Dark chocolate lovers keeping an eye on portions
You’re looking for a stronger chocolate flavour, but want to know the energy, sugars and saturated fatty acids in the lolly you’ll be eating. The word ‘dark’ alone doesn’t tell you that.
Who is this choice for?
People choosing an occasional ice cream
You’re deciding between a simple recipe and a lolly with sauce or inclusions. The ingredients and weight of each lolly help you make an informed choice, rather than judging its nutritional values by appearance alone.
Shoppers checking for allergens
You need to check the ingredients and any ‘may contain’ warnings on the box you buy. These can vary from one dark chocolate recipe to another, particularly for milk, soya and nuts.
What should you compare?
Start with the portion you plan to eat, then check the recipe and allergens. Values per 100 g help you compare similar products, while values per lolly help you assess an individual portion.
| What to compare | What to check | Who is this useful for? |
|---|---|---|
| Portion and nutritional values | The weight of one lolly, followed by its energy, sugars and saturated fatty acids per portion. | I want to know what’s in the lolly I’ll eat, rather than judging the box by its colour. Around 50% of consumers would prioritise the portion and its nutritional values. |
| Dark chocolate flavour and recipe | Which part of the product the stated cocoa content refers to, and whether it contains sauce or inclusions. | I’m mainly looking for a pronounced dark chocolate flavour, without assuming the whole ice lolly has the same composition as its coating. For around 30% of consumers, this intensity would be the top priority. |
| Ingredients and allergens | The ingredients list and any ‘may contain’ warnings on the packaging you’re actually buying. | Some ingredients or traces need careful checking before I buy for my household. For around 20% of consumers, this compatibility would come before other considerations. |
If a Nutri-Score appears on the packaging, it provides an additional point of reference when comparing similar products. It doesn’t replace checking the values per portion or reading the ingredients list.
Mistakes to avoid
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Assuming ‘dark chocolate’ means fewer calories
The dark chocolate may only be used for the coating; the ice cream may also contain sauce or inclusions. The cocoa percentage of the coating doesn’t tell you the nutritional values of the whole lolly.
Compare the energy, sugars and saturated fatty acids per portion before choosing.
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Looking only at values per 100 g
Two lollies of different weights don’t represent the same amount of food. Auchan’s product listings for Nuii and the chocolate and mint lolly give portion sizes of 69 g and 85 g respectively.
Check the values per lolly where available, and use those per 100 g to compare recipes.
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Relying on the word ‘dark’ to check for allergens
Depending on the recipe, milk, soya or nuts may appear in the ingredients or in ‘may contain’ warnings. A product range name doesn’t tell you everything about its ingredients.
Read the ingredients list and any ‘may contain’ warnings on the box you buy, especially if you have an allergy.
Brands and ice lolly features
These products illustrate different recipes. Stated cocoa content, portion weight and nutritional values each tell you something different about a product.
Magnum
Magnum Intense Dark combines milk chocolate ice cream with a dark chocolate coating stated to contain 70% cocoa on Auchan’s product listing.
- The cocoa claim helps identify the coating for anyone looking for a more intense chocolate flavour.
- It doesn’t tell you the energy or sugars per lolly. Check the nutritional information and the milk, soya and possible almond warnings on the box.
Ferrero
Ferrero Rondnoir is a cocoa ice cream covered in dark chocolate and cocoa pieces, sold in a box of four.
- Auchan’s product listing states that dark chocolate makes up 32.6% of the ingredients and provides nutritional values per 100 g.
- It lists 360 kcal, 26 g of sugars and 15 g of saturated fatty acids per 100 g. Check the allergens and any ‘may contain’ warnings on the packaging too.
Nuii
The Nuii dark chocolate and Brazil nut lolly combines chocolate ice cream, caramel sauce and Brazil nut pieces.
- Auchan’s product listing gives values per 69 g lolly, so you can see the figures for this portion directly.
- This portion contains 252 kcal, 18 g of sugars and 9.5 g of saturated fatty acids. As it contains Brazil nuts, be sure to check the allergen information.
Auchan
Auchan’s chocolate and mint lolly offers a different flavour combination, with a dark chocolate coating.
- Auchan’s product listing gives nutritional values per 85 g lolly.
- It lists 254 kcal, 24 g of sugars and 10 g of saturated fatty acids per lolly, as well as possible traces of several allergens. The mint flavour doesn’t mean you can skip checking this information.
Ice lollies and sorbets on Joybuy
These two products suit different tastes: a mango and passion fruit sorbet paired with dark chocolate, and a dark chocolate ice lolly. Compare the recipe and pack size, then check the nutritional information on each box.
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PopFruit Mini Sorbet Sticks mango, passion fruit and dark chocolate, x6, 282 g
A fruity sorbet and dark chocolate combination, rather than a chocolate ice lolly. The box contains six pieces, weighing 282 g in total. Check the packaging to compare values per portion and check for allergens.
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POPELINO Intense Dark Chocolate Ice Lollies, x4, 312 g
A dark chocolate ice lolly rather than a fruity sorbet. The box contains four pieces, weighing 312 g in total. Check the nutritional values per lolly and the allergen information on the packaging.
Frequently asked questions
Is a ‘dark’ ice lolly always a better choice for weight management?
No. ‘Dark’ describes the chocolate, but doesn’t guarantee any particular nutritional values for the whole lolly. Compare the energy, sugars, saturated fatty acids and portion weight. If a Nutri-Score is shown, use it as an additional guide when comparing similar products.
Should I read the values per 100 g or per lolly?
They answer different questions: values per 100 g help you compare recipes, while those per lolly describe the portion you’ll eat. Check the weight of each lolly before comparing figures across two boxes.
Which allergens should I check in a dark chocolate ice cream?
Check the ingredients and any ‘may contain’ warnings on the packaging of the product you choose. Depending on the recipe, Auchan’s listings for the products featured mention milk, soya, nuts or traces of other allergens. The words ‘dark chocolate’ don’t rule these out.
How should I store these ice lollies after buying them?
Follow the storage temperature stated on your box. Auchan’s listings for the Magnum Intense Dark and Nuii products featured specify −18 °C; check the storage instructions for any other product.