Chocolate just got healthier

University of Warwick scientists have found a way to replace 50 percent of fat content in chocolate with fruit juice.

However, the chemists said this chocolate would still not count towards your five-a-day.

The team have taken out much of the cocoa butter and milk fats that go into chocolate bars and replaced them with fruit juices.

Although the chocolate may taste fruity, there is the option to use water and a small amount of ascorbic acid to maintain the ‘chocolatey-feel’.

Dr Stefan Bon from the Department of Chemistry said: “Everyone loves chocolate – but unfortunately we all know that many chocolate bars are high in fat.

“However it’s the fat that gives chocolate all the indulgent sensations that people crave – the silky smooth texture and the way it melts in the mouth but still has a ‘snap’ to it when you break it with your hand.

“We’ve found a way to maintain all of those things that make chocolate ‘chocolatey’ but with fruit juice instead of fat.

“Our study is just the starting point to healthier chocolate – we’ve established the chemistry behind this new technique but now we’re hoping the food industry will take our method to make tasty, lower-fat chocolate bars.”

He added it was now up to the food industry to use this new technique to develop tasty ways to use it in chocolate.