Milk chocolate bar
Hershey's Special Dark
1.44 oz (41 g)
Score
- Ultra-processed
- High in sugar
- High in saturated fat
- Contains added sugars
- Seed-oil free
Why it scores 33
Hershey's Special Dark scores 33 out of 100 (Poor) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:
- minus 20 points Sugar: An added sugar. Strong
- minus 18 points Ultra-processed (NOVA 4): Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. Strong
- minus 14 points Sugars 53.7 g / 100 g: Very high in sugar. Strong
Every line of the math is on The Receipt below, with its evidence tier and sources.
Better chocolate candy
-
Early Riser Mix Dark Chocolate Almond Seven Sundays · 12 oz Not ultra-processed · Less sugar Score 97 out of 100 , 64 points higher -
Cashew Butter & Pure Vanilla Bean Dark Chocolate Bites Hu · 78 g Not ultra-processed · Less sugar Score 64 out of 100 , 31 points higher -
Dark chocolate peanut butter creamy Pintola · 350 g Less sugar · No sugar Score 66 out of 100 , 33 points higher -
Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Butter Filled Bars Jojo's Less sugar · No sugar Score 63 out of 100 , 30 points higher -
Signature squares dark Choc Zero · 90 g Less sugar · No sugar Score 60 out of 100 , 27 points higher
The same kind of product, at least 10 points higher, sold in the US. Never paid placements.
The Receipt
Special Dark
Ingredients
- Sugar minus 20 points
- Soy lecithin minus 2.5 points
- PGPR (polyglycerol polyricinoleate) minus 2.5 points
- Natural flavors minus 1.5 points
Processing
- Ultra-processed (NOVA 4) minus 18 points
- 2 kinds of ultra-processing markers minus 1.5 points
Nutrition per 100 g
- Sugars 53.7 g / 100 g minus 14 points
- Saturated fat 19.5 g / 100 g minus 9 points
- Energy 463 kcal / 100 g minus 2 points
- Fiber 7.3 g / 100 g plus 4 points
100 − 67 = 33
Can’t score above 79. Contains sugar, an ingredient of high concern. [1][2][3]
Can’t score above 79. High in fat, saturated fat and sugars (above the front-of-pack "high" level). [7]
Nutrition per 100 g
| Energy | 463 kcal |
|---|---|
| Fat | 29.3 g |
| Saturated fat | 19.5 g |
| Trans fat | 0 g |
| Carbohydrates | 63.4 g |
| Sugars | 53.7 g |
| Added sugars | 51.2 g |
| Fiber | 7.3 g |
| Protein | 4.9 g |
| Salt | 0 g |
Serving: 1 bar (41 g)
Ingredients
- SUGAR (high concern)
- CHOCOLATE
- COCOA BUTTER
- COCOA PROCESSED WITH ALKALI
- MILK FAT
- LECITHIN (SOY)
- PGPR
- NATURAL FLAVOR
Label text, as published
SUGAR, CHOCOLATE, COCOA BUTTER, COCOA PROCESSED WITH ALKALI, MILK FAT, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF: LECITHIN (SOY), PGPR, NATURAL FLAVOR.
Allergens and diets
Contains: Milk, Soy
- Not vegan
- Palm-oil-free
Always check the package: recipes change.
Packaging
Plastic
Context only: no points in v1.
More milk chocolate bar on GoodSwap
-
Hazelnut Butter + Hazelnut Crunch Milk Chocolate Hu · 2.1 oz High in sugarHigh in saturated fatContains added sugarsCertified organic Score 50 out of 100 Okay -
Milk Chocolate Lindt · 4.4 oz (125 g) Ultra-processedHigh in sugarHigh in saturated fatContains added sugars Score 7 out of 100 Bad -
Special Dark Hershey's · 4.25 oz (120 g) Ultra-processedHigh in sugarHigh in saturated fatContains added sugars Score 33 out of 100 Poor -
Dairy Milk Cadbury · 95 g Ultra-processedHigh in sugarHigh in saturated fatContains added sugars Score 24 out of 100 Poor -
Hazelnut Milk Chocolate Style Bar Lily's · 2.8 oz Ultra-processedHigh in saturated fatContains non-nutritive sweetenersContains sugar alcohols Score 54 out of 100 Okay -
Milk Chocolate Bar Trader Joe's · 500 g High in sugarHigh in saturated fatContains added sugarsNo additives Score 46 out of 100 Okay
More from Hershey's
-
Hershey's Cocoa 100% Cacao Natural Unsweetened Hershey's · 8 oz Score 100 out of 100 Excellent -
Chocolate Syrup Hershey's · 24 oz (1 lb 8 oz) 680 g Score 35 out of 100 Poor -
Cookies 'n' Creme Hershey's · 4 oz (113 g) Score 0 out of 100 Bad -
Zero Sugar Chocolate Syrup Hershey's · 17.5 oz (1 lb 1.5 oz) 496 g Score 45 out of 100 Okay
Sources
-
Guideline: sugars intake for adults and children
“In both adults and children, WHO recommends reducing the intake of free sugars to less than 10% of total energy intake”
who.int
-
Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030
“Limit foods and beverages that include artificial flavors, petroleum-based dyes, artificial preservatives, and low-calorie non-nutritive sweeteners.”
cdn.realfood.gov
-
Added and free sugars should be as low as possible
“Sugar consumption is a known cause of dental caries.”
efsa.europa.eu
-
21 CFR 101.22 Foods; labeling of spices, flavorings, colorings and chemical preservatives
“whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional.”
ecfr.gov
-
Saturated fatty acid and trans-fatty acid intake for adults and children: WHO guideline
“WHO recommends that adults and children reduce saturated fatty acid intake to 10% of total energy intake (strong recommendation).”
who.int
-
“Table 3: Criteria for drinks (per 100ml)”
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk
-
“Greater exposure to ultra-processed food was associated with a higher risk of adverse health outcomes, especially cardiometabolic, common mental disorder, and mortality outcomes.”
doi.org