Why we picked it
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Cacao butter does the setting, so this is real chocolate and not compound chocolate.
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Darkins roasts and grinds single-origin Indian cacao from Eluru rather than melting down bought-in couverture.
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Cashew paste and coconut milk powder stand in for dairy, so there are no milk solids.
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Colour is curcumin and fruit, with no synthetic dye anywhere in the recipe.
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The centre is a fruit gummy set with pectin, carrying 12.4 g of fibre per 100 g.
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We would rather call this a sweet than a health food: 25.8 g of added sugar per 100 g.
What to look for in Chocolate Pebbles?
What to look for in Chocolate Pebbles?
- 01Check whether the coating is real chocolate or compound chocolate. Cocoa butter versus palm or hydrogenated vegetable fat is the single biggest difference in this category, and FSSAI requires the vegetable-fat version to be called compound chocolate.
- 02No refined sugar is not the same as sugar-free. Read the added sugar figure per serving.
- 03Check the gelling agent in the centre. Pectin is plant-derived; gelatin is not.
- 04Colour should come from a food. Curcumin and fruit are fine. INS 102, 110, 122, 124 and 133 are the synthetic dyes to watch for.
- 05A vegan claim needs the FSSAI vegan logo, not just a dairy-free ingredient list.
- 06Nut pastes are common in dairy-free chocolate, so read the allergen line even on a short ingredient list.
What's inside
Cacao butter is the fat here rather than palm or other vegetable fat, which is what makes this real chocolate and not compound chocolate.
Unrefined, but still sugar, and the pack declares 3.87 g of added sugar in a 15 g serving.
It does the job milk solids would do in a milk chocolate, and it is also a tree-nut allergen.
The other half of the dairy replacement, giving the coating its creaminess without any milk solids.
Keeps the chocolate smooth, from sunflower rather than soy, with no PGPR in the recipe.
Fruit does both the sweetening and the flavouring in the centre.
These are where the 12.4 g of fibre per 100 g comes from, and added fibre can unsettle a stomach not used to it.
Fruit-derived and plant-based, so the centre is set without gelatin.
Turmeric-derived, and the only colour in the recipe.
Declared as natural, though the pack does not say what they are extracted from.
Mezmo Chocolate Pebbles vs other coated candies
| What to compare | Mezmo Chocolate Pebbles | Other coated candies |
|---|---|---|
| The coating | Cacao butter, so it is real chocolate | Often compound chocolate set with palm or hydrogenated fat |
| Sweetener | Organic unrefined cane sugar | Refined sugar, usually with glucose syrup |
| Colour | Curcumin, a natural colour | Synthetic dyes are common |
| The centre | Fruit gummy with apple, pineapple and Alphonso mango | Sugar and glucose centre with added flavouring |
| Dairy | None. Cashew paste and coconut milk powder | Milk solids and whey powder |
| Preservatives | None declared | Class II preservatives are common |
Nutrition facts · per 100 g
- Energy
- 499 kcal
- Protein
- 4.7 g
- Carbohydrate
- 59.3 g
- Total sugars
- Not declared
- Added sugars
- 25.8 g
- Dietary fibre
- 12.4 g
- Total fat
- 26.1 g
- Saturated fat
- 15.1 g
- Trans fat
- Not declared
- Cholesterol
- 0 mg
- Salt
- Not declared
How to use it
- Two pebbles is a serving, so a box stretches across a few days rather than one sitting
- Drop a few into a lunchbox in place of a chocolate bar
- Chill them briefly for a firmer snap against the chewy centre
- Put a bowl out at the end of a meal instead of dessert
- Serve alongside the Mezmo fruit gummies for a mixed sweets plate
Is it for you?
Good for
Anyone wanting a chocolate treat made with real cacao butter
Dairy-free and plant-based diets
Kids' treats and lunchboxes
Those avoiding refined sugar and synthetic dyes
Avoid if
Anyone with a cashew or tree-nut allergy
Anyone who wants a low-sugar or sugar-free sweet
Anyone who needs a certified vegan product carrying the FSSAI vegan logo
Anyone increasing fibre carefully, as added prebiotic fibre can unsettle a stomach not used to it
Product details
- Sold by
- Purepicked
- Brand
- Mezmo
- Net quantity
- 40 g
- Type
- Chocolates & Toffee
Also on the label
Questions people ask
What's inside each pebble?
A soft fruit gummy of apple juice concentrate, pineapple and Alphonso mango pulp, set with pectin, coated in real chocolate set with cacao butter.
Is it dairy-free or vegan?
It is dairy-free: cashew paste and coconut milk powder replace milk solids. The pack carries the green vegetarian mark, but we haven't seen an FSSAI vegan logo, so the vegan claim isn't verified.
Is it safe for nut allergies?
No. It contains cashew paste, a tree nut.
How much sugar is in it?
25.8 g of added sugar per 100 g. It is a confectionery treat, not a health food. Two pebbles is a serving.
Does the added fibre affect digestion?
It contains added fibre (oligofructose and citrus fibre), which can unsettle a stomach not used to it. Go easy if you are increasing fibre carefully.
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