Although chocolate was once known fit for only the most elite, its distinction today has brought to it anyone’s level. Everyone has access to this delightful confection. Did you know that our beloved chocolate is not all alike? There are many variations to the candy bar. Let’s look at a few.

Most people are familiar with one or two kinds of chocolate, milk and semisweet chocolate. These chocolates are meant for eating and have a delightfully sweet taste. Yet there are other types of chocolate that many of you are missing out on.

All chocolate is made up of mostly cocoa and cocoa butter. The type of chocolate mostly depends on the amount of cocoa solids found in it. Let’s explore the various types of chocolate and learn a bit more about them each below.

1. Milk Chocolate – Have you heard of Hershey’s? That’s milk chocolate. This is the one that most people know. Milk chocolate is very sweet and creamy, mostly due to the milk added to it. It’s found in brownies, candy bars, cookies and most of those delectable treats. The milk added to this type of chocolate is what gives us the unwanted calories and fat. That rich and creamy goodness is not healthy for you if you’re looking to keep the pounds off. About twenty percent of this type of chocolate is composed of cocoa solids.

2. Semisweet Chocolate – You find this type of chocolate in those cute little morsels that you add to cookie dough or brownie mixes. You can also melt it to add to cake batter. In semisweet chocolate, the percentage of cocoa solids rises to about sixty percent. Have you heard of Nestlé’s or Baker’s? Both market their own brands of semisweet chocolate.

3. Dark Chocolate – What used to be the black sheep of the chocolate family is now gaining quite the following and popularity. Dark chocolate contains the highest amount of cocoa solids out of any of the chocolate types. There is usually no milk added to dark chocolate. The taste is not as sweet as other brands of chocolate but it is a healthier type for those who like to eat it. Heard of Dove? Their dark chocolate is very popular among those who love this type of the sweet stuff.

4. White Chocolate – It’s not exactly white, but has an off-white color. It is not a sweet chocolate on it’s own but is usually mixed with milk chocolate in desserts to make it seem sweeter. Because it contains cocoa butter, a type of cocoa solid, this variety gets the name chocolate but in all actuality, it contains no cocoa at all.

5. Unsweetened Chocolate – No one usually eats this chocolate because of the lack of taste and the fact that it is quite bitter. Unsweetened chocolate is used in baking where sugar is added to sweeten the deal. There are 100 percent cocoa solids in this variety.

Which type of chocolate is your favorite? If you haven’t experienced all these types of chocolate you’re missing out. Next time you’re in the mood for chocolate head to the baking aisle to see the vast varieties available for your needs.