What Is Caffeinated Chocolate?

Chocolate is a popular food among all generations especially the kids and the young adults. It is loved by all due to its sweet taste along other health benefits that are derived from its consumption. Many of the consumers wonder if chocolate has caffeine and if yes, what the amount is. This article explores the presence or absence of caffeine in chocolate and also the benefits or harms that this can cause.

One of the major ingredients in making chocolate is cocoa that is known to contain some little amounts of caffeine in its seed. The caffeine present in the cocoa seed will range from 0.1% to 0.7% depending on how the conditions the cocoa plant was grown in. Therefore the amount of caffeine will differ depending on what proportion was used when making the chocolate. High percentage of cocoa will lead to higher percentages of caffeine.

There are many popular flavors available in the market. Some of the most common ones include white, dark and milk chocolate. Of these three, the dark chocolate contains most amount of cocoa used as ingredient. The percentage is almost 40% of cocoa beans and therefore it contains a higher amount of caffeine than the other two. The white chocolate contains a higher percentage than the milk chocolate. Therefore depending on the amount of caffeine your body needs you can choose the appropriate kind of chocolate.



To raise the percentage of caffeine in the chocolate, the use of ingredients that have high amount of caffeine has been adopted. These include the coffee beans which is the most popular. The chocolate is either mixed with roasted coffee or the chocolate can be covered with the coffee beans. The first option is better if the mixture is put in a drink while with the second option the chocolate can be consumed alone. In these two options the chocolate contains a higher amount of caffeine. So the question is what are the benefits or harms of caffeine in chocolate?

Health Benefits of Caffeinated Chocolate:
Caffeine reduces depression through increment of dopamine in brain. Caffeine also increases the amount of energy available for use by the body especially during exercises that need high amounts power. It reduces sleep and therefore appropriate for activities that require one to be alert. For example driving. Caffeine increases the rate of hair growth. It is recommended for bald men. Health Risks of Caffeinated Chocolate

If the amount of caffeine in the chocolate is too high, some harmful effects include restlessness headaches and insomnia. As from the above, presence of caffeine in chocolate should not be of great concern unless you have been advised by a doctor or medical practitioner not to consume anything that contains chocolate. Otherwise the amount of chocolate in coffee is minimal and should not worry you. Anyway it has many health benefits that the consumer can gain from.

For more information about caffeinated chocolates and other chocolates, visit The Chocolate Book. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_Cuscianna Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7226643