Along with tortillas with or without onions and pizza with or without pineapple, the debate around Nesquik or Cola Cao is one of the most contentious and long-standing in the gastronomic field. Which is better?
Some value more the instantaneity with which their lumps dissolve; others, on the other hand, appreciate that they remain almost intact to chew them on the palate. However, there are other criteria to assess whether which cocoa powder is better, such as its nutritional composition or its type.
In this sense, the Organization of Consumers and Users (OCU) of cocoa powder, . According to the organization, the main problem with this type of food is that it has a high sugar content, which in many cases represents 65% of the product.
“Most of these products obtain a D rating in the Nutriscore system. And the problem is exacerbated in products more geared towards children,” they explain.
Types of cocoa powder
For OCU, the cocoa powders with the best nutritional values are pure cocoas, with an average cocoa content of 100%. “They are the most expensive, but they also have the best relationship between quantity of cocoa and price.” In addition, they have almost no additives or added sugar. On the contrary, they are the ones that contain the most fiber naturally. “As a whole, they are among the soluble cocoas that exhibit a more balanced and healthy nutritional profile,” they consider.
In their list of healthiest, they are followed by cocoa powder for adults, with declared amounts between 100 and 40%, but with excess sugar in some cases. “In its Nutriscore rating there is everything: from an A, the best grade (for products that use sweeteners such as aspartame or sucralose) to a D,” they indicate.
Another important group is made up of children’s cocoas, with “containers that can be perceived as claims for children.” They are products with high sugar content, with an average caloric intake among the highest, standing at 375 kcal/100 g. “Its percentage of cocoa is not anything to write home about either and is between 14% and 36%, with an average content of 23%,” they say. For this reason, the majority obtain fails in the general assessment of Nutrisore.
But without a doubt, the worst cocoas for OCU are found in traditional cocoas: “In the rating of added sugars, everyone deserves the worst possible grade”, considers the organization. They are the largest group and have an average cocoa content of 24% (between 20 and 38%). Also, many go sugar. “In their Nutriscore rating there is little variety: the vast majority have a D, although you can find a C.”
best cocoa powder
With all this, the classification of the OCU is as follows:
– Auchan de Alcampo
– Valorcao de Valor
– Mercadona mahogany
– Cola Cao Oatmeal
– Noir by Cola Cao
– Auchan Bio 100% Alcampo
– Vital Cocoa 100% soluble by Day
– Pure Cao Cola
The top 3 of cocoas are made up of products from Alcampo, Valor and Mercadona, so neither Cola Cao nor Nesquik deserve, according to the OCU’s assessment, to take the title of best cocoa. However, among the following places there are several brands of Cola Cao, with its star product in eighth place. Therefore, it can be concluded that (according to the OCU) Cola Cao surpasses Nesquik, at least in nutritional values.