Ten of Britain's best-selling chocolate bars have been ranked from healthiest to worst by dietitian Ro Huntriss and nutritionist Rob Hobson, who scored each one on its calorie, sugar and fat content. Lindt's 70% Cocoa bar and Cadbury's KitKat two-finger bar topped the list, while Kinder Bueno, Twix and Mars scored lowest.
Many of the UK's favourite chocolate bars have been reformulated over the past decade to comply with government anti-obesity guidelines, with brands including KitKat and Mars shrinking in size and cutting sugar and fatty ingredients such as palm oil. Cocoa is rich in antioxidants said to benefit everything from eye health to the immune system, but its natural fat content makes chocolate nutritionally risky, and shop-bought bars are often loaded with extra fat, sugar and other flavourings on top of the plant's base ingredients.
Huntriss said she wouldn't recommend eating any chocolate bar every day, but added that some are far better choices than others for those watching their waistline.
Galaxy and Lindt
A 42g bar of Galaxy smooth milk chocolate contains 229 calories, 14g fat, 23g sugar and 3.1g protein. Huntriss said there is little nutritional difference between Galaxy and a same-sized bar of Dairy Milk. "So just pick whichever one you prefer," she said. Galaxy has slightly fewer calories than some rivals and roughly as much protein as half an egg. Huntriss suggested buying the large sharing bars and breaking off five squares rather than the eight in a small bar, which halves the calorie, sugar and fat content. Verdict: 3.5/5.
A two-square portion of Lindt 70% Cocoa contains 112 calories, 5.8g sugar and 8.2g fat. Darker chocolate usually contains less sugar than milk chocolate and is high in plant compounds called flavanols. "These have been found to help boost heart health by lowering blood pressure and bad cholesterol levels," said Hobson. Two squares of the dense bar deliver roughly as much chocolate as a KitKat but with half the sugar, and the bitter taste helps curb further cravings. Verdict: 4.5/5.
Aero and KitKat
A 36g Aero bar contains 192 calories, 19.8g sugar and 11.2g fat. Its bubbly texture could help with portion control, Huntriss said. "The bubbles mean the chocolate has greater volume for its weight, so visually and in the mouth you may feel as though you're eating a larger piece of chocolate than you are," she said. Aero contains fewer than 200 calories and less sugar than Dairy Milk, Galaxy, Twix and Snickers, along with less fat than several competitors. Verdict: 3.5/5.
A 20g two-finger KitKat contains 104 calories, 10.3g sugar and 5g fat. Huntriss said it is lower in calories and fat than solid milk chocolate partly because some of the chocolate is replaced by wafer. "The wafer itself doesn't offer any major nutritional advantage," she said. "It's refined carbohydrate which will give you a quick energy burst and won't satisfy hunger particularly well. However a KitKat is only a healthier choice if you stick to the two-finger portion." A two-finger bar contains roughly the same calories as a medium banana, while a four-finger KitKat contains almost as much as a McDonald's hamburger. Verdict: 4.5/5.
Snickers and Dairy Milk
A 48g Snickers bar contains 245 calories, 22g sugar, 13g fat and 4.6g protein, making it one of the higher-calorie bars with an average sugar count. Huntriss said it offers nutritional benefits others lack. "Nuts provide nearly five grams of protein and micronutrients from the unsaturated fat," she said, citing vitamins B and E and magnesium, which some studies show can help relieve muscle cramps and improve sleep. However, its caramel means roughly five and a half teaspoons of sugar per bar. Verdict: 3/5.
A 45g bar of Cadbury's Dairy Milk contains 240 calories, 25g sugar, 14g fat and 3.3g protein. Cadbury has long promised "a glass and a half of fresh milk" in every bar, and it does contain roughly the calcium of half a glass of semi-skimmed milk, plus a similar amount of protein to Galaxy. But Huntriss said "yoghurt and other dairy foods such as cheese would provide substantially more protein and calcium without the same amount of added sugar and fat." She added that the 25g of total sugar includes naturally occurring milk sugars as well as added sugars, so the exact free sugar content cannot be calculated from the label. Verdict: 3/5.
Kinder Bueno and Twix
A 43g Kinder Bueno bar contains 244 calories, 17.8g sugar and 16g fat. "The wafer makes this feel like a lighter, less calorie-dense bar, but don't be fooled as it actually has one of the highest calorie counts," said Hobson. It has more than twice the fat of a Crunchie and nearly a teaspoon more than a Snickers. "This is likely due to the hazelnut filling," Hobson said. "Hazelnuts contain high levels of unsaturated fat, but it's unlikely there'll be many hazelnuts used. Instead, it's a small percentage of nuts and the rest is probably made with oil and sugar." Because each bar is individually wrapped, a portion comes to 122 calories and 8g of fat. Verdict: 1/5.
A 50g Twix bar contains 246 calories, 24g sugar and 11.8g fat. Hobson said it is more calorie dense than other chocolates with slightly less fat, likely because some chocolate is swapped for biscuit. "The biscuit element also gives this bar a different texture, so it might make a portion feel more substantial and satisfying," he said, suggesting saving one finger for later, at a cost of 124 calories. Verdict: 1/5.
Crunchie and Mars
A 40g Crunchie bar contains 186 calories, 26g sugar and 6.9g fat. Its honeycomb centre gives it a distinctive edge but makes it high in sugar. "This bar contains a lot less fat, mainly because honeycomb is made from sugar and syrup, which are practically fat free," said Hobson. It has half the fat of Dairy Milk, Galaxy and Kinder Bueno, along with considerably fewer calories. Verdict: 3/5.
A 51g Mars bar contains 228 calories, 31g sugar and 8.5g fat. Hobson said the bar shows why calories should not be the only measure watched. "Although surprisingly, Mars has one of the lowest amounts of fat with just 16g per 100g, what it lacks in fat, it makes up for in sugar with a huge 61g per 100g," he said, three times the sugar of a KitKat and the highest of all the bars tested. A single bar already exceeds the daily limit for free sugars recommended by the NHS, and the resulting sugar hit is followed by cravings soon afterwards. "If you were eating a Mars bar a day you'd potentially be at risk of weight gain, tooth decay and illnesses such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease," Hobson warned. Verdict: 1/5.
