Caffeine and theobromine in chocolate

[CookingWithGas]

I thought I was getting a buzz from my 70% cocoa bar (I avoid caffeinated beverages because I buzz too much). So I decided to look up the caffeine content of chocolate. Lots of sites have this. However, one site claims that

There is a persistent urban legend that Chocolate contains caffeine. It would seem that this rumor is based primarily on a confusion between two similar alkaloids: caffeine and Theobromine.

Nobody seems to dispute that chocolate contains theobromine (that’s the stuff that makes chocolate poisonous to dogs) but this is the first claim I’ve seen that it does not contain caffeine.

Since this confusion of mine arose from a web search I do not expect it will be resolved by a bunch of responses directing me to Google for chocolate and caffeine. Is there a biochemist out there that knows the straight dope?

[MrSquishy]

@CookingWithGas

Nobody seems to dispute that chocolate contains theobromine (that’s the stuff that makes chocolate poisonous to dogs) but this is the first claim I’ve seen that it does not contain caffeine.

IANA biochemist. However, I did minor in Biological Sciences in university. I recall that in one of my courses (possibly pharmacology), I was told that chocolate does not contain any caffeine, in contains theobromine, which is nearly the same thing. Also, (black) tea does not contain caffeine, it contains theophylline. I believe I was told that only coffee contains caffeine (along with any beverages, e.g. Coke, where it is an additive).

I am also interested to see if anyone has a more definitive answer than my 15-year old recollection of a junior-level university course.

[WhyNot]

Well, this seems a reputable site (uspharmacist.com) and under Chemical Constituents (of cocoa) they say:

The methylxanthines, which make up roughly 3% of the cocoa bean and consist of two thirds theobromine and one third caffeine, give cocoa its bitter taste and stimulative effect.2

and under Dosage, notes:

Overdose, which can happen after consumption of more than 300 mg of caffeine and more than 300 mg of theobromine, can have negative effects on the central nervous system and can cause stomach irritation.

Now, Alton Brown on his coffee show earlier this week noted that coffee has less caffeine the longer you roast it, so it may be that the cooking process similarly affects the caffeine content of chocolate. But it still has some.

[MrSquishy]

@WhyNot

The methylxanthines, which make up roughly 3% of the cocoa bean and consist of two thirds theobromine and one third caffeine, give cocoa its bitter taste and stimulative effect.

After seeing this, I think my initial recollection was faulty. I believe we were taught that chocolate contains some caffeine, but the major xanthine in chocolate is theobromine. The same goes for tea where it may have some caffeine (and theobromine?) but mostly theophylline.

Again, not really a GQ answer I guess. I did enjoy that pharmacology course though.

[Tapioca_Dextrin]

WebMD agrees with WhyNot

[quote]
Q: What?s in chocolate as a food?
A: Chocolate contains carbohydrates (starch, various sugars), fats (cocoa butter), vegetable protein, potassium, and magnesium in large amounts; calcium and sodium in small amounts; iron in trace amounts; and vitamins A, B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), D, and E. Chocolate also contains caffeine."

[quote]

[Tapioca_Dextrin]

I’m sure a lack of chocolate is to blame for my bad coding

[WhyNot]

@MrSquishy

After seeing this, I think my initial recollection was faulty. I believe we were taught that chocolate contains some caffeine, but the major xanthine in chocolate is theobromine. The same goes for tea where it may have some caffeine (and theobromine?) but mostly theophylline.

Again, not really a GQ answer I guess. I did enjoy that pharmacology course though.

Might want to review your notes again.

http://www.uspharmacist.com/oldformat.asp?url=newlook/files/Alte/may00green_tea.cfm&pub_id=8&article_id=523: “The fresh leaves [of Camella sinensis, or “tea”] contain 3%–4% caffeine (depending upon development), theobromine (0.15%–0.2%), theophylline (0.02%–0.04%), and other methylxanthines.1”

Although Camellia sinensis points out: “In humans, caffeine, 1,3,7-trimethylxanthine, is demethylated into three primary metabolites: theophylline, theobromine, and paraxanthine.” So if we’re talking metabolites, you may be right that ultimately the body gets more theophylline than caffeine from tea. But it’s not the greater of the chemical constituents of tea itself.

(Of course, once again, final caffeine counts vary by age of plant, processing, storage and preparation.)

[Excalibre]

Chocolate contains relatively small amounts of caffeine according to things I’ve read. I’m going to quote an article in progress that I’m writing; apologies because I don’t have the sources I used here, but I consulted the best academic sources I could to find this information.

@me

A hundred grams of dark chocolate might contain about 60 mg caffeine and 500 mg of theobromine (keep in mind that this is a very substantial serving of chocolate); for comparison, a cup of brewed coffee contains no theobromine but 100 mg or so of caffeine. The caffeine and theobromine content of chocolate is highly variable from brand to brand and from batch to batch.

The caffeine content of chocolate in typical serving sizes is not enough to have any major psychological effect. Theobromine is not as well studied as caffeine; it seems to have similar but much less intense stimulatory effects, lasting over a longer period of time. Administration of theobromine in pills does not have any effect on chocolate cravings, suggesting that it’s not responsible for the seemingly addictive qualities of chocolate, and some researchers believe it has little to no psychological effect at all. The possiblity exists that caffeine and theobromine together have a synergistic effect, but there is as yet no evidence to support this hypothesis. Thus, the stimulant effects of chocolate appear to be fairly weak overall.

If chocolate gives you a buzz, you might be more sensitive to caffeine than me (I drink way too much coffee), or it might be the sugar. But I’d guess it’s just the placebo effect. I wouldn’t say that the caffeine content of chocolate is a myth per se, but it seems that many people believe it to contain a far larger amount of caffeine than it really does. A one-ounce bar of dark chocolate only contains about 15mg of caffeine, and 125mg of theobromine. Theobromine hasn’t been proven to have a stimulant effect at all, but its similarity to caffeine makes it seem to be a good candidate. Nevertheless, unless you pig out on chocolate, it’s not gonna get you through an all-nighter.

[CookingWithGas]

@Excalibre

A hundred grams of dark chocolate . . . is a very substantial serving of chocolate. . .

About 3.5 ounces.

If chocolate gives you a buzz, you might be more sensitive to caffeine than me (I drink way too much coffee), or it might be the sugar. But I’d guess it’s just the placebo effect. . . .A one-ounce bar of dark chocolate only contains about 15mg of caffeine, and 125mg of theobromine. Theobromine hasn’t been proven to have a stimulant effect at all, but its similarity to caffeine makes it seem to be a good candidate. Nevertheless, unless you pig out on chocolate, it’s not gonna get you through an all-nighter.

Twice this week I had about 1-2 ounces of 70%. In boht cases I got a mild buzz in the afternoon, and woke up in the middle of the night. This is the same thing that happens if I have a couple of Diet Cokes (so I don’t).

Never noticed this before, could be coincidence.

The main thing I was wondering was the veracity of the cited site, which also, BTW, claims that theobromine does have a stimulant effect, and even does a detailed comparison of its effects to caffeine’s.

[Excalibre]

@CookingWithGas

The main thing I was wondering was the veracity of the cited site, which also, BTW, claims that theobromine does have a stimulant effect, and even does a detailed comparison of its effects to caffeine’s.

I wouldn’t trust it at all, since it starts by (falsely) claiming that chocolate has no caffeine, and further claims that most headaches are caused by dehydration - also false. It doesn’t look all that professional, either.