HERSHEY'S Milk Chocolate is one of the only milk chocolate brands in the world that still uses fresh milk in its production, giving it a distinctive taste. How big is a Hershey's chocolate bar? A standard HERSHEY'S chocolate bar weighs around 1.55 ounces, and measures about the length of your hand.

Go ahead and prove the scientists right with Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate Bar. Now who says eating chocolate is not good for us? Ingredients: Sugar, chocolate, cocoa butter, cocoa processed with alkali, milk fat, lactose (milk), soy lecithin, PGPR, emulsifier, vanillin, artificial flavor, milk.

Special Dark is similar to a standard Hershey bar, but is made with a dark (or semi-sweet) variety of chocolate, and contains a higher percentage (45%) of cocoa solids, chocolate liquor and cocoa butter than milk chocolate.

Compared to milk chocolate, dark chocolate tends to be higher in heavy metals due to a higher cacao content. High exposure to cadmium can cause lung cancer, birth defects and other reproductive harm, while lead exposure can slow children's growth and development and damage the brain and nervous system.

The word “chocolate” comes from the Aztec word “xocoatl.” The first chocolate bar was created in 1847. Chocolate has a melting point just below the human body temperature. There are three main types of cacao beans: Criollo, Forastero, and Trinitario.

Reese's Peanut Butter Cups It's also the top-selling candy brand in the United States. Reese's Peanut Butter Cups is a popular candy bar that features a sweet and creamy peanut butter filling encased in a smooth milk chocolate shell. It is loved by many for its delicious combination of flavors and unique texture.

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, for instance, suggests choosing a bar with at least 70 percent cacao. If you're new to dark chocolate, you might want to start with 60 percent cacao and work your way up to higher amounts as your taste buds adjust.

Dark chocolate contains 50-90% cocoa solids, cocoa butter, and sugar, whereas milk chocolate contains anywhere from 10-50% cocoa solids, cocoa butter, milk in some form, and sugar.

The likely reason for this is that Hershey's Special Extra Dark chocolate and cocoa powder are "processed with alkali." This process, also known as "dutching," makes cocoa and dark chocolate less bitter and a bit darker, but also significantly reduces the flavanol content.

Most dark chocolate is rich in plant chemicals called flavanols. Flavanols are antioxidants linked to a lower risk of heart disease. In theory, dark chocolate will contain higher flavanol content (greater health benefit). Milk chocolate contains much less, and white chocolate contains none.

Cocoa flavonoids help to widen and relax blood vessels and may activate an enzyme that helps lower blood pressure, too. But remember to be calorie wise: A little bit of chocolate goes a long way. And dark chocolate is best.

8 Fun Chocolate Facts You'll be Glad to Know

• Chocolate was once money that literally grew on trees.
• Chocolate wasn't always solid, or sweet.
• It took eight years to develop the recipe for milk chocolate.
• When it comes to cacao beans, a little does not go a long way.
• White chocolate isn't really chocolate.

Brain Function: Consuming dark chocolate may improve cognitive function, memory, and mood, thanks to its flavonoid content and the presence of caffeine and theobromine. Anti-inflammatory Properties: Dark chocolate has been found to reduce inflammation in the body, which can help prevent various chronic diseases.

While innovation undoubtedly helps bring excitement, consumers find the most comfort and indulgence in the items they've known and loved for years. Hershey's iconic brands have exceptionally high consumer loyalty that, importantly, is incremental to the category.

Milton Hershey's love for confection started at a young age and flourished when he established The Hershey Chocolate Company in 1894. By 1900, we sold our very first candy bar. Today, our portfolio of brands has expanded beyond the beloved and iconic HERSHEY'S Milk Chocolate Bar.

Most dark chocolate is rich in plant chemicals called flavanols. Flavanols are antioxidants linked to a lower risk of heart disease. In theory, dark chocolate will contain higher flavanol content (greater health benefit). Milk chocolate contains much less, and white chocolate contains none.