Dark Chocolate vs Milk Chocolate: What’s the Difference and Which One’s Better?

Sometimes, we food consumers can become so passionate about our proclivities for certain varieties of food that we can create war where there once was peace. Prepare for battle as we talk about the age old “milk chocolate vs. dark chocolate” debate. Let’s get into it: What is the difference between dark chocolate and milk chocolate, hmmm?

Dark vs milk chocolate: what’s the difference?

The first thing everyone wants to know when comparing dark chocolate and milk chocolate is what ingredients separate one from the other. Well, first off, dark chocolate contains much more cacao than milk chocolate. Dark chocolate can range from 50% all the way to 90% cacao, whilst milk chocolate only contains 10-50%. The high level of cacao makes dark chocolate taste more bitter than sweet milk chocolate. 

Both milk chocolate and dark chocolate also contain cocoa butter, a fat derived from the cocoa bean, which helps make chocolate smooth and rich. But milk chocolate has more sugar than dark chocolate, which, of course, makes it sweeter. 

Does dark chocolate have milk?

Though dark chocolate typically does not contain milk, consumers should note that there may be traces of milk from cross-contamination during processing, as the same machinery is often used to produce milk and dark chocolate. 

Is dark chocolate healthier than milk chocolate? 

Though chocolate as a whole is certainly no miracle health food (though, we can certainly agree, it is a miracle), compared to milk chocolate, dark chocolate is the healthier alternative. Dark chocolate contains far less sugar and (ostensibly) no milk. Plus, the high percentage of cacao in dark chocolate offers certain benefits, such as possibly reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke. 

At the end of the day, which is always the best time to have dessert, we all have our preferences when it comes to satiating our chocoholism, but the truest of cocoa-nnoisseurs will be able to see the merits in both milk chocolate and dark chocolate. And then there are those weirdos who prefer white chocolate over everything. What’s up with them?