Chocolate is a gift from the gods. That we can all agree on. (If you’re one of those weirdoes who doesn’t like chocolate, sorry, but we can’t be friends.) But just because we’d eat pretty much anything chocolatey that you put in front of us doesn’t mean we don’t have preferences.
While there are oodles of chocolate brands and so many different ways to eat it, any debate around chocolate’s merits comes down to one battle: milk chocolate versus dark chocolate. (White chocolate is dead to us. It doesn’t even deserve to be called chocolate.) Which one reigns supreme?
We stuffed ourselves with a lot of chocolate to answer this question. (It’s a tough job but somebody’s gotta do it.) And we were surprised that the winner completely swept almost every category we could think of. (It was a chocolate landslide!) Scroll on down to see which type of chocolate came out on top in this Mandatory Food Fight – then conduct your own choco-challenge and let us know if you agree!
Cover Photo: Image Source (Getty Images)
COVID Cravings: 10 Weird Foods You’re Suddenly Into (And What Science Has to Say About It)
Ranked: The Worst Foods to Eat Before You Bone
Visit the Mandatory Shop for great deals on your very own Mandatory merch.
Follow Mandatory on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Dark Chocolate vs Milk Chocolate
-
Taste
There’s no easy answer here. It depends on what you like. If you prefer sweet, uncomplicated flavors that give you an instant sugar rush, milk chocolate is for you. But if you like complex, layered, deep flavors that are best appreciated with mindful consumption, dark chocolate is your best choice. If you’re a newbie, start off with a dark chocolate bar with a lower percentage of cacao and work your way up to 100 percent (if you can stomach it).
Winner: Tie
-
Texture
Milk chocolate has a smooth, silky mouthfeel. Dark chocolate has a thicker consistency and dark chocolate bars are often infused with other ingredients, like sea salt, nuts, or fruit, creating a chunkier chewing experience.
Winner: Milk Chocolate
-
Availability
Milk chocolate is available pretty much everywhere, from gas stations to grocery stores to concessions stands. Dark chocolate can be harder to come by, depending on where you live. If you want a truly quality bar, you’ll likely be looking at an extra trip to a specialty food store or confectioner. In other words, being a dark chocolate addict is kind of a pain in the ass.
Winner: Milk Chocolate
-
Cost
There’s no competition here – dark chocolate is going to set you back some serious bucks. Even if you go for the big brand’s version (like Hershey’s), it’s always going to cost more than milk chocolate. If you become a true dark chocolate connoisseur, you could easily shell out hundreds of dollars (we shit you not) for a top-tier bar. Some form of milk chocolate is affordable no matter what your budget.
Winner: Milk Chocolate
-
Baking
If you’re going to whip up a batch of your grandma’s favorite chocolate chip cookies, opt for milk chocolate. It’s creamier, sweeter, and more nostalgic than dark chocolate could ever be. That’s not to say that dark chocolate doesn’t have its place in baking – it does, in sophisticated dessert recipes for, say, a dinner party – but for your everyday, comfort-food baking, milk chocolate should be your go-to.
Winner: Milk Chocolate
-
Dipping
If you’re a fan of chocolate-covered strawberries (and really, how could you not be?) or fondue fountains, choose dark chocolate. Why? Because the slightly bitter nature of the dark chocolate offsets the sweetness of the fruit (or marshmallows, or donuts, or whatever else you might be dipping in there). Dipping with milk chocolate isn’t a disaster, per se, but it will overwhelm your tastebuds with sweetness.
Winner: Dark Chocolate
-
Drinkability
Whether it’s hot chocolate, a mocha, or chocolate milk, we love to drink our favorite dessert. But when it comes time to take a big swig, nobody wants a mouthful of bitter dark chocolate. There’s no contest here. When it comes to sipping, go with the sweeter chocolate.
Winner: Milk Chocolate
-
Bingeability
Because dark chocolate is so intense, you’ll probably find you feel satisfied with less – even as little as a square or two. If you’re trying to lose weight or curb your sugar consumption, that’s a good thing. But if, at the end of a hard day, you need the edible oblivion that only a chocolate binge will bring, go whole hog on the milk chocolate. It’s simply easier to stuff yourself with.
Winner: Milk Chocolate
-
Ethical Practices
Chocolate has a dirty little secret – make that two: child labor and slavery. In response to the recent awareness-raising campaigns that have brought the chocolate industry’s horrendous practices to light, many fair-trade and ethically-sourced brands of chocolate have cropped up on the market. Most of these specialize in the dark – sometimes very dark, as in 100 percent cocoa – type of chocolate. If how your sweet treat is made matters to you, there’s really only one choice here.
Winner: Dark Chocolate
-
Health Benefits
Because dark chocolate has more cocoa, it boasts more health benefits in the form of flavonoids, a type of antioxidants. Flavonoids can help lower blood pressure, improve vascular function, and prevent inflammation in the body. Dark chocolate bar brands also tend to veer toward more organic ingredients. Milk chocolate has more added sugar and fat than dark chocolate, making it a nutritional dud.
Winner: Dark Chocolate
-
And the Winner Is...
While we wouldn’t turn down any offer of chocolate, if we have a choice, we’re sticking to the classic milk chocolate. It’s simply more versatile, consistent, and comforting. Dark chocolate is more of an acquired taste, and finding a brand that satisfies your changing cravings – or preparation needs – can be tough. When push comes to shove, we want that cloyingly sweet flavor and silky texture on our tongues.
Overall Winner: Milk Chocolate
