Does Chocolate Have Caffeine?

When it comes to a mid-afternoon pick-me-up, coffee, tea, energy drinks or a soda are the most common choices for a caffeine boost. A square of dark chocolate or a cup of hot chocolate is probably the last thing you’d think of for an energy surge, but that’s because many people are unaware chocolate contains caffeine. 

Learn more about how much caffeine is in chocolate and the role stimulants can play on the body, especially when taking them close to bedtime. 

What’s in chocolate?

Thanks in large part to modern day marketing, chocolate is known as a sweet treat for snacking or as part of an indulgent dessert. 

But pure chocolate, which originates from cacao trees, is fascinating from a chemistry perspective due to the presence of hundreds of chemicals. These compounds carry many benefits, ranging from antioxidant properties to anti-inflammatory effects.

The chocolate that ends up in cookies, cakes, ice cream, candy and other treats starts by harvesting cacao pods that contain a bean surrounded by pulp. The cacao beans contain compounds such as caffeine, theobromine and theophylline – three stimulants that act as a natural insecticide to keep cacao trees free of pesky insects.  

Once fermented, the beans are separated from the pulp, ground into cocoa liquid (a combination of cocoa solids and cocoa butter) and used to make chocolate. In humans, the naturally-occurring stimulants block adenosine receptors in the brain, which prevents drowsiness and promotes feelings of alertness.

Caffeine in chocolate 

The amount of caffeine in chocolate directly correlates to the amount of cocoa solids in the final product. In other words, the more chocolate, the higher the caffeine content. 

Unsweetened chocolate, either in the form of cocoa powder or bars of baking chocolate, contain 100 percent cocoa solids and no added sugar and therefore have the most caffeine.  

When comparing dark chocolate to milk chocolate, dark chocolate has the most caffeine because it contains mostly cocoa solids, along with lesser amounts of sugar and other ingredients. Milk chocolate, meanwhile, has less caffeine because it’s diluted with more milk powder and sugar and doesn’t contain as much cocoa solids. White chocolate doesn’t have any caffeine because it’s made from cocoa butter, milk and sugar and not cocoa solids. 

In general, the amount of caffeine in chocolate can range from a few milligrams (mg) per serving to 20 to 30 mg per serving. Here are a few examples, according to data from the USDA’s Food Data Search: 

• 1 oz. serving dark chocolate (60 to 69 percent cacao solids) - 24.4 mg caffeine 
• 1 oz. serving semisweet chocolate (45 to 59 percent cacao solids) - 12.2 mg caffeine  
• 1 oz. serving milk chocolate - 5.6 mg caffeine 
• 1 cup chocolate milk - 2.5 mg caffeine 

Ultimately, though, the caffeine count in chocolate varies widely by brand. For example, a 1.5 oz. serving of Hershey’s milk chocolate contains 9 mg of caffeine. 

How does the caffeine in coffee compare to other sources of caffeine? Consider these examples: 

• Cup of brewed coffee - 92 mg caffeine 
• 8 oz. can of energy drink - 75 mg caffeine 
• 1 oz. shot of espresso - 63 mg caffeine 
• Cup of black tea - 47 mg caffeine 
• 12-oz. can of cola - 33 mg caffeine 
• Cup of brewed green tea - 29 mg caffeine 

As you can see, eating a square of dark chocolate is almost equivalent to drinking a cup of green tea. 

It’s important to note some people eat more than one serving of chocolate at a time. For example, an entire bar of dark chocolate contains 96 mg of caffeine, which is equal to about a cup of coffee or two cups of black tea.

That said, most commercial chocolate used in candy, baked goods and other desserts is milk chocolate, so caffeine levels tend to be negligible when compared to other forms of caffeine. 

One other fact to consider: You won’t be able to find caffeine listed on products at the grocery store. The Food and Drug Administration only requires products to list added caffeine. Since cocoa beans contain caffeine that occurs naturally, manufacturers don’t have to indicate how much caffeine is in the chocolate.  

Additional factors that play a role

While the type of chocolate plays a role in the caffeine content, so do the quality of cacao beans used. All chocolate isn’t created equal, and some boutique brands of chocolate may contain higher-quality beans that have more caffeine. Conversely, cheaply-made milk chocolate may have trace amounts of caffeine due to inferior beans and the addition of additives and fillers. 

A study of around 200 cocoa samples from various regions around the world came to the conclusion that beans from Ecuador, Venezuela and Peru contained the highest caffeine levels, while beans from Ghana, Ivory Coast and Mexico had the lowest caffeine levels.  

For example, a 50-gram bar of dark chocolate (75 percent cocoa solids) with cocoa beans that originated from Venezuela contained 77 mg of caffeine, compared to just 28 mg of caffeine from dark chocolate that originated from Ghana. 

Does hot chocolate have caffeine?

This is a common question people have. Yes, there is caffeine in chocolate, although the amount varies by product.  

A tablespoon of 100 percent unsweetened cocoa powder has 12.4 mg of caffeine, according to the USDA. Most recipes for a cup of hot chocolate call for one or two tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder, meaning there may be up to 25 mg of caffeine in a single cup of hot chocolate. 

However, some hot chocolate brands use minimal cocoa solids and instead rely on chocolate syrup. Most syrups found at the grocery stores contain between 3 and 4 mg of caffeine per tablespoon. 

Should you avoid chocolate before bed?

In general, health care professionals recommend avoiding products that contain caffeine several hours before bed. Foods and drinks that contain high amounts of caffeine, such as coffee, shouldn’t be consumed at all in the evenings if you want to get a good night’s sleep. 

Caffeine, along with other stimulants found in chocolate, may disrupt your sleep when consumed in large quantities. Ultimately, it all depends on what you’re eating. 

Drinking a cup of chocolate milk that contains 3 mg of caffeine before bed won’t affect your sleep patterns, but snacking on an entire bar of dark chocolate can lead to sleep disruptions.  

Stimulants such as caffeine increase heart rate and blood pressure. Caffeine also increases the activity of chemical messengers such as dopamine and norepinephrine, two neurotransmitters that play a role in alertness. Levels of the hormones cortisol and adrenaline, which initiate the fight-or-flight stress response, also increase. 

Chocolate not only contains caffeine, but it also has high levels of theobromine, another stimulant that affects the central nervous system. Theobromine is less potent than caffeine, although it still increases heart rate and causes sleeplessness. 

Additionally, sugar in chocolate can be overstimulating at night and cause blood sugar spikes that make it difficult to stay asleep. 

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