Food Quality Guide by KarbCoach

Great Value Dark Chocolate: Food Integrity analysis

Updated 2026-08-22 · Great Value

Quick answer

High integrity

Great Value dark chocolate received a Food Integrity Score of 78 out of 100 (high integrity). This reflects lightly processed and moderate additive load. This dark chocolate falls into the more processed category due to the presence of artificial flavor and soy lecithin. While it includes recognizable ingredients like sugar and cocoa butter, the artificial flavor is a standout ingredient typically found in factory-formulated foods. This product could be consumed occasionally, but opting for chocolate with simpler ingredients could be a better choice for those seeking less industrial formulations. Main considerations include artificial flavor and soy lecithin. Look for chocolate sweetened only with sugar and natural flavors.

Food Integrity Score 78/100

What stood out on the label?

  • Lightly processed
  • Moderate additive load
  • Transparency: High

What to watch?

  • Artificial Flavor
  • Soy Lecithin

Simpler options to consider

  • Look for chocolate sweetened only with sugar and natural flavors

You are viewing ingredients and processing. Switch to Longevity for nutrition and longer-term eating pattern fit.

Source data, GTIN, and Food Quality Guide analysis details

Product facts

Product
Great Value Dark Chocolate
Category
Sweets & Desserts (source: Chocolate)
GTIN / UPC
00078742200705
Serving size
25 g (2 PIECES)
Source data — ingredients
Ingredient list from product label data (see Sources)
Food Quality Guide analysis
Independent Longevity and Food Integrity scorecards. See methodology under Sources.
Data last verified

Food Integrity results

Dark Chocolate

Great Value

High integrity

Warning Signs

Artificial flavor is a key concern in this dark chocolate.

Consider This

Soy lecithin is a common emulsifier found in processed chocolate.

Good Substitutes

Look for chocolate sweetened only with sugar and natural flavors.

Overall Assessment

High integrity

This dark chocolate falls into the more processed category due to the presence of artificial flavor and soy lecithin. While it includes recognizable ingredients like sugar and cocoa butter, the artificial flavor is a standout ingredient typically found in factory-formulated foods. This product could be consumed occasionally, but opting for chocolate with simpler ingredients could be a better choice for those seeking less industrial formulations.

Key Highlights

What stood out

  • Artificial Flavor
  • Soy Lecithin

Family Watchlist

Ingredients some users may personally want to know about.

  • SOY LECITHIN — Emulsifier
  • ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR — Artificial ingredient

Highest concern ingredients

  • ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR (8/10) — Synthetic flavor, found in processed foods.

Better choice tips

  • Look for chocolate sweetened only with sugar and natural flavors.

Ingredients

Ingredient list

SUGAR, CHOCOLATE LIQUOR, COCOA BUTTER, BUTTERFAT (MILK), SOY LECITHIN, ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR.

Formulations can vary — check the package label for the final word.

Highest-concern ingredients first. Expand an item for notes.

  1. ARTIFICIAL FLAVORConcern 8/10 — Higher concernArtificial flavorWatchlist · Additive · Vague label term · Higher concern

    What this is

    Artificial flavor

    Processing category

    Synthetic / man-made

    Main concern area

    Family Watchlist

    Why it matters

    Synthetic flavor, often used in processed foods.

    Additional note

    Flavor additive.

    Family watchlist

    Artificial ingredient

  2. SOY LECITHINConcern 5/10 — Moderate concernEmulsifierWatchlist · Additive

    What this is

    Emulsifier

    Processing category

    Processed

    Main concern area

    Additive load

    Why it matters

    Used for smoothness, common in chocolate.

    Additional note

    Emulsifier for texture.

  3. SUGARConcern 3/10 — Mild concernSweetener

    What this is

    Sweetener

    Processing category

    Natural refined

    Main concern area

    Ingredient concern

    Why it matters

    Refined sweetener, common in many foods.

    Additional note

    Common sweetener.

  4. CHOCOLATE LIQUORConcern 2/10 — Very low concernChocolate base

    What this is

    Chocolate base

    Processing category

    Natural refined

    Why it matters

    Fermented and roasted, category-normal.

    Additional note

    Main chocolate component.

View all 6 ingredient assessments
  1. BUTTERFAT (MILK)Concern 2/10 — Very low concernMilk fat

    What this is

    Milk fat

    Processing category

    Natural refined

    Main concern area

    Additive load

    Why it matters

    Refined dairy fat to enhance flavor and texture.

    Additional note

    Milk fat addition.

  2. COCOA BUTTERConcern 1/10 — Very low concernFat

    What this is

    Fat

    Processing category

    Natural refined

    Why it matters

    Extract of cocoa beans, typical in chocolate.

    Additional note

    Fat component of cocoa.

Food Integrity Score is not a medical safety rating. Formulations can vary by region, size, and packaging. Check the package label for ingredients, allergens, and nutrition. Not medical advice — do not use this site or the KarbCoach mobile app for allergy or health decisions.

How this product may fit different goals

The same food can look different depending on what matters most to you. Here is a general preview of how this product may align with several common goals.

  • Low-Spike Stability

    Watch-outs

    Metabolic Health

    For someone prioritizing Low-Spike Stability, the analysis identifies considerations that may matter more than the general product score alone.

    A consideration: Sweetener/sugar ingredients (Mentions "sugar". See ingredients for details.)

    See more for this goal

  • GLP-1 Eating Support

    Watch-outs

    Metabolic Health

    For someone prioritizing GLP-1 Eating Support, the analysis identifies considerations that may matter more than the general product score alone.

