Consumers Deceived by Fake Dark Chocolate

Would you knowingly choose to eat fake foods? Many deceptive terms exist on food labels, misleading consumers. One that many people are surprised to learn about is dark chocolate. Many companies are deceiving consumers by labeling dark chocolate when the chocolate was adulterated by removing the natural cocoa butter and replacing it with palm kernel oil. This is fake, imitation chocolate that has lost the taste and health benefits of real dark chocolate.

It is time for many companies to stop misleading consumers into thinking their protein bars are coated in real dark chocolate. NuGo Nutrition believes consumers deserve honesty and the benefits of real dark chocolate. Help us show the need for truly honest and clear labeling by signing NuGo’s petition to create a FDA standard for dark chocolate.

All chocolate must contain cocoa butter. If cocoa butter is removed and replaced with another vegetable fat, like palm kernel oil, the resulting coating is NOT chocolate. Many companies are using a chocolate flavored coating made with palm kernel oil instead of real dark chocolate made with cocoa butter. Yet, the front of the package says dark chocolate! When palm kernel oil is in the ingredients and the front of the wrapper states dark chocolate, consumers are being deceived with a fake dark chocolate coating.

Chocolate is derived from the cocoa plant and is mandated by law to follow a specific recipe or Standard of Identity.

There is not any type of chocolate in the Code of Federal Regulations (21 CFR 163) that contains palm kernel oil. By law, chocolate must not contain vegetable fat (palm kernel oil). There are specific FDA standards of identity that you can’t label white and milk chocolate if they contain non-cocoa butter alternative fats like palm kernel oil.

There is no specific standard of identity for the labeling of dark chocolate. Companies are using this loophole in labeling to suggest they are using healthy and tasty dark chocolate when they are using an adulterated chocolate flavored palm kernel oil coating.

Look at the ingredients to see the difference.

NuGo Slim real dark chocolate: Dark Chocolate (Chocolate Liquor, Cane Sugar, Cocoa Butter)

Example of fake dark chocolate coating: dark chocolate flavored coating (palm kernel oil, chicory root fiber, sugar, cocoa powder, soy lecithin, natural flavor, salt)

The taste and benefits of real dark chocolate.

By replacing cocoa butter with palm kernel oil, you lose the health benefits and the luscious taste of real dark chocolate. When consuming, real dark chocolate melts in your mouth. The cocoa butter melts first, providing a smooth texture that rolls over your tongue, freeing the remaining cocoa solids to explode with luscious chocolate flavor. Conversely, fake chocolate made with palm kernel oil doesn’t melt, imparting a waxy texture and too sweet taste.

Join NuGo’s passionate fight to stop companies from using loopholes in labeling to deceive consumers into thinking they are eating healthy and tasty real dark chocolate when it is actually adulterated dark chocolate. Sign our petition to the FDA to stop dark chocolate deception, and help us share this important information! For consumers who want the taste and health benefits of real dark chocolate, NuGo Slim, NuGo Organic, NuGo Dark, and NuGo Free are coated in real dark chocolate.