KANSAS CITY — New better-for-you chocolate bars are sweetening the candy aisle with varieties sweetened with stevia, free of added sugars and packed with protein.

Lily’s Sweets is launching three new chocolate bars for the holidays: Gingerbread Milk Chocolate Style, Mocha Hot Cocoa Extra Dark Chocolate and Peppermint White Chocolate Style. The limited-edition bars are sweetened with stevia.

“Just like the holidays, sweets should bring people joy,” said Cynthia Tice, founder of Lily's Sweets. “At Lily’s, we are dedicated to the pure delight that comes from being able to enjoy treats freely, so we listened to our fans when they told us they are craving their favorite holiday indulgences from us. Our new holiday items continue the Lily’s tradition of being so amazingly delicious, that you will not miss the sugar.”

Chocolove is debuting a range of no sugar added chocolate bars made with extra fiber and are Rainforest Alliance certified cocoa. New Chocolove XO bars are Non-GMO Project verified and come in six flavors: dry roasted pistachio in 37% milk chocolate, fruits and nuts in 37% milk chocolate, salted peanut butter in 37% milk chocolate, almonds and sea salt in 60% dark chocolate, mint in 60% dark chocolate, and salted caramel in 60% dark chocolate.

“I wanted to make a no sugar added chocolate for those who wanted that, but the only way I would make it is if it was worthy of the Chocolove name and made the Chocolove way,” said Timothy Moley, founder and chief executive officer of Chocolove. “The Chocolove way delivers a no-excuses experience that leaves a person happier. Chocolove's no sugar added tastes as good as regular Chocolove, is sweetened with simple ingredients, and has no aftertastes.”

Protein powder maker Designer Protein is making its gourmet chocolate bar debut with the launch of Designer Chocolate Bars. The premium 2.15-oz dark chocolate bars contain 10 grams of whey protein, 8 grams of fiber and 7 grams of sugar. Made with 85% dark cacao, the bars are made with just six ingredients and come in two flavors: dark chocolate with almonds and dark chocolate with quinoa.

“Using our flagship whey protein, we are proud to launch Designer Chocolate Bars that fill a conspicuous void in the chocolate, snack and confection aisles,” said Paul Pruett, CEO of Designer Protein. “With only six ingredients, the Designer Chocolate Bar nutrition is better than many popular nutrition or snack bars, and there is no brand more trusted to deliver on both taste and performance for a health-conscious consumer who wants a treat.”

View slideshow of new products.