Dark Chocolates, Cocoa & Cacao Powders, Nibs, and Supplements Review -- Sources of Flavanols

Find the Best Dark Chocolate, Cocoa Powder and Cocoa Supplements. Is Your Chocolate or Cocoa Healthful or Toxic? Find Out Now!

Medically reviewed and edited by Tod Cooperman, M.D.

Last Updated: 09/25/2021 | Initially Posted: 07/16/2017 | Expanded and Revised: 12/21/2019Latest Update: Dark Chocolate for Mood?

Table of Contents

Summary

· What are the health benefits of dark chocolate and cocoa? Cocoa-based products contain flavanols which are associated with modest potential benefits regarding blood flow, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, exercise, memory/cognition, skin wrinkles, and blood sugar control (See "What It Does")

· Which dark chocolate and cocoa products are best? Be careful! Many popular cocoa powders, cacao nibs, and some dark chocolates are contaminated with high levels of cadmium, a toxic heavy metal (see What CL Found). Fortunately, we were able to identify a few great products that minimize cadmium exposure, maximize flavanols, offer superior value, and even minimize calories without sacrificing flavor. See CL's Top Picks.

· How much cocoa or dark chocolate do I need? Clinical studies suggest the following total daily intakes of flavanols for the purposes noted below, although further research is needed to confirm benefits and optimal dosing:

· Cardiovascular health: About 200 to 900 mg per day

· Blood sugar/insulin improvement: About 200 mg to 600 mg per day

· Memory/cognitive function: About 500 to 900 mg per day

· Skin elasticity/wrinkles: 320 mg per day

To get these amounts look at the 3rd column in the Results Table below. It will show you the amount of flavanols in a serving of each product.

· Dark chocolate and cocoa safety and side effects: Although cocoa and chocolate products are generally safe, it may be best to limit consumption of products due to contaminants as well as calories (See How much of a danger is cadmium from cocoa and chocolate?) Be aware that the caffeine and theobromine in cocoa products may cause side effects as well as interfere with the actions of certain drugs. Cocoa and chocolate products may also trigger migraines in some people and may trigger allergic contact dermatitis in nickel-sensitive individuals. People with milk allergies should be aware that dark chocolate bars may contain milk (See Concerns and Cautions).

What It Is:

Cocoa powder (also called cocoa solids) is made from cacao beans after removal of the natural fats (cocoa butter). Cocoa powder is rich in antioxidant compounds known as flavanols that also occur in grapes, apples, and teas. Flavanols can exist as simple compounds (catechins monomers) or linked together (catechins oligomers or polymers) as compounds known as proanthocyanidins or PACs. (Note: Flavanols differ from flavonols, such as quercetin, which contain a ketone group.)

Cocoa powder is used to make cocoa beverages, chocolate, chocolate syrup and chocolate confectionaries. The amount of flavanols in a cocoa-based product depends on multiple factors including plant genetics, where the plant is grown, how the plant is harvested, how the cocoa is processed, and how the product is prepared. For example, dark chocolate and milk chocolate are made with cocoa powder and cocoa butter, however, dark chocolate has a much higher concentration of flavanols because milk chocolate includes milk, and, typically, a larger amount of sugar. [Be aware that the "% cocoa" or "% cacao" in a chocolate reflects the total amount of cocoa powder plus cocoa butter relative to all other ingredients. As sugar is the only other ingredient in dark chocolate, "% cocoa" in dark chocolate tells you the percent that is not sugar. However, as manufacturers typically don't disclose the ratio of cocoa powder to cocoa butter in their chocolates, the "% cocoa" is only a rough indicator of how much cocoa powder is in a product and how flavanol-rich the chocolate may be.][Also be aware that the FDA has found milk in some dark chocolates — see Concerns and Cautions.]

What It Does:

Cardiovascular:
Populations that consume higher amounts of flavanols from cocoa and other sources tend to have lower rates of cardiovascular disease. In addition, clinical studies have shown that the consumption of cocoa flavanols can modestly improve vascular function and have favorable effects on cholesterol levels, but long-term blood pressure lowering has not been demonstrated in people with hypertension and the effects on cholesterol have only been demonstrated in short-term studies of healthy individuals. Cocoa flavanols may have a useful, short-term benefit in people with peripheral artery disease.

Although no health claim about cardiovascular benefits can be made on cocoa products in the U.S., in 2012 the European Food Safety Authority granted permission to the maker of a dark chocolate product to claim on its product label that, for the general population, "Cocoa flavanols help maintain endothelium-dependent vasodilation, which contributes to normal blood flow." In order to obtain the claimed effect, 200 mg of cocoa flavanols should be consumed daily. This amount could be provided by 2.5 g of high-flavanol cocoa powder or 10 g of high-flavanol dark chocolate, both of which can be consumed in the context of a balanced diet (EFSA 2012). [You can check the amounts of flavanols found by ConsumerLab.com in various products in Results table below.]

Studies that suggest cardiovascular benefits have tended to be of short duration (up to 4 weeks) and in healthy individuals while longer studies (e.g., 8 weeks), which are more meaningful, have shown more limited benefits or no benefit.

A study among 100 healthy, middle-aged men and women, consuming a flavored drink twice daily (providing a total of 900 mg cocoa flavanols) for one month resulted in a small, but significant improvement in blood vessel endothelial function (which contributes to normal blood flow) compared to a placebo drink (which contained similar amounts of caffeine and theobromine, but no cocoa flavanols). Those who drank the cocoa flavanol drink also had small but significant reductions systolic and diastolic blood pressure (4.4 mmHg and 3.9 mmHg, respectively) and total and LDL "bad" cholesterol (approximately 8 mg/dL and 7 mg/dL, respectively), as well as a slight increase in HDL "good" cholesterol (about 4 mg/dL). The researchers reported that these changes reduced the estimated risk of death from cardiovascular disease over a projected 10-year period by 30% compared to those who consumed the placebo drink. The flavanol drink, a powder mixed with water and consumed with breakfast and dinner, was made with the same extraction process (called CocoaPro) as CocoaVia reviewed below and was provided by MARS Inc., which sponsored the study (Sansone, Br J Nutr 2015). Similar improvements in cholesterol levels were seen in a small study using a specially processed, high-flavanol cocoa powder. In the study, healthy men and women who consumed 4 grams of the powder (providing 220 mg of flavanols, including 92 mg of epicatechin) daily for one month had average decreases in blood levels of total cholesterol (-12 mg/dL), LDL cholesterol (-14.98 mg/dL), oxidized LDL (-95.61 U/L) and triglycerides (-3.8 mg/dL), and an average increase in "good" HDL of 3.37 mg/dL cholesterol compared to levels before supplementation. People who took one-half or one-quarter of the dose did not have significant changes in any of these measures. The study was funded by the maker of the cocoa, Casa Luker S.A. Company of Columbia, which claims to have developed a process allowing for less oxidation and damage to cocoa polyphenols than traditional roasting (Danvinelli, J Nutr Biochem 2018).

A study in young, sedentary, but otherwise healