Chocolate that's not so sweet isn't as healthy as it sounds

05 June 2015 - 09:11 By KATHARINE CHILD

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Wellness Warehouse is recalling a chocolate from its shelves due to misleading claims that make the chocolates sound much healthier than they are. The Le Chocolatier 55% cocoa chocolate and 70% cocoa are advertised as having "no added sugar" and as being good for the low-carb paleo diet.But according to nutrition information on the chocolate's label, the chocolates are a third carbohydrate.The Times bought two Le Chocolatier chocolates on Monday at R49 each from Wellness Warehouse in Bedfordview. Tests from an accredited CSIR food and beverage lab shows the 55% chocolate has 32% sucrose, also known as table sugar.The test on the 70% cocoa shows its has 34% sugar. Owner of the company Daniel Waldis disputes the CSIR tests and says his chocolates contain only 7% sugar and he is changing the labels to say "low in sugar".The labels also promise that the chocolate is gluten free. This is illegal in South African law because you cannot make such a claim if the original product has no gluten.Chocolates don't usually contain gluten.Said Sean Gomes, Wellness Warehouse managing director: "We have started to recall the products from our stores in order for them to be correctly labelled. We are also awaiting further investigation around product ingredients to ensure the new labels are accurate."..

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