Reviews - Raw Chocolate -Let The Taste-Testing Begin!

So why the obsession with 'raw' chocolate?

It’s more of an intrigue for me as the regular kind forms the large part of an average woman’s diet, is clearly tasty and ‘we’ (again, mainly women) seem to spend our whole lives trying to ‘give it up’ and feeling guilty about eating it but always wanting more. Well as I sit here writing this I happen to be munching on a most decadently tasty brand of raw chocolate which, as is common with all varieties I have encountered, has no sugar, no dairy and no nasties - only ingredients that are very good for you. I would still recommend eating it in moderation (too much can leave you with a bit of a ‘cacao high’ - but you may enjoy that!) but knowing that each bite contains superfoods brimming with amazing sources of nutrients for your body, means you can feel good eating it. And because it’s rich in taste, I personally don’t feel like I need to scoff all seven bars I have here before me - I am actually getting quite full already!

There are many raw chocolate bars on the market today (and some of the companies I have spoken to have plans to sell their goods in more mainstream shops so do look out for them!) For the time being however, what I would suggest is to order a bar from each company below and conduct your own taste-testing session. I have my own favourites amongst them but they are all tasty and have different textures, varying ingredients and packaging which may appeal to you in different ways. But I can say one thing with certainty - raw chocolate is going to be big in the UK at some point in the near future as it’s largely ethical, it’s tasty and it’s changing the face of chocolate and dieting for women forever - yipee!!

In alphabetical order I would like to introduce you to...

These bars are beautifully packaged in recycled brown paper and they remind me of Fry’s chocolate! They were smooth and very intense - I could only eat a couple of pieces each evening but the taste was velvety and would be enjoyed by dark chocolate lovers. The range of ten bars includes Love Potion No.9 (my personal favourite in this range) which includes raw spices with maca and essential oil of Otto Rose, Best Ever Fiery Hazelnut, Best Ever Hint of Mint and Best Ever Essential Orange (another favourite). Each are 40g in weight and are priced at £2.50 available from www.therawchocolateshop.com and other stockists which are listed on their site.

The chaps at Moods Foods are also responsible for bringing us The Raw Chocolate Shop (where you can order other brands of raw chocolate - www.therawchocolateshop.com) but their own design is sweet and delicious and currently offers two varieties - Goji and Lucuma and Alchemy (which is raw cashew and coconut), made from the purest raw Ecudorian cacao mass. I would like to see more in their range as they have really hit the spot with texture and flavour. Each bar is £2.59 for 50g and has very fresh and funky packaging which would look good on any supermarket shelf! They also sell ‘The Little Chocolate Discovery Box’ which is a perfect gift to give to anyone who wants to have an introduction to raw chocolate, including raw chocolate bars, a superfoods smoothie mix, cacao nibs (ca-cow) and recipes retailing at a lovely £12.99.

Raw Living, creators of the first raw chocolate bar, offer a psychedelically-packaged selection of the good stuff including Hi-Buzz, Hi-Crunch, Hi-Lovers, Whoosh and Be the Change. Retailing at £2.95 for a 40g bar and £11.80 for a big slab of 200g, these bars of wonder are crammed full of superfoods including goji berries, manuka honey, bee pollen, crystal manna, etherium gold, lucuma, mesquite, hemp seeds, maca and suma - phew! I kept a bar in my bag for a mid-morning snack and I only needed to eat a few bites to feel myself again! Strong in taste and rich in flavour, one of Raw Living's bars could even be considered as a meal in itself!

Jess Michael, also known as ‘The Raw Food Coach’ has developed an exquisite range of ‘Real’ raw chocolate bars which come packaged in bold and beautiful designs and include flavours such as goji berries, maca, mesquite, purple corn (loved this one) orange and real blue green algae! The bars are priced at £2.85 for 40g and are more than just a chocolate treat - they will feed and nourish you all over!

Shazzie’s bars are chunky, heavenly, creamy, chocolaty wonders, full of top-quality ingredients and retail at £4.45 for a 65g bar (slightly more expensive that the other ones listed here but you are getting a bigger bar and more for your money!) Flavours include strawberry, rose, vanilla, chili, spirulina, (which is one of the most amazing superfoods on the planet) and even gold!. All are seductively packaged in little works of art that you’ll want to frame in your kitchen - just make sure you savour each bite! Shazzie also sells all the ingredients and superfoods you’ll need to make your own chocolate creations.

Choose from Twilight, Midnight, Vanoffe and Pitch Dark - all come in attractive packaging, look more like conventional chocolate bars and are packed with antioxidants and are rich in iron, zinc and magnesium. A 48g bar is £2.99 and all of their ingredients, like many raw chocolate products, are ethically-sourced. My baby particularly enjoyed the Vanofe bar whereas I was more of a fan of the Twilight!