Dark vs. milk chocolate: Americans love one more than the other, but which is 'better' for you?

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Arguably one of the world's most beloved foods, chocolate comes in three main varieties: dark, milk and white – although white "chocolate" does not actually contain cocoa products and is a bit of a misnomer. 

Nearly half – 49% – of adult Americans said their favorite kind of chocolate was milk chocolate, with dark chocolate coming in a distant second at 34%, according to a a YouGov poll from 2021.

But what is the difference between the two? And is one type of chocolate "better" for you than another? Read on to find out. 

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"Chocolate comes from the cocoa bean that grows on the Cacao tree," Mark S. Edwards, co-founder of the Austin, Texas-based company Pivotal Cocoa, told Fox News Digital via email. "The cocoa bean is made up of about 50% cocoa powder and 50% cocoa butter."

Americans prefer milk chocolate (left) to dark chocolate. But is one type healthier than the other? (Christophe Archambault/AFP via Getty Images)

Dark and milk chocolate have the same basic ingredients, Edwards said – cocoa powder, cocoa butter, sugar and a flavoring, typically vanilla. 

"Milk chocolate has one added ingredient – whole milk powder – which gives it a creamier texture and smoother flavor," he said.

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Additionally, dark chocolate contains more cocoa powder and cocoa butter than milk chocolate, meaning it contains more polyphenols, Edwards said.

"These polyphenols have antioxidant properties, eliminating free radicals from the body, as well as having an anti-inflammatory effect," he said.  

Chocolate comes from the beans of the cacao tree (seen above). Cacao contains "polyphenols," which help with reducing inflammation.  (Pivotal Cocoa)

Dark chocolate typically has less sugar content than its milk counterpart, French pastry chef and chocolatier Jacques Torres told Fox News Digital – something to consider when weighing the health benefits.

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"So that's going to be a better choice if you don't want to consume too much sugar," Torres, a resident of New York City, said. 

The overall health benefits are about the same, he added. 

"It's up to each customer or individual to decide," Torres said. 

Dark chocolate contains less sugar than its milk chocolate counterpart.  (iStock)

One scenario where dark chocolate is likely to be a better option than milk chocolate has nothing to do with health, Torres noted. That's cooking. 

"More recipes that call for 'chocolate' will call for dark chocolate because if you put chocolate in a recipe, you want the flavor of the chocolate," he said. 

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Ideally, a person will use dark chocolate with "about 50% cocoa content," Torres said, which will help promote the flavor of the chocolate in the dish.

With milk chocolate, "you're going to have the notes of the milk that's going to lower the notes of the chocolate," he said.

While sugar is a "key ingredient" in chocolate, St. Mary's Healthcare System in Athens, Georgia, reported that there is more sugar in milk chocolate.

"Neither is exactly health food. But, compared to milk chocolate, dark chocolate is the healthier alternative. Dark chocolate contains less sugar and no milk while having much more cacao. The high percentage of cacao creates certain benefits from consuming dark chocolate," the health resource's website said.

Most recipes that call for "chocolate" use dark chocolate, Torres said, as it is better able to convey the flavor.  (Laura Chase de Formigny for The Washington Post via Getty Images; food styling by Lisa Cherkasky for The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Health benefits aside, it is truly up to the individual whether a person wants to eat milk or chocolate, Edwards noted.

"Chocolate is a very emotional food, having a direct impact on our mental health," he said.

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"So, if you just love milk chocolate, don't deprive yourself [of] the joy of milk chocolate just because a health expert tells you dark is 'healthier,'" Edwards added. 

Chocolate is an "emotional food" that is meant to be enjoyed. (iStock)

Plus, from Edwards' personal experience, eating only milk chocolate did not seem to have too big an impact on a beloved family member's health. 

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"My great-grandmother, Orania, who started our chocolate company in 1914, loved milk chocolate, hated dark chocolate, and was still working in our factory until she passed away at the age of 99," he said. "So, I say, live, love and eat whichever chocolate brings you the most joy."