New Low-Calorie Chocolate Bar Being Developed

Great news for sweet-toothed dieters: lab workers at the Swiss chocolate manufacturer Barry Callebaut have invented a new low-calorie type of chocolate.

The chocolate, code-named "Vulcan" due to its "volcanic rock" texture, was discovered by accident. Fortunately, the scientists involved realised they'd produced something significant.

One food engineer, Simone Cantz, was quoted as saying:

Suddenly we realised we'd produced a very special chocolate, of a crispy, light consistency, like an airy foam, and we thought let's see if we can develop this further.

As well as containing 90% fewer calories than regular chocolate, the bar has a much higher melting point of 131F (55C), compared with regular chocolate at 86F (30C). Barry Callebaut hope to market it world-wide, as the Guardian explains:

The company aims to target calorie-conscious European and US markets as well as emerging markets in Asia and Africa where local temperatures have hindered the spread of chocolate.

If you've ever tried low-fat or diet branded products, you may have been disappointed by the compromise on taste. Previous attempts at low-calorie chocolate have suffered this problem. Barry Callebaut believe their bar is different. A spokeswoman for the company, Gaby Tschofen, said:

It's nice and chocolaty, with a strong aroma, and crispy rather than creamy. It does melt in the mouth, but it is the enzymes in saliva rather than the heat of the tongue that causes it to dissolve.

The bad news? The new chocolate bar is likely to take a couple of years to hit the shelves. In the meantime, try some of these diet-friendly options to curb your chocolate cravings:

• Mug of low-calorie hot chocolate


• Kid-sized or snack-sized chocolate bar


• Low-fat chocolate mousse (tip: freeze these, and they make a good chocolate ice-cream substitute!)


• Swap milk chocolate for dark - it's better for you and less "moreish"