About 1 In 10 People Prefer This Type Of Chocolate To All Others

When you think of candy, you can't not think of chocolate. Whether it's a classic Hershey bar, a nutty Reese's Peanut Butter Cup, or an indulgent square of Ghirardelli dark chocolate, cocoa-laden treats are a favorite among those of us with a sweet tooth. There's a piece of chocolate for almost every taste preference, too, whether you want something super sweet or more bitter, something plain or filled with nuts, or something molded into a specific shape. It seems that everyone has an opinion on what type of chocolate is best, from mild white to bitter dark.

So out of all the creamy, sugary varieties of chocolate out there, which one is the most popular? Mashed polled over 57,000 people worldwide via YouTube to find out what their favorite type of chocolate is. While milk chocolate predictably reigned supreme, garnering 54% of the votes, there was an underdog that almost one in 10 people voted for.

Milk chocolate won the overall title in Mashed's survey, followed by dark chocolate, which 36% of voters said they preferred. But while white chocolate came in last, it still earned an impressive 11% of respondents' votes. One person called it "surprisingly underrated," while another dubbed it "a nice change of pace." Many pointed out that white chocolate isn't even technically chocolate — which is true, according to Bon Appetit. White chocolate is made of vanilla, cocoa butter, milk, sugar, and lecithin, so it actually doesn't even contain any chocolate solids. 

That said, while some countries don't acknowledge white chocolate as actual chocolate, here in the U.S., there are now standards that white chocolate must meet for it to be found in the aisle with its darker counterparts (via Food Network). As of the guidelines set in 2004, white chocolate must contain at least 20% cocoa butter, 14% milk solids, and 3.5% milk fat.