Bittersweet does not mean low-calorie — fat density still drives the hit. A meta-analysis of 10 RCTs (Tokede et al., Eur J Clin Nutr 2011) found dark chocolate lowered LDL by ~5.9 mg/dL with no HDL change. Per 100 g: 480 kcal, 30 g fat, 54.5 g sugar.
How should I track Semisweet chocolate?
Semisweet chocolate is high in magnesium. The trickiest part about tracking Semisweet chocolate is that small portions pack a lot of calories, and most people estimate sweet portions poorly. Research (Almiron-Roig et al., Appetite 2013) found that calorie-dense foods are underestimated by 50–200% when portioned by eye. Weighing on a scale takes the guesswork out. And here is the mindset shift that helps: tracking sweets is not about guilt. It is about awareness. When you log a treat honestly, you can plan around it and still hit your targets for the day.