Could your evening chocolate be keeping you awake? It sounds dramatic, especially if the chocolate in question is a couple of squares after dinner. But cocoa does naturally contain caffeine.
How much caffeine is in chocolate?
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) gives these approximate examples for 50g portions:
- Plain chocolate: about 25mg caffeine
- Milk chocolate: about 10mg caffeine
- Filter coffee, 200ml: about 90mg caffeine
Real products vary considerably. The bean variety, chocolate formulation, serving size and amount of cocoa material all matter. But as a broad rule, dark chocolate generally has more caffeine than milk chocolate because it contains more of the cocoa components that carry it.
And what is theobromine?
Cocoa also contains theobromine, a related compound in the methylxanthine family. It isn't identical to caffeine and shouldn't be treated as an interchangeable dose of caffeine.
The combination helps explain why chocolate is chemically more complicated than simply 'sugar with a bit of cocoa'. But enjoying a bar is not the same thing as drinking an energy drink.
Can chocolate affect sleep?
Caffeine sensitivity varies. The EFSA notes that even 100mg close to bedtime can affect sleep in some adults. A small portion of milk chocolate usually contains much less than that, but larger servings, dark chocolate and caffeine from other drinks can add up.
If you know you're sensitive to caffeine, it's reasonable to consider the time and amount of chocolate you're eating. That doesn't mean everybody needs to ban chocolate after 6pm.
What about our bars?
Malawi Origins 60 and Brussels Reserve 72% deliver a different cocoa experience from Proper Milk. It's fair to expect differences in caffeine, but we won't invent precise caffeine numbers without analysing the products.
Enjoy the chocolate you prefer, in a portion that suits you. The best scientific answer is rarely as dramatic as a headline claiming your bedtime square is a cup of espresso.
