For a ride lasting over 90 minutes, choose food against a carbohydrate plan rather than choosing chocolate by cocoa percentage: British Cycling advises 0.5–1 g of carbohydrate per kg of body mass per hour, depending on intensity. The Cadbury white bar examined declares more carbohydrate per 100 g than the 70–72% dark bars examined, while those dark bars declare less sugar; compare the portion you would actually eat, its fat content and the current allergen label before including either in your ride food.
If your ride will last over 90 minutes, work out how much carbohydrate your food needs to contribute. British Cycling’s hourly guidance depends on body mass and ride intensity; a bar’s cocoa percentage cannot tell you how much of that intake a portion supplies.
Compare carbohydrate, sugars and fat on the same per-100 g basis, then check the portion you would carry. The white and 70–72% dark products examined have different declared amounts, so the choice depends on what you want the chocolate to contribute.
Read the current pack’s ingredients and precautionary allergen wording before choosing chocolate for yourself or another rider. A dark bar or a vegan-recipe description does not, by itself, establish suitability for someone with a milk or nut allergy.
Start with the carbohydrate contribution you need from a portion, then compare the chocolate’s other declared ingredients and practical format.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Ride intake | For rides over 90 minutes, British Cycling advises 0.5–1 g carbohydrate per kg of body mass per hour, depending on intensity. Check the carbohydrate in the portion you plan to eat and how you will divide your food into small feeds. | I need to know what each portion contributes to my ride plan, rather than treating one bar as an hour’s food. |
| Carbohydrate and sugars | Compare labels per 100 g before comparing portions. The Cadbury White product listed by ASDA declares 64 g carbohydrate and 64 g sugars per 100 g; the Waitrose, Lindt and Green & Black’s 70–72% dark products examined declare 29.5–36 g carbohydrate and 24.4–29 g sugars per 100 g. | If I want chocolate to contribute more carbohydrate, the white example has more per 100 g than these dark examples. If I prefer their cocoa profile, I still need to count their smaller carbohydrate contribution. |
| Fat | Check fat alongside carbohydrate for the same weight or serving. The examined 70–72% dark bars declare 38.4–42 g fat per 100 g; the Cadbury White bar listed by ASDA declares 30 g per 100 g. | I want to see what else comes with the carbohydrate in the amount of chocolate I intend to carry. |
| Allergens | Read the exact pack’s ingredient list and precautionary wording. Lindt says its EXCELLENCE 70% is made to a vegan recipe but is not suitable for people with a milk allergy because it is made in a facility that uses milk. | For an allergy, I cannot use “dark”, a cocoa percentage or “vegan recipe” as a shortcut for checking the pack. |
| Portion and storage | Check the stated serving size, whether you can divide the bar before riding, and its storage instructions. The product information examined calls for chocolate to be kept cool and dry or protected from heat. | Smaller, planned portions would be easier for me to count than eating an uncertain amount from a large bar. |
The 70–72% dark bars examined declare 29.5–36 g carbohydrate per 100 g. Cocoa percentage does not state how much carbohydrate your planned portion will provide.
Calculate your ride intake first, then compare the bar’s carbohydrate per serving with the amount you intend that feed to supply.
The Cadbury White bar listed by ASDA declares 64 g carbohydrate and 30 g fat per 100 g. Its carbohydrate contribution is one part of the decision, alongside portion size and ingredients.
If you choose white chocolate, count the portion against your plan and check its milk, soya and precautionary allergen wording.
Dark bars can carry milk or nut warnings. Lindt states that its vegan-recipe EXCELLENCE 70% bar is not suitable for people with a milk allergy.
Use the current pack’s ingredient and allergen statement to assess the exact product.
If you eat an uncertain fraction of a large bar, it is harder to count the carbohydrate consumed. The chocolate product information examined also calls for protection from heat or cool, dry storage.
Divide the amount you plan to eat before setting off, and carry it with the storage instructions in mind.
These product-line examples illustrate label differences; a brand name alone does not establish the composition or allergens of another bar.
The Waitrose Belgian Dark Chocolate bar examined is a 180 g, 72% cocoa example.
Lindt EXCELLENCE 70% is a high-cocoa dark-bar example with a vegan-recipe description.
The organic 70% dark product examined is listed by Waitrose as a cooking chocolate bar.
Cadbury provides a white-chocolate example and a separate Bournville dark bar; they should not be treated as interchangeable products.
These options include white chocolate, high-cocoa dark bars and a white-chocolate-coated wafer snack. Compare the current pack’s portion nutrition and allergens with your ride plan; the wafer snack is not a plain chocolate bar.
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A plain white-chocolate option if you want chocolate to contribute to a planned ride intake. Check the current pack’s carbohydrate per serving, milk and soya information, and instructions for carrying it in warm conditions.
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A 70% dark-bar option when cocoa content is part of your choice. Count the carbohydrate in the portion you would eat rather than using 70% as a measure of ride fuel, and check the current milk and nut warnings.
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A 72% cocoa dark bar for comparing a stated cocoa level with its portion nutrition. Check carbohydrate and fat together, plus the current soya and precautionary allergen wording, before adding a portion to your ride food.
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This 85% cocoa bar is a distinct dark-chocolate option, not one of the 70–72% examples compared above. Check its carbohydrate per portion against your ride plan rather than assuming a higher cocoa percentage provides more fuel; read the current allergen wording too.
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A four-bar wafer snack with a white-chocolate coating, rather than plain white chocolate. Check the current pack’s nutrition for the amount you intend to eat and its milk and wheat ingredients before using it in a ride plan.
Do not assume one bar covers your carbohydrate plan. For rides over 90 minutes, British Cycling advises 0.5–1 g carbohydrate per kg of body mass per hour, depending on intensity, taken in small feeds. Check the carbohydrate in the amount of chocolate you would actually eat and plan the rest of your food accordingly.
Cocoa percentage does not measure a bar’s contribution to a cycling carbohydrate plan. The Waitrose, Lindt and Green & Black’s 70–72% dark products examined declare 29.5–36 g carbohydrate per 100 g, compared with 64 g per 100 g for the Cadbury White product listed by ASDA. Compare portions as well as the per-100 g figures.
Not necessarily. Lindt says its EXCELLENCE 70% bar is made to a vegan recipe but is not suitable for people with a milk allergy because it is made in a facility using milk. Read the current allergen statement on the exact pack you intend to buy.
Check carbohydrate for the portion you intend to eat, along with fat, the ingredient list, allergens and any precautionary wording. The stated serving size helps you compare that portion with your ride plan; storage instructions matter if you will carry the chocolate in warm conditions.
Divide the amount you plan to eat before riding and protect it from heat. The product information examined calls for cool, dry storage or protection from heat, while pre-portioning makes it easier to count how much of a larger bar you have eaten.