⌕ Zoom

Photo from the brand's official website

Cadbury

Cadbury Bournville Cranberry 50% Dark Chocolate

Name: Cadbury Bournville Cranberry 50% Dark Chocolate
Brand: Cadbury

Use in moderation SafeShelf · review pending

NOVA 4high added sugarhigh saturated fatsustainably sourced cocoacontains emulsifiersultra-processeddark chocolatelactose-freepregnancy-safegluten-freeenjoy in moderation

Serving

20 g

Pack

78 g

Ingredients

Barcode

7622202325939

Buy on Amazon

01 — Ingredient mix

What’s in the box, ranked from most concerning.

Each ingredient gets a tier from our researched dossier. The list sorts worst-first; the donut summarises the distribution. Tap any ingredient for its full dossier.

Caution · 3 ingredients shown

Caution3 of 8 ingredients

SugarCaution

Dried Sweetened Cranberries (Cranberries, Sugar)Caution

Emulsifiers (442, 476)Caution

Cleared 5▾

Cocoa ButterCleared

Cocoa SolidsCleared

AlmondsCleared

Milk SolidsCleared

Flavours (Natural and Nature Identical Flavouring Substances)Cleared

02 — Claims audit

Every label claim, fact-checked.

We treat each claim as a question — does what’s inside back it up? Tap a claim for the reasoning.

3/4

claims fully supported

“50% Dark”misleading

Label caveats confirm '50% dark refers to 50% Cocoa Solids in the chocolate mass' — i.e., within the chocolate couverture component, not the finished bar. The total product contains only 18% cocoa solids and 24% cocoa butter (42% cocoa-derived ingredients total), with sugar listed as the first and therefore dominant ingredient by weight.

“Cranberry”true

Dried sweetened cranberries are confirmed at 11% of the product by approximate weight per label and extra information.

“Supports Sustainably Sourced Cocoa”true

Cocoa Life certification is explicitly listed in the certifications field of extra information, and the programme description is printed on-pack with a website reference (www.cocoalife.org).

“Cocoa Life — Helps farmers get the most from their cocoa trees through environmentally friendly farming”true

The Cocoa Life programme operated by Mondelēz International is a documented sustainability initiative; the claim accurately reflects the programme's stated purpose as described on-pack and corroborated in extra information.

03 — The fuller picture

Read the whole thing if a one-line verdict isn’t enough.

What’s in favour, and what’s working against it

In favour

Contains 7% almonds — a source of healthy monounsaturated fats, protein, and vitamin E
Sustainably sourced cocoa via certified Cocoa Life programme
Dark chocolate base provides cocoa flavanols linked to vascular health benefits
Low sodium — only 13.6mg per 100g
FSSAI licensed product from a major regulated manufacturer
Vegetarian-certified

Working against

Extremely high added sugar — 43.7g per 100g (87% of WHO daily limit per 100g)
High saturated fat — 19g per 100g, 17% RDA in just one 20g serve
Contains trans fat (0.1g per 100g)
Ultra-processed: synthetic emulsifiers E442 and E476 present
Contains nature-identical flavouring substances of unspecified identity
Cranberries are sweetened, adding to already high sugar load

Who should approach with care

Diabetes — Sugar is the primary ingredient (45.7g total sugar/100g, 43.7g added sugar) and is rapidly hydrolysed to glucose, causing sharp postprandial blood glucose spikes that are particularly hazardous for individuals with type 1 or type 2 diabetes.

Children — High free sugar content promotes dental caries; cocoa solids contribute dietary cadmium and theobromine; emulsifier E442 can marginally exceed EFSA's ADI in toddlers at high exposure; and nature-identical flavourings carry higher relative exposure per kg body weight in younger children.

Infants — Cocoa solids are explicitly contraindicated for infants (theobromine, caffeine, cadmium exposure); almonds present a choking hazard and allergen risk; milk solids require medical guidance for infants at risk of cow's milk protein allergy.

Pregnancy — Cocoa solids deliver caffeine and theobromine that cross the placenta and are associated with fetal growth restriction at high intake; E476 (PGPR, derived from castor oil fatty acids) has a limited reproductive toxicity dataset flagged by EFSA; and certain nature-identical flavouring substances may carry uncharacterised developmental risks.

Lactation — EFSA's flavouring exposure framework identifies lactating women as a sensitive population due to potential transfer of lipophilic nature-identical flavouring compounds into breast milk.

Heart Disease — High saturated fat (19g/100g from cocoa butter) may raise LDL cholesterol; high sugar intake elevates triglycerides and cardiometabolic risk; theobromine and caffeine in cocoa solids may affect heart rate and blood pressure in individuals with pre-existing cardiac arrhythmias; cranberry components may potentiate anticoagulant drugs such as warfarin.

Hypertension — High saturated fat from cocoa butter is associated with endothelial dysfunction, and excess sugar intake is linked to raised blood pressure through cardiometabolic pathways noted in WHO-referenced evidence reviews.

Kidney Disease — High sugar contributes to obesity and hypertension which accelerate kidney disease progression; sweetened cranberries elevate urinary oxalate excretion; almonds and milk solids are significant sources of oxalates and phosphorus respectively.

Ibs — High sucrose content may exacerbate symptoms in individuals with sucrase-isomaltase deficiency; caffeine and theobromine in cocoa solids stimulate intestinal motility; cranberry products often contain fructose, a known FODMAP trigger.

Ibd — Emulsifier E442 (ammonium phosphatides) may adversely affect intestinal microbiota composition; high fat content from cocoa butter may exacerbate fat malabsorption and gastrointestinal symptoms in active inflammatory bowel disease.

Migraine — Cocoa solids are a widely cited dietary migraine trigger attributed to phenylethylamine, theobromine, and other bioactive amines naturally present in significant concentrations in dark chocolate.

Nut Allergy — Almonds are a globally recognised priority tree nut allergen (FAO/WHO); the product also declares 'May Contain Other Tree Nuts' and natural flavourings of unspecified botanical origin could include nut-derived materials.

Lactose Intolerance — Milk solids contain lactose; individuals with lactose intolerance may experience bloating, diarrhoea, and abdominal cramps upon consumption.

Phenylketonuria — Milk solids contain phenylalanine-rich proteins (casein and whey) that must be carefully accounted for within a strictly controlled low-phenylalanine diet.

The full analysis

This product is typically bought by consumers seeking a 'premium' dark chocolate experience, drawn by the Bournville name, the 50% cocoa positioning, and the cranberry-almond inclusions. While it does carry a genuine Cocoa Life sustainability credential and contains almonds (a nutritionally positive ingredient), the overall picture is firmly ultra-processed: it lists two synthetic emulsifiers (E442 and E476) and nature-identical flavouring substances, and its sugar content is very high — 45.7g total sugar per 100g, with 43.7g of that being added sugar. The single most useful thing a consumer should know is that despite its dark-chocolate branding, this bar is more than 45% sugar by weight and should be treated as an occasional indulgence rather than a health food.

FSSAI licence

10014022002711

Manufacturer

Mondelez India Foods Private Limited

Region

Source

MANUAL

Analysis

Independently researched