Choose a bar with a declared cocoa percentage if high cocoa content matters most: Lindt EXCELLENCE Dark 70% and Tony’s Extra Dark 70% are solid-bar examples, while the 20.7g KitKat 2 Finger Dark is a smaller, dark-chocolate-coated wafer rather than a plain solid bar. If you plan to sleep soon, timing matters too: NHS Borders identifies chocolate as a caffeine source and advises avoiding caffeine for four hours before bedtime.
Start with the choice that changes your snack: a stated cocoa percentage, an individually sized bar or the time you intend to eat it.
If high cocoa content is the reason you are choosing dark chocolate, look for a percentage on the exact bar. Lindt Shop UK states a minimum of 70% cocoa solids for its EXCELLENCE Dark 70% bar; Tony’s Chocolonely UK describes its Extra Dark bar as 70% cocoa. Both are larger bars from which you choose your own amount.
Consider when you expect to sleep, not just which bar appeals to you. NHS Borders identifies chocolate and cocoa as caffeine sources and advises avoiding caffeine for four hours before bedtime.
KitKat UK lists its 2 Finger Dark bar at 20.7g. Its two dark-chocolate-coated wafer fingers offer a different format from a solid tablet, but the ingredients include wheat and milk.
Check cocoa content and format first, then consider bedtime timing and the exact pack’s ingredients.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Cocoa content | Look for a declared cocoa percentage on the exact bar. Lindt EXCELLENCE Dark 70% states at least 70% cocoa solids; Galaxy lists a 70% cocoa Fusions dark bar. Do not treat the word “dark” alone as a percentage. | I want a stated high-cocoa option, rather than choosing by the colour or description of the chocolate. |
| Bedtime timing | Consider how soon you intend to sleep. NHS Borders identifies chocolate and cocoa as caffeine sources and advises avoiding caffeine for four hours before bedtime. | If caffeine near bedtime is a concern for me, I would rather have chocolate earlier or choose a non-chocolate snack now. |
| Size and format | Compare net weight and whether the bar is solid chocolate or a coated wafer. Lindt’s cited bar is 100g, Tony’s Extra Dark is 180g, and KitKat 2 Finger Dark is a 20.7g wafer bar. | An individually sized snack suits me better than deciding how much to break from a larger tablet—or I may prefer to portion a tablet myself. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the current pack, including any may-contain statement. KitKat UK lists wheat and milk ingredients for 2 Finger Dark; Lindt Shop UK lists possible nuts, milk, soya and sesame for EXCELLENCE Dark 70%. | I need to check the particular bar rather than assume that dark chocolate is suitable for my ingredient exclusions. |
A coated wafer and a solid 70% cocoa bar are different snacks. KitKat UK describes 2 Finger Dark as two wafer fingers covered in dark chocolate, while Lindt Shop UK states a minimum 70% cocoa content for its EXCELLENCE Dark 70% bar.
If cocoa content drives your choice, check the declared percentage on the exact product. If format matters more, compare the bar’s weight and ingredients.
NHS Borders identifies chocolate and cocoa as caffeine sources and advises avoiding caffeine for four hours before bedtime.
If that timing matters to you, have chocolate earlier rather than making it your snack immediately before bed.
Ingredient information differs by product: KitKat UK lists wheat and milk in 2 Finger Dark, and Lindt Shop UK gives a may-contain warning covering nuts, milk, soya and sesame for EXCELLENCE Dark 70%.
Check the ingredients and allergen wording on the current pack of the exact bar you intend to buy.
These examples show why the name of a brand—or even the word “dark”—does not settle the cocoa, format or ingredient question.
Lindt EXCELLENCE Dark 70% is a solid 100g bar for shoppers looking for a declared cocoa percentage.
Tony’s Extra Dark is a 180g bar described by Tony’s Chocolonely UK as 70% cocoa.
Galaxy Fusions includes a dark chocolate bar labelled 70% cocoa and a Raspberry Meringue version stated to contain at least 70% cocoa.
Cadbury describes Bournville Classic Dark as a 100g dark chocolate bar.
KitKat 2 Finger Dark is a 20.7g dark-chocolate-coated wafer bar, not a plain chocolate tablet.
These options are dark chocolate bars with cocoa percentages in their product names: two plain bars and one with raspberries. Compare the pack sizes, and check the current pack for ingredients and allergens.
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A solid bar to consider if you want a stated cocoa percentage and prefer to break off your own amount. Check the current pack’s ingredients and allergen statement before choosing it.
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Another 100g solid bar with a stated cocoa percentage, for choosing your own amount rather than buying an individually sized wafer snack. Read the current pack for ingredients and allergens.
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The raspberry inclusion makes this a choice for someone wanting fruit with dark chocolate, rather than a plain bar. Check the current pack’s ingredient and allergen statement carefully, particularly if you have an allergy.
Consider having it earlier if caffeine near bedtime concerns you. NHS Borders identifies chocolate and cocoa as caffeine sources and advises avoiding caffeine for four hours before bedtime; that guidance does not give a caffeine amount for any particular bar.
Look for a declared percentage on the exact pack. Lindt Shop UK states a minimum of 70% cocoa solids for EXCELLENCE Dark 70%, while Tony’s Chocolonely UK and Galaxy describe the cited dark bars as 70% cocoa. The description “dark” alone does not specify a percentage.
No. KitKat UK lists wheat flour and milk ingredients in 2 Finger Dark, and Lindt Shop UK gives a may-contain warning that includes milk and nuts for EXCELLENCE Dark 70%. Read the ingredient and allergen statements on the current pack of the product you choose.