UK’s most calorific chocolate bars revealed – including one that is worse for your waistline than a McDonald’s cheeseburger… so how bad is YOUR favourite?

Chocolate bars can contain more calories than a McDonald’s burger, a sensational audit has found.

MailOnline assessed the nutritional value of almost 100 varieties, including those from Cadbury’s, Mars and Nestle.

The worst offenders contain almost 380 calories.

By comparison, a cheeseburger sold by the fast food giant contains about 300.

Chocolate bars can also be packed with up to 10 teaspoons of sugar – three more than an adult’s entire recommended daily intake.

Campaigners warned that the bars – often consumed in a meal deal alongside high-calorie sandwiches and fizzy drinks – contain ‘unnecessary’ amounts of sugar, which are then ‘deceptively understated’ by manufacturers.

Experts have long warned about the health risks of consistently eating too much sugar, as it can lead to weight gain and its subsequent consequences.

Our check scoured the range from Britain’s most popular supermarkets, which range in size from around 30g to 75g. The most calorie-dense ones tended to be some of the largest.

Twix Xtra White Chocolate Bar contains 376 calories, making it the most caloric.

It is closely followed by the milk chocolate and salted caramel variants, which have 370 and 368 respectively.

For comparison, that figure is only slightly less than two original glazed Krispy Kreme donuts (390).

Cadbury’s Double Decker Duo (342), Yorkie Raisin and Biscuit Duo (336) and Cadbury Wispa Gold Chocolate Duo (336) are also among the most calorie-dense.

KitKat Chunky Duo (330), Cadbury’s Boost Duo (324), M&S Swiss Blond Chocolate (229) and Maltesers Kingsize (294) round out the top 10.

For context, the average woman is advised to consume about 2,000 calories per day to maintain a healthy weight, while 2,500 is recommended for men.

If you eat more calories than you burn, you will gain weight over time. Six in ten adults and four in ten children are overweight or obese, figures show.

Being fat can increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, cancer and stroke, as well as mental health problems.

But it’s not just the eye-watering calories that chocolate fanatics should pay attention to; they are also packed with sugar.

Cadbury’s Double Decker Duo has 40g, which is equivalent to 10 teaspoons or three and a half Krispy Kreme Original Glazed donuts (12g).

Yorkie Raisin and Biscuit Duo (38.8g), the three Twix Xtra varieties (36g) and Cadbury Wispa Gold Duo (34g) are also among the most sugar-rich.

Health chiefs recommend consuming no more than 30 grams of free sugars per day (the sugars added to food or drinks), as too much can cause tooth decay and weight gain over time.

Dr. Kawther Hashem, campaign director at Action on Sugar, said: ‘It will come as no surprise that chocolate bars contain sugars and calories.

‘But 10 teaspoons of sugar per packet, 3 teaspoons more than the maximum recommended daily allowance for adults, is not necessary.’

She warned that consumers may not realize how many calories and sugar they are consuming because the figures are “deceptively understated” by companies that often print nutritional information by the half-pack.

“Many are also sold as part of a meal deal, for example soft drinks, which adds more sugar to the meal,” Dr Hashem said.

For example, combining a KitKat Chunky Duo with Coca-Cola would mean a meal deal contains almost 60 grams of sugar and 430 calories before even adding the main meal.

Dr. Hashem wants food and beverage companies to reduce the amount of sugar, salt, saturated fat and calories in their products.

She said: ‘With two-thirds of adults in Britain now living with overweight and obesity, one in three suffering from tooth decay, and the NHS under pressure, the Government must now put the nation’s health first.

“This includes continuing restrictions on the price promotion of unhealthy foods and introducing levies that have been successful in encouraging food companies to reduce the amount of sugar, salt, saturated fat and calories in their products.” Reduce.

“Doing this will create a much-needed level playing field for the food and beverage industry and provide better access to healthier food for all.”

Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a ‘world-leading’ obesity plan in 2020, inspired in part by how his own weight had put him at greater risk of becoming seriously ill when he contracted Covid.

However, his government shunned the more radical proposals of then food czar and Leon founder Henry Dimbleby, such as taxes on salt and sugar, after calculating that the proposals could add £60 to each person’s annual food bill.

The proposals that did survive – a ban on buy one, get one free deals on unhealthy snacks and junk food adverts before 9pm – have since been postponed until October 2025 by Rishi Sunak.

WHAT SHOULD A BALANCED DIET LOOK LIKE?

Meals should be based on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, preferably whole grains, according to the NHS

• Eat at least 5 portions of varied fruit and vegetables every day. All fresh, frozen, dried and canned fruits and vegetables count

• Basic meals on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, preferably whole wheat

• 30 grams of fiber per day: This is the same as eating all of the following: 5 servings of fruits and vegetables, 2 whole-grain cereal cookies, 2 thick slices of whole-grain bread, and a large baked potato with the skin still on

• Provide some dairy or dairy alternatives (such as soy drinks), opting for lower fat and lower sugar options

• Eat some beans, legumes, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins (including 2 portions of fish per week, one portion of which is fatty)

• Choose unsaturated oils and spreads and consume them in small quantities

• Drink 6-8 cups/glasses of water per day

• Adults should have less than 6 g of salt and 20 g of saturated fat for women or 30 g for men per day

Source: NHS Eatwell guide