Frequently Asked Questions
How is the Chocolate Best Stored?
Chocolate should be kept in a cool, dark place, with a temperature of less than 20 degrees centigrade. Many people like to store chocolate in the fridge, but do store it away from strong odours as it will absorb other flavours easily. Conscious chocolate does have a lower melting point than other chocolate due to the coconut butter and because we do not use any emulsifiers. You can store Conscious in the freezer and it will not ‘bloom’ or whiten with the heat change due to our premium and pure ingredients.
When will my Chocolate be Delivered?
We aim to dispatch orders within 2 working days following receipt of your order. UK mainland orders should take 2-3 working days to be delivered following dispatch, Western European 3-5 working days and 5-7 working days for the rest of the world. If an item is out of stock we will email you to advise the projected delivery date.
How Much Caffeine do the Conscious Bars Contain?
It is a common misconception that chocolate is a stimulant due to a caffeine content. However, chocolate contains theobromine and not caffeine. They are very similar in terms of molecules but theobromine is ten times less stimulating than caffeine and has tremendous health benefits.
What is the Nutritional Analysis (Fat / Carbohydrate Content) of Conscious?
See each product for the nutritional analysis and extra information.
Are all the Conscious Bars Organic?
Yes, all the Conscious range are organically certified by The Soil Association (GB-ORG-05)
Are all the Conscious Bars Suitable for Vegans?
Yes, Conscious is vegan registered and all the bars are vegan, containing no milk or dairy products at all.
Are all the Conscious Bars Suitable for Vegetarians?
Yes, the whole Conscious range is registered as vegetarian and cruelty free.
Are the Conscious Bars Suitable for Coeliacs?
Yes, all the Conscious bars are suitable for coeliacs and contain no gluten at all.
Are the Conscious Bars Suitable for Diabetics?
It is a myth that chocolate cannot be eaten by diabetics. We believe that coconut blosom sugar is more suitable for diabetic people than other sugars, being that it contains a low GI and low GL, so our chocolate is more diabetic friendly than most. We do always recommend moderation for healthy eating for every one and a small bit of a Conscious bar goes a long way.
Are all the Conscious Bars Raw?
Yes, all the Conscious bars are raw, meaning that all the ingredients used during the making of Conscious are raw and the ingredients are never heated beyond 42 degrees centigrade.
Are the Conscious Bars Sugar-free?
The Conscious bars are only sweetened naturally with organic, raw, coconut blossom (which is unrefined).
How Green is the Conscious Packaging?
The whole Conscious Chocolate bar is plastic free, recyclable, biodegradable and home compostable. The cardboard we use for the bars to sit in is from Accurate Freeze (brand name) and it is a virgin fibre carton board which is fully recyclable (compliant with standard EN 13430) and biodegradable (compliant with standard EN 13432). The inks are vegetable based and the varnish is water based. The foil block is also recyclable. The whole cardboard pack is home compostable as well. The inner packaging of the bars is a bio-film made by NatureFlex and based strongly on renewable resources (wood-pulp from managed plantations) and are certified to standards that prove suitable for both home composting and to be biodegradable. The cartons we use to send out the chocolate is 100% recycled.
Are the Ingredients Fairly Traded? Why is Conscious not Registered as Fair Trade?
We are not registered as fair trade and so cannot put the Fair-trade logo on our wrappers, however we do share the aims of the Fair-trade movement – paying a fair price, developing strong supplier relationships, and investing in local infrastructure to improve lives for the communities. The Fair-trade model was initially developed to allow producer cooperatives in less developed countries to trade with richer nations through a protective scheme. Whilst this works well for some products, there are many delicious organic ingredients that are not available from organisations which are part of the Fair-trade certification scheme.
In addition, all our chocolate is made from organic, raw, Peruvian beans that command a substantial price premium. The price we pay therefore, is significantly higher than the market price, so we know that the farmers get a fair deal from us. All our other ingredients are premium, organic, raw, often wild and sun-dried, and again demand premium prices so all our suppliers also get a fair deal too.
We support, respect and admire the work that the Fair-trade Foundation does to educate consumers about ethical spending, and we are proud to operate our own ethical business practices, even when it is not possible for us to use the Fair-trade mark.
Are the Conscious Bars GM Free?
Genetically modified ingredients are not used in the production of Conscious chocolate. We are certified as organic with Organic Farmers and Growers and they ensure that no genetically modified ingredients are used.
What About People with Nut Allergies?
We do produce a bar with four nuts in it (Four Nuts) and although this bar is made in isolation, all the bars are made in the same kitchens where we store the nuts (albeit in sealed containers).
Are all Conscious Bars Gluten Free?
Yes, all the Conscious range are free from gluten – no wheat is used at all.
Where Can I Buy Conscious?
You can buy all of our products from our online shop.
What is a Recommended Daily Amount?
There is no set limit to the amount of Conscious you can enjoy but we always recommend moderation within your diet. It is helpful to know that in raw chocolate the theobromine levels are higher and so you may find raw chocolate more stimulating than other dark chocolate. We tend to recommend less chocolate late at night to avoid sleeplessness.
What About Other Allergies?
Conscious is free from yeast, celery, sesame, soya, peanuts.
What are the Health Benefits of Raw and Dark Chocolate?
Conscious uses premium, organic, raw ingredients in all the bars to create delicious chocolate. All the Conscious bars are of a minimum of 62% cacao solids.
In studies, the consumption dark chocolate has been shown to lower blood pressure (Journal of the American Medical Association 207:298:49-90).
Dark chocolate is rich in antioxidants (specifically cocoa polyphenols), which can help to combat free radicals, destructive molecules that are implicated in heart disease and other ailments.
What is the % of Cacao Solids in Each Bar?
Each of the Conscious bars contains a minimum of 62% cacao solids, except for The Dark Side 75% and The Dark Side 85%. As all the Conscious range is raw, the cacao content is actually higher.