Hershey's Special Dark Miniatures Nutrition Information

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Nutritional information for Hershey's special dark miniatures--the fun size of the Hershey bar--is made available on both the product packaging and the company website. Hershey's dark chocolate is created with a combination of chocolate liquor, cocoa butter and sugar. Dark chocolate has a less sweet taste and a less creamy texture than milk chocolate. For a chocolate to be classified as dark or semi-sweet, the cocoa butter must be at least 35 percent, which is the amount used in special dark miniatures.

History

Hershey, the unofficial king of chocolate, launched its line of chocolate miniatures--mini versions of their larger chocolate bars--in 1939. In 2006 they created miniatures of the special dark chocolate. Today you can purchase a bag of these delectably sinful chocolates in the varieties of plain, rice and peanut.

Features

According to the nutritional facts on a bag of Hershey's dark miniatures, a serving size is considered 5 pieces, which equals 41 g. One serving has 13 g of Fat, 190 calories, and 25 mg of sodium, which is a negligible amount. Unfortunately, they contain no real vitamins, but they do provide 10 percent of your daily iron.

Warning

Hershey's dark chocolate, like all chocolates, contains theobromine, which is a stimulant in the same family as caffeine, and it works as a diuretic. Theobromine is the part of chocolate that is known to be poisonous to dogs because of the time it takes to metabolize, thus causing heart and nervous system problems. A 1.45 oz. bar of Hershey's dark chocolate contains 184 mg of theobromine.

Misconceptions

That chocolate gives you acne is a myth that has been around for decades; however, acne comes from bacteria and occurs from an increase in hormones. Hormones overwork glands, thus making them increase oil production and open up pores, which allows bacteria to get in and cause acne. Chocolate has stimulants, but none that increase pore size or create bacteria.

Benefits

According to the Cleveland Clinic, one of the largest cardiovascular specialty groups in the world, dark chocolate contains antioxidants and flavanols, which have known benefits for improving cardiovascular health, are anti-aging and help boost the body’s protection against free radicals. Hershey's miniatures for chocolate lovers are heart healthy treats that contain iron and only average levels of "bad stuff."