Brace yourself. You're about to read something negative about..

.chocolate. I know, what could be wrong with this sweet treat that is beloved by so many? I'm a big fan of Dove chocolates.

Nothing fancy, just the tried-and-true milk chocolates, are good for me. I find Dove to be the smoothest chocolate, even more so than the "upscale" brands. Before we dive into the worst, let's look at the best.

Tasting Table had the tough assignment of crossing America to identify the very best chocolatiers. This was their methodology: Tasting Table awarded Lake Champlain Chocolates the number one honor based on these criteria. This Vermont company has been family-owned for two generations and prides itself on producing fair-trade chocolate using sustainable farming to give back to its community better.

As we go through these chocolate rankings, you'll find that it's not necessarily taste that sets these sweets apart but rather the practices in which they are made and marketed. This brand is quite common and can be found in every grocery and convenience store in the tri-state area. The company that manufactures this chocolate has deep roots in America, dating back to 1911.

I mentioned that these rankings have little to do with taste and everything to do with practice. 24/7 Wall Street released its rundown of the 8 Chocolate Brands to avoid. The list included many "heavy hitters" of chocolate, including Lindt, Ferrero, Godiva, Hershey, and Nestle.

READ MORE: Have You Tried "Boozy Chocolate" in.