Hershey's Chocolate Syrup
Red flags
- −Red flag: High added sugar (64g per 100g)
- −Red flag: Contains Potassium Sorbate
Green flags
- +Green flag: Low sodium
Ingredients, decoded
12 listed- Sugar
- Water
- Invert Sugar
- Liquid Glucose
- Cocoa Powder (#5%)
- Natural Food Colour (150a)
- Cocoa liquor (#0.6%)
- Malt Extract
- Thickener (415)
- Preservative (202)
- Iodized Salt
- Flavours (Nature Identical, Artificial (Vanilla) Flavouring Substances)
EC4
Our take
CleanPlate reviewChocolate syrup, 64 g of sugar in every 100 g
Hershey's Chocolate Syrup is sugar, water, invert sugar and liquid glucose with cocoa powder (5%), cocoa liquor (0.6%), malt extract, a thickener, a preservative, salt and nature-identical and artificial vanilla flavourings, coloured with caramel (INS 150a).
CleanPlate scores it EC4. The E for nutrition is low: almost no credited protein, fibre or micronutrients per 100 g. The C for ingredients reflects mostly refined or industrial ingredients (led by sugar, invert sugar and liquid glucose), with additives that cost points: flavouring and xanthan gum. The 4 for risk comes mainly from free sugar (64 g per 100 g).
Claims vs reality
What the pack says, checked against the ingredient list and nutrition panel.
- Product namePartly true
“Chocolate Syrup”
Cocoa powder (5%) and cocoa liquor (0.6%) are real, but sugar, invert sugar and glucose make up most of the syrup.
How EC4 breaks down
Each grade is scored on its own. Here are the label numbers behind each one, per 100 g.
Very low nutrient density
- Protein
- 1.4 g
- Fibre
- Not declared
- Vitamins and minerals
- None declared
- Energy
- 280 kcal
Scored on protein, fibre and twelve vitamins and minerals, against the Codex and FSSAI "source" and "high" levels, per 100 g and per 100 kcal.
Mixed processing and additives
- Base
- Sugar
- Sweeteners
- 3 types
- Additives
- 2
- Flagged
- Potassium Sorbate
- Artificial flavour or colour
- Yes
Scored on how processed the ingredients are, which additives are used and why, and whether the label keeps its promises.
High risk
- Added sugar
- 64 g
- Sodium
- 72.7 mg
- Saturated fat
- 0.6 g
- Trans fat
- 0 g
Scored on free sugar, sodium, saturated fat and trans fat, each weighed by how strong the evidence of harm is.
A closer look
Does the label add up?
Sugar, water, invert sugar, liquid glucose, cocoa powder 5%, natural food colour (150a), cocoa liquor 0.6%, malt extract, thickener (415), preservative (202), iodised salt and flavours (nature-identical and artificial vanilla).
Per 100 g: 280 kcal, 0.9 g fat of which 0.6 g saturated, 64 g sugar of which 64 g added, 1.4 g protein, 72.7 mg sodium. No fibre line. The "#" marks on the cocoa percentages have no footnote in the catalogue text.
Ingredients to watch
- Added sugarConcern
64 g per 100 g, from sugar, invert sugar, liquid glucose and malt extract.
- Little cocoaWorth watching
Cocoa powder and liquor are 5.6% together.
- Artificial vanillaWorth watching
Nature-identical and artificial flavourings cost 2 points.
- Fat and saltFine
0.9 g fat and 72.7 mg sodium per 100 g.
Common misconceptions
Myth: "A drizzle is nothing"
A 30 g serve adds about 19 g of sugar; one teaspoon (about 5 g) adds about 3 g.
Myth: "Squeezable means light"
By weight the syrup is mostly sugar: a 30 g squeeze is 84 kcal.
How often, and how
- Healthy adultsOccasionally
- ChildrenRarely
- Diabetes or prediabetesLimit
Smarter ways to eat it
Use a teaspoon
One teaspoon over fruit or curd gives the chocolate taste with about 3 g of sugar.
Try cocoa powder
Plain cocoa powder gives the flavour without the sugar; sweeten to taste.
Common questions
Is Hershey's Chocolate Syrup healthy?
Hershey's Chocolate Syrup scores EC4 (Poor) on CleanPlate, which makes it best kept as a rare treat rather than a regular buy. The main concerns are: High added sugar (64g per 100g); Contains Potassium Sorbate. On the plus side: Low sodium.
What does the EC4 score mean?
The first letter (E) grades nutritional value: very low nutrient density. The second letter (C) grades ingredient and label integrity: mixed processing and additives. The number (4) grades risk nutrients (sugar, sodium, saturated fat): high risk.
Which ingredients in Hershey's Chocolate Syrup should I watch?
Preservative (202) (Potassium Sorbate).
Last reviewed October 10, 2026. Scored with the CleanPlate method from the published label.