    A consideration: Sweetener/sugar ingredients (Mentions "sugar". See ingredients for details.)

    See more for this goal

  • Low Sugar Lifestyle

    Watch-outs

    Metabolic Health

    For someone prioritizing Low Sugar Lifestyle, the analysis identifies considerations that may matter more than the general product score alone.

    A consideration: Sweetener/sugar ingredients (Mentions "sugar". See ingredients for details.)

    See more for this goal

  • Appetite & Portion Awareness

    Watch-outs

    Metabolic Health

    For someone prioritizing Appetite & Portion Awareness, the analysis identifies considerations that may matter more than the general product score alone.

    A consideration: Sweetener/sugar ingredients (Mentions "sugar". See ingredients for details.)

    See more for this goal

  • Vegan

    Watch-outs

    Dietary Patterns

    For someone prioritizing Vegan, the analysis identifies considerations that may matter more than the general product score alone.

    A consideration: Animal-derived ingredients (Mentions "milk". See ingredients for details.)

    See more for this goal

  • Plant-Based

    Watch-outs

    Dietary Patterns

    For someone prioritizing Plant-Based, the analysis identifies considerations that may matter more than the general product score alone.

    A consideration: Animal-derived ingredients (Mentions "milk". See ingredients for details.)

    See more for this goal

See how this product fits your goals

Choose what matters most to you and explore a more detailed interpretation of this product's nutrition, ingredients, and tradeoffs.

Personalize this analysis

Understanding the Food Integrity analysis

What the Food Integrity analysis evaluates

The Food Integrity analysis focuses on how a packaged food is formulated and made. It examines processing level, ingredient quality, additives, oils, sweeteners, purity cues, and how clearly a label communicates what is in the product. The Food Integrity Score summarizes that formulation and transparency picture on a 0–100 scale. It is not a full nutrient report and it is not a personalized meal plan.

Why processing, ingredients, and transparency matter

Processing level and ingredient quality shape what you are actually eating beyond calories on the label. Additives, industrial oils, and intense sweeteners can change how clean or heavily engineered a product feels, even when the front of pack looks wholesome. Purity and transparency matter because incomplete or marketing-heavy labeling can hide tradeoffs that only show up when the full ingredient list is reviewed carefully.

Who may prioritize Food Integrity

Some people care mainly about Food Integrity because their dietary goals center on formulation rather than macros alone. Examples include checking vegetarian or vegan suitability, preferring simpler ingredient sources, avoiding certain additives or sweeteners, watching oil choices, or preferring less processed options. For those priorities, the Food Integrity Score can be the more practical first read.

How Food Integrity differs from Longevity

Food Integrity is the focused analysis of processing, ingredients, additives, purity, and transparency. Longevity is the broader analysis of nutritional composition, metabolic and dietary characteristics, processing, and ingredient quality together. Favorable nutrition values do not necessarily mean strong Food Integrity: a product can look balanced on macros yet still rely on heavy processing or additives that the Food Integrity analysis flags in more detail.

Why the two analyses overlap—and why to review Longevity too

The analyses overlap intentionally. Food Integrity–related characteristics contribute to Longevity, and Longevity still benefits from the same ingredient-quality lens. They are not competing verdicts; they answer different questions at different depths. Reviewing the Longevity analysis can add information about nutritional composition, metabolic characteristics, and dietary balance that Food Integrity alone does not emphasize. Looking at both usually gives the most complete understanding of tradeoffs.

Common questions about this product

Is Great Value Dark Chocolate highly processed?

Food Integrity lists processing level as Lightly processed. That reflects formulation and processing signals from the ingredient analysis — not a medical or regulatory classification.

Why are the Longevity and Food Integrity scores different?

Longevity emphasizes nutrition per serving and longer-term dietary alignment. Food Integrity emphasizes ingredients, additives, processing, and label transparency. The same product can score differently on those lenses.

How much fiber is in one serving?

Great Value Dark Chocolate shows about 2g of fiber per labeled serving in the Longevity nutrition facts.

Does it contain added sugar?

Great Value Dark Chocolate: 13g added sugar per serving. Confirm the current package Nutrition Facts and ingredient list.

What helped the Longevity Score?

Key positives called out in the analysis include: Includes cocoa butter; No sodium.

What prevented a perfect Longevity Score?

Key concerns noted include: High added sugar; Contains artificial flavor.

Who might evaluate this product differently?

People prioritizing different goals (for example lower carbs, higher protein, or minimally processed eating) may weigh the same sweets & desserts differently. Use the goal preview on this page, then personalize in KarbCoach for your priorities.

Source data and Food Quality Guide analysis

  1. Public label databases (including USDA FoodData Central and Open Food Facts) — Possible sources for package ingredients and nutrition.
  2. Food Quality Guide analysis (Longevity and Food Integrity) — Independent Longevity and Food Integrity scorecards.
  3. How the Longevity Score is calculated
  4. How the Food Integrity Score is calculated
  5. Scoring models: KarbCoach Longevity and Food Integrity.
  6. Independent analysis. No manufacturer affiliation.
  7. Formulations can vary by region, size, and packaging. Check the package label for ingredients, allergens, and nutrition. Not medical advice — do not use this site or the KarbCoach mobile app for allergy or health decisions. Full sources and safety details.
Label accuracy and safety information

Formulations can vary by region, size, and packaging. Check the package label for ingredients, allergens, and nutrition. Not medical advice — do not use this site or the KarbCoach mobile app for allergy or health decisions.

Sources, citations & safety

See how this item lines up with your goals

Food Quality Guide covers this product in detail. In KarbCoach, your goals shape what matters most for your meals.