Chocolate bars and other types of candy are often said to contain “empty calories”. This means that they are high in calories but low in nutritional value. Refer to the calorie counter for your favorite chocolate bars to determine the calories and nutrition facts.
High in Calories
Chocolate is a calorie-dense food so, when you add other ingredients like nuts and caramel to a chocolate bar, it increases the calorie content even further. Some of the highest calorie candy bars include Snickers (280 calories), Milky Way (260 calories), 3 Musketeers (260 calories), and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups (230 calories). A high percentage of these calories comes from fats, so be careful to enjoy candy bars in moderation.
Added Sugar Content
In addition to being high in calories, chocolate bars commonly contain high levels of carbohydrate in the form of added sugar. Cocoa is not naturally sweet so it is necessary to add sugar or other sweeteners to give chocolate bars that sweet taste you crave. Eating too much chocolate can cause your blood sugar levels to spike and it can actually make you crave more chocolate and more sugar which may lead to overeating.
Chocolate bars are a sweet treat best enjoyed in moderation because they generally do not provide significant nutritional value. Refer to the calorie calculator for your favorite chocolate bars to determine their calories and nutrition facts.
Benefits of Dark Chocolate
While chocolate bars generally cannot be labeled “healthy,” bars of 70-85% dark chocolate actually do provide some health benefits. Dark chocolate contains small amounts of various vitamins and minerals including iron, magnesium, potassium, copper, and selenium. Additionally, eating a small portion of dark chocolate several times a week may help to lower blood pressure, raise good cholesterol levels, and improve cognitive function.
Weight Gain
Eating one chocolate bar here and there will not cause you to gain a significant amount of weight, but if you frequently snack on chocolate bars as part of a high-calorie diet, you may end up gaining weight. Remember, most of the calories in chocolate bars come from fats and carbs and they do not provide much in the way of vitamins and minerals. Because chocolate bars are high in calories and have the potential to contribute to weight gain, they are best enjoyed in moderation.
