Iconic for their unique shape and the trademark plume extending out of the foil wrapper, Hershey's Kisses have been around since the early 1900s. The brand comes in many varieties, including Special Dark Chocolate Kisses, which were added in 2003 when they became a hit with dark chocolate lovers, according to the Hershey's website.
Basic Nutrition
One serving of Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate Kisses contains 9 pieces of candy, providing 180 total calories in all. Dark chocolates contain flavonoids, which may help lower cholesterol and blood pressure and have antioxidant properties, notes a 2008 article from Mayo Clinic. According to the Hershey's website, Kisses are natural sources of cocoa flavanol antioxidants.
Fat
Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate Kisses supply 100 calories from fat, or 18 percent of the daily value, assuming you are on a 2,000-calorie diet. The USDA recommends total fat intake be limited to 25 to 35 percent of calories, so one serving of Kisses candies is within that range. However, a serving contains 8 g of saturated fat, or 40 percent of the daily value for saturated fat, which is over the USDA recommendation of 10 percent of total calories per day.
Carbohydrates
A serving of Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate Kisses supplies 25 g of carbohydrates, including 3 g from dietary fiber and 21 g of sugar. One gram of carbohydrates provides 4 calories, so one serving of Kisses candies equals 100 calories from carbohydrates, or 8 percent of the daily value, based on a 2,000-calorie diet. The USDA recommends at least 300 g of carbohydrates be consumed daily, so eating one serving of Kisses in a day is well within that range.
Proteins and Other Nutrients
Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate Kisses are a poor source of vitamins and minerals. Protein content for one serving of Dark Chocolate Kisses is only about 4 percent and sodium is about 1 percent of the daily value, assuming a 2,000-calorie diet.
Considerations
According to a report on the Mayo Clinic website, dark chocolate must have 50 to 80 percent cocoa content to provide heart-health benefits. However, there is no information on the Hershey's website regarding the amount of cocoa found in one serving of Special Dark Kisses. Other sources of flavonoids, which include blueberries, teas and red wine, may be better alternatives to Kisses candies. Furthermore, most of the calories from one serving of Kisses candies come from fat, so you need to consider this if you are trying to limit your fat intake.
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