Eden FAQs

What certifications does Eden have?

We are certified Fair Trade and GFSI, a measure of “Good Manufacturing Practices”.  We are also gluten-free, non-GMO, shade grown, and single origin.

What is monk fruit?

Monk fruit (luo han guo) was cultivated nearly a thousand years ago by Chinese monks. Unlike sugar and other natural sweeteners, monk fruit has no calories and virtually no glycemic impact. It is rated GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) by the FDA and safe for diabetics. (Though you should always check with your doctor.)

What is erythritol?

Erythritol is a natural sweetener obtained by fermenting glucose and sucrose. It has virtually no calories and zero glycemic impact.

Why does "erythritol" come before "monk fruit" in the ingredients list?

Monk fruit is 300 times as sweet as sugar while erythritol is only about 60% as sweet as sugar. Only a tiny amount of monk fruit is needed to sweeten an Eden Chocolate bar. Ingredients are listed in order of volume.

What is Fairtrade, and why is it important?

Fairtrade is an international non-profit and a leader in the movement to provide better prices and decent working conditions for farmers and workers in developing countries.

What is single-origin, and why is it important?

Single origin means that a product comes from a single country, province or even farm. It’s important because it provides a unique flavor experience and unparalleled accountability for growers, manufacturers and brand. Our cocoa is grown by select farmers in Flavio Alfaro Canton, Manabí, Ecuador and has a unique flavor profile reflective of the flora, weather, soil, and growing practices of the region.

What is bean-to-bar, and why is it important?

All chocolate bars start off as beans, so a lot of people use the term. When we say it, we mean that we use no commodity chocolate. Our cacao is grown on a handful of plantations in Manabí, Ecuador and shipped directly to our plant to be processed. It never leaves our hands and we control all facets of the processing.

What is shade grown, and why is it important?

Shade grown is the sustainable practice of growing cocoa beneath or amidst the forest canopy. Shade grown cocoa requires no pesticides or herbicides. It’s less disruptive to the environment. It’s working with nature, not against it. What’s more, due to the unique absorptive quality of cocoa, the taste of Shade Grown chocolate is actually reflective of surrounding rainforest fruits and vegetables, which is part of what gives Eden its unique flavor.

What is lecithin, and what makes sunflower lecithin better?

Lecithin is used as an emulsifier in chocolate, and it’s essential for cell health. Both sunflower and soy lecithin have antioxidant properties that protect against cell damage by free radicals. The difference is that soy lecithin is extracted using chemical solvents like hexane, then dried and bleached with hydrogen peroxide, while sunflower lecithin can be extracted naturally without chemicals. Sunflower lecithin also has higher levels of choline and linoleic acid that promote healing. Plus, allergic reactions are more common with soy lecithin, which makes it a concern for people with food allergies. We use only Sunflower Lecithin.

Does your chocolate contain maltitol?

No. Maltitol has been associated with a variety of digestive disturbances like abdominal discomfort, gas, and bloating, so we do not use Maltitol in our recipes.

Does your chocolate contain dextrin?

No. Our chocolate contains no dextrin. Our goal is to limit the number of ingredients in our chocolate to five (or six if the chocolate has a flavor).

Is Eden dark chocolate vegan?

Yes. All Eden dark chocolate is vegan.

Is no-sugar-added the same as sugar-free?

Not exactly. We don’t call our chocolate “sugar-free” because, like most fruits and vegetables, cacao has small amounts of natural sugar, but we add no sugar to our chocolate.

Why does your Coconut flavor show added sugar in the Nutrition Facts?

We add no refined sugar to any of our bars. The 1 gram of added sugar in our Coconut flavor comes from the naturally occurring sugar in the coconut shavings. 

What else should I know about Eden?

We have a very low glycemic index. We use no vanilla to mask inferior cocoa beans. We are Keto Friendly and have no sodium, no cholesterol, and no trans-fat, and we need no alkalization process (dutching) to improve the color or flavor of our chocolate.

What's with the butterfly?

We made the blue morpho butterfly our mascot, because our truly bean-to-bar chocolate is grown, roasted, shelled, ground, conched, tempered, and packaged in Ecuador where the morpho makes its home.