TypesMain article: Types of chocolate

Chocolate is commonly used as a coating for various fruits such as cherries and/
or fillings, such as liqueurs.
Disk of chocolate (about 4cm in diameter), as sold in Central America, for makin
g hot cocoa. Note that the chocolate pictured here is soft, can easily be crumbl
ed by hand, and already has sugar added.Several types of chocolate can be distin
guished. Pure, unsweetened chocolate contains primarily cocoa solids and cocoa b
utter in varying proportions. Much of the chocolate consumed today is in the for
m of sweet chocolate, combining chocolate with sugar. Milk chocolate is sweet ch
ocolate that additionally contains milk powder or condensed milk. In the U.K. an
d Ireland, milk chocolate must contain a minimum of 20% total dry cocoa solids;
in the rest of the European Union, the minimum is 25%.[28] "White chocolate" con
tains cocoa butter, sugar, and milk, but no cocoa solids. Chocolate contains alk
aloids such as theobromine and phenethylamine, which have some physiological eff
ects in humans and has been linked to serotonin levels in the brain, but the pre
sence of theobromine renders it toxic to some animals, such as dogs and cats.[29
] Dark chocolate has been promoted for unproven health benefits,[30] as it seems
to possess substantial amounts of antioxidants that reduce the formation of fre
e radicals.
White chocolate, although similar in texture to that of milk and dark chocolate,
does not contain any cocoa solids. Because of this, many countries do not consi
der white chocolate as chocolate at all.[31] Although white chocolate was first
introduced by Hebert Candies in 1955, Mars, Incorporated, was the first to produ
ce it in the United States. Because it does not contain any cocoa solids, white
chocolate does not contain any theobromine, so it can be consumed by animals.
Dark chocolate is produced by adding fat and sugar to the cacao mixture. The U.S
. Food and Drug Administration calls this "sweet chocolate", and requires a 15%
concentration of chocolate liquor. European rules specify a minimum of 35% cocoa
solids.[28] Dark chocolate, with its high cocoa content, is a rich source of ep
icatechin and gallic acid, which are thought to possess cardioprotective propert
ies. Dark chocolate has also been said to reduce the possibility of a heart atta
ck when consumed regularly in small amounts.[32] Semisweet chocolate is a dark c
hocolate with a low sugar content. Bittersweet chocolate is chocolate liquor to
which some sugar (typically a third), more cocoa butter, vanilla, and sometimes
lecithin have been added. It has less sugar and more liquor than semisweet choco
late, but the two are interchangeable in baking.
Unsweetened chocolate is pure chocolate liquor, also known as bitter or baking c
hocolate. It is unadulterated chocolate: the pure, ground, roasted chocolate bea
ns impart a strong, deep chocolate flavor.
Raw chocolate, often referred to as raw cacao, is always dark and a minimum of 7
5% cacao. Because the act of processing results in the loss of certain vitamins
and minerals (such as magnesium), some consider raw cacao to be a more nutritiou
s form of chocolate.[33]
Chocolate may have whitish spots on the dark chocolate part, called chocolate bl
oom; it is an indication that sugar and/or fat has separated due to poor storage
. It is not toxic.