buter?

On Amazon I found mostly skin products, and just one edible brand.

Google raw organic cacao butter for a bunch of choices. I bought mine from Gnosis Chocolate (http://gnosischocola...ganic-raw-bulk/) because they had a good price on almonds (and not so much because the chocolate girl is hot, which is never a bad thing) that I also wanted. I think nutsonline.com has a good price, too. This is the first time I ever used cacao butter, so I can't vouch for the qaulity. I don't know the difference. I found out later that organic, raw almonds are still available from California instead of Spain.

Edited by CobaltThoriumG, 06 March 2009 - 12:18 AM.