*Overview of the best according to the editors of Healthy Food Near Me. About selection criteria. This material is subjective, is not an advertisement and does not serve as a guide to the purchase. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.

Freshly prepared cocoa is associated with warmth and comfort, so it is a favorite drink of everyone – young and old. Its advantages are undeniable, being a fermentation product of cocoa beans, it tones the body and saturates it with useful microelements. One cup of quality cocoa contains a storehouse of important components, including natural antioxidants, neurotransmitters, melanin and vitamins. They stimulate the immune system and raise energy levels. However, only a really high-quality, natural product can boast of useful properties. Let’s list what you should start from when choosing cocoa.

Criterias of choice

Grated cocoa and instant cocoa powder are found on store shelves. Both of these products are fundamentally different:

1. grated cocoa consists only of natural raw materials, excluding any additives, thereby retaining the maximum amount of fatty acids and vitamins. Designed for brewing a nutritious drink and making chocolate.

2. cocoa powder is a more affordable product. It has a homogeneous structure, easily soluble in water or milk. Depending on the manufacturer, it may contain additives and flavors. A quality product determines compliance with GOST 108-2014, fat content from 15% and no sugar.

When choosing cocoa, you need to pay attention to a number of other characteristics:

1. Color – rich chocolate (from brick to dark brown). Please note that the lighter the powder, the lower quality it is.

2. The structure is homogeneous, without lumps and other inclusions. Taking a pinch of powder with his fingers and rubbing it, he leaves traces. Feels like oiliness.

3. Smell – the aroma resembles chocolate and even the addition of vanilla does not interrupt it. Other odors are excluded.

4. Taste – real cocoa has a pleasant bitter taste, not a milky one.

5. Composition – only natural ingredients. Of the safe ingredients, only vanilla, vitamins, soy lecithin. Everything else just harms the product.

6. Fat content – not less than 15%. This means that natural cocoa beans are used to make the powder. A fat content of less than 10% indicates that the benefits of cocoa beans have been lost.

7. Packing date – no more than 6 months must have passed at the time of purchase. The later the cocoa was packaged, the better.

The packaging is also noteworthy. It must be completely sealed, contain the composition, date, place of production and storage conditions.

Rating of the best cocoa powders

Among the variety of brands that have filled the shelves of supermarkets, it is sometimes difficult for a simple layman to decide on the choice of a product. Our rating will help with this, where we will analyze the advantages and disadvantages of the most popular brands of cocoa powder.

Kommunarka

Rating: 4.9

Cocoa powder is made from natural beans with a percentage of 99%. The product is loved by many due to its special creamy chocolate taste and rich aroma. Packed in a sealed metallized bag, which allows you to keep it dry for a long time. It has a homogeneous structure, without lumps, which indicates high-quality processing. When preparing a drink, brewing is required.

The natural composition of cocoa powder allows it to be used for baking, desserts, and also added when preparing jelly or glaze. The absence of third-party impurities and GMOs also speaks in favor of this product.

According to organoleptic and chemical indicators, it can be concluded that

cocoa powder is manufactured in accordance with GOST 108–2014. The product complies with Russian and international standards, which indicates its high quality.

Cacao Barry Full Aroma

Rating: 4.8

Alkalized cocoa powder, originally from France, has a bright cocoa bean aroma and rich chocolate color. In the manufacture of the product, the manufacturer used the alkalization procedure to improve its taste characteristics. As a result, not only the excessive bitterness and sour taste disappeared, but the whole aroma of cocoa powder was fully revealed. In addition, the preparation time has been accelerated – the product does not need to be pre-boiled, which greatly simplifies the process of brewing your favorite drink.

Cacao Barry Plein Arome is widely used in cooking. Delicious sweets are prepared with it – alkalized powder can be coated on truffles or other products for a special flavor, or sprayed to get an amber hue on cakes and pastries.

Organic Bufo Eco

Rating: 4.8

Organic cocoa powder has a 100% natural composition. Produced from cocoa beans grown under special conditions, without the addition of pesticides and chemical additives. This is evidenced by the organic certificate BV-CBH-ECO-85. The product is packed in a doy-bag, which prevents the penetration of moisture and foreign odors. The powder has a homogeneous structure, rich brown color and a strong aroma of roasted “chocolate tree” beans. Due to its oily structure, it quickly dissolves in water, leaving a slight residue. Ideal for making chocolate milkshakes, muffins, soufflés and chocolates.

Due to the completely natural composition and high quality of production, the product contains potassium, magnesium, micro-elements and vitamins of groups A, B and E.

