I was completely wrong about cacao and caffeine, and honestly, it was an exciting discovery because I learned something new.
I was chatting with a chocolate maker friend, Tony, who pointed out, “Jonas, you need to tell people that there’s caffeine in cacao!” My initial reaction was based on my own sensitivity: “I’m incredibly sensitive to caffeine. I get the jitters from even a tiny amount, so I’m sure my body would react if there was caffeine in cacao. I drink it every day, and cacao’s primary stimulant is theobromine. There’s no way cacao has a substantial amount of caffeine.”
Tony, unfazed, suggested, “Get a lab test done. I can show you my own numbers – you’ll be surprised.”
So, I agreed to test my cacao for caffeine and theobromine content, and I was surprised.
The lab results revealed approximately 35mg of caffeine per serving of cacao. If I consumed that much caffeine from any other beverage, I would definitely experience negative side effects like jitters and a crash.
This led me to wonder, how could my body react so differently to caffeine when it was part of cacao?
It turns out that numbers need context. 35mg of caffeine in a cup of cacao is not the same as 35mg of caffeine in a cup of coffee or tea.
Cacao contains a high level of beneficial fats from the cacao butter. These fats slow down the effects of caffeine in the body. In some ways, this is similar to having a bulletproof coffee with added ghee. The fat helps to modulate the caffeine release.
However, cacao is more than just added fat. It’s a complex plant substance with hundreds of other molecules that also affect brain chemistry and energy levels. Somehow, it completely changes my body’s experience of the caffeine. I find the dominant stimulant effect in cacao to be from theobromine, which offers a long, sustained energy boost without overstimulation or a crash. The theobromine in cacao provides a gentler, longer-lasting energy profile than caffeine alone.
To address my friend’s challenge and promote transparency, I decided to publish our lab test results on our packaging. I often get asked about the caffeine content, and I’m grateful that now we can share accurate information about cacao. It’s important to understand the nuances of cacao’s caffeine content.
So, now you know that cacao does contain caffeine, and why it feels different in the body than caffeine from a cup of coffee. The unique composition of cacao, including its fats and other compounds, affects how the body processes caffeine. This nuanced understanding of “How Much Caffeine In Cacao Powder” is crucial for consumers.
With vigor,
Jonas
