It’s been many years since I last tried sugar-free chocolate, for good reason… it was disgusting. I would rather have had no chocolate than gross chocolate. I guess one of the many things that have improved with time and technology is sugar-free chocolate. Simply Lite’s Milk and Dark Chocolate bars are all the evidence I need to know science is awesome.

Now, sugar-free does conjure up some negative feelings to some folks, myself included. I’m not going to get into a philosophical debate about sugar vs. sugar-free, but I have been privy to concerns being raised about sugar substitutes. So many concerns that my little mind – tuned in by all the marketers trying to sell us the next best thing – was a little curious about the ingredients. I read the nutritional packing with some scrutiny and red lights started a-flashin’ when I read the warning “excess consumption may cause a laxative effect”. But, like all things, excess can cause long-lasting effects, no? Moderation, they say wisely. So I threw a little caution – along with a wrapper or two – to the wind because I did, of course, need to eat some of three different bars to tell my little tale of Simply Lite chocolates.

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I can’t believe I’m about to say this, but not everything needs to be covered in chocolate. Not Just Cereal is a fine example. Chocolate coated cereal sounds like a great idea, but it’s overkill. One of my roommates liked the cereals, but roommate two and I were not fans. I think it must just be up to individual tastes. Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t bad, just nothing special. My roommates and I did find ourselves munching on it when nothing else was available, though, so that might count for something. I suppose it’s alright, but it would be an unlikely purchase for me to make at a store.

The first one we tried was Fruity O’s. Think Fruit Loops covered in chocolate. I was apprehensive about this one especially because it just sounded like a gross combination. It wasn’t half bad and I liked it a bit better than the others. I guess my biggest complaint is the chocolate isn’t the best. It’s similar to the chocolate on Whoppers, but not as good.

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(image courtesy Cosmo’s Vegan Shoppe)
As far as I’m concerned, marshmallows have four practical applications:

1. Direct snacking (good)
2. Hot chocolate (better)
3. S’mores (best)
4. Rice Krispies Treats (sublime, to be sure, but labor-intensive and, as such, ignored here)

Armed with this intimate understanding of what I like to think of as little sugar pillows, I embarked on a three-part sampling of Dandies Vegan Marshmallows to give you, the Candy Addict reader, the most comprehensive look possible at this exciting product.

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Let’s say you return home from the market with a big Yukon Gold potato to go with your steak. You’re ready to bake the potato when you notice some fine print on a small sticker. It reads: “Contains salt, milk substitutes, artificial sour cream, onion, bacon and cheddar cheese flavor; 7% real potato.” Although you might like the sound of those add-ons, you certainly wouldn’t think you were holding a potato in your hand, would you? Of course not. A potato is 100% potato. Those other things might go great on your spud, but you want to start with an actual potato, don’t you? Of course.

And yet, this potato scenario exactly mirrors what happens when you buy any mass produced chocolate bar. All of them have around 7% cocoa and cocoa butter, and fill in the other 93% with sugar, milk substitutes, vegetable oils, soy lecithin and fake vanilla (called “vanillan”). Yes, you read correctly. Ninety percent or more of your supposed chocolate bar has nothing to do with chocolate, and yet it’s called chocolate!

Why is that, you ask? You won’t be surprised to learn that it’s due to history, greed and a disregard for quality. The cocoa in a nominal chocolate bar is by far the costliest ingredient, so makers want as little of it as possible. And we’ve called this food chocolate for so long that we associate the name with something very far from the cocoa bean.

Enter good chocolate, which has only been around since 1987, when chocolatiers figured out a way to bring out the distinct flavors of the cocoa bean in high percentage formulas without the high acidity and bitterness overwhelming the taste. (Why you don’t want any more than 70-75% cocoa; sugar, cocoa butter and vanilla round out the cocoa bean flavor best.) These artisan chocolates have a concern for quality and flavor. You’ve seen all those dark chocolate bars with percentages on the front, right? That comes from wishing to trumpet the fact that these bars have more cocoa credibility, and it’s a great trend. Except for one thing.

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Looking for a gorgeous chocolate gift? Whether you’re treating yourself or someone else, Edward Marc has some lovely goodies to share with you. I recently received of a box of Edward Marc gourmet assorted chocolates and a box of chocolate peanut butter pretzels to review.

The first thing I noticed was the packaging. It’s very classy and elegant, without being stuffy. My immediate thought was “Ooh, this would make a nice gift!” When I opened the box of chocolates, I was delighted to see that the inside was even prettier than the outside.

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