Market Crossroads

Rating: 4.7

The Perekrestok brand product is sold through the distribution network of the same name. Among analogues, it is distinguished by the most affordable cost, coupled with good taste characteristics. Passed numerous checks of Roskontrol and unofficial studies, as a result of which its safety and quality were confirmed. Cocoa powder has a smooth texture, without inclusions and lumps. The finished drink gives a rich dark shade and a slightly bitter chocolate taste. Easily diluted in boiling water or hot milk. Often used in the preparation of desserts.

Products of the XNUMXnd century

Rating: 4.7

Completely natural composition, coarse grinding and deep chocolate aroma distinguish this product from analogues. Cocoa powder from the manufacturer “Products of the XXII Century” is ideal for making flavored drinks, cocktails and desserts. This is a real superfood that does not contain flavors, GMOs, dyes and flavor enhancers – only natural pomace from cocoa beans, which indicates its high quality and safety for health. The powder has a denser structure and large particles, while it dissolves well in boiling water, forming a significant precipitate. Great for making homemade chocolates and toppings.

Natural cocoa powder, regardless of whether it is used in cooking or as a drink, has a lot of advantages – it energizes the body, normalizes blood circulation and helps strengthen the immune system. Therefore, the choice of buyers is obvious.

Royal Forest

Rating: 4.6

The product of a Colombian company armed with its own unique technology for the production of cocoa powders. It is obtained from an elite variety of Criollo beans. During their processing, the existing valuable qualities are not lost. The result is a drink with a special aroma, a certain density. The composition of the product is devoid of sugar, it does not contain preservatives and other additives, which indicates its exceptional usefulness.

Based on consumer reviews, Royal Forest cocoa has a pleasant aroma and excellent taste characteristics, familiar to everyone since childhood. In addition to a hot drink, you can make delicious cocktails, cookies and various desserts from the powder. It dissolves well in both hot and cold water. Sparingly used – to prepare a rich, thick drink, just 2 teaspoons of powder is enough.

The packaging container is not equipped with a fastener, and therefore the smell will disappear completely over time. After purchase, it is advisable to immediately pour the powder into a jar, where the aroma will remain for a long time.

Red October / Golden Label

Rating: 4.5

The golden label is a time-tested product. The technology of making cocoa from the manufacturer “Red October” has not changed over the years, as well as the classic packaging design. Such a cunning marketing move brings results – many buyers opt for a product familiar from childhood.

The product is made from crushed cocoa beans that have undergone preliminary cleaning and heat treatment, while retaining their benefits. The powder has a uniform fine grinding of a pleasant brown hue, does not roll into lumps. It has an oily structure, due to which it is quickly diluted, forming a small amount of sediment. Despite compliance with the GOST standard, the product contains Vanillin flavoring, which can rather be attributed to the minuses than to the advantages of the product.

Caffarel

Rating: 4.4

Caffarel high-quality cocoa powder is produced by a large company of the same name from Turin, which has been producing chocolate for many centuries. The first thing that catches your eye is the beautiful metal packaging, which gives the product an aesthetic appearance. Due to the wide base and elongated shape, the cocoa tube is convenient to use and store, in addition, it ensures tightness.

The structure of cocoa powder is dense, the color is rich brown, which is complemented by a delicate chocolate aroma. Completely dissolves during brewing, forming a moderately thick, slightly bitter drink. It has good nutritional properties, due to the high fat content (20-22%) quickly saturates the body. It is a source of potassium, magnesium, iron, zinc and other trace elements.

Hershey’s cocoa

Rating: 4.4

Cocoa from the American brand Hershey’s is of excellent quality and deep chocolate taste. It is presented in a wide plastic jar, which allows not only to preserve the taste and aroma of the product, but also to ensure its convenient storage. It has a smooth texture, light brown color. If stored incorrectly, lumps may form due to the dense, oily structure of the powder. It dissolves well in hot milk, a small precipitate forms, which can be avoided by adjusting the technology for preparing the drink. It is economically used – 2 teaspoons are enough to prepare delicious cocoa, a small amount of sugar for 1 glass of milk.

S. Pudovu

Rating: 4.3

Alkalized cocoa powder S.Pudov is perfect for preparing a hot drink, as well as for baking and desserts. Due to the fine grinding, it instantly dissolves even in cold water. It contains no artificial components and sugar, only natural raw materials were used to produce the powder. The alkalization process removed the excess bitterness from the cocoa beans, thereby enhancing the palatability of the finished cocoa.

To prepare a tonic drink, you will need 3-4 teaspoons per glass of water, which is not entirely economical. However, in the end, it turns out cocoa with a deep dark tint, moderately thick consistency and rich chocolate aroma.

Attention! This material is subjective, is not an advertisement and does not serve as a guide to the purchase. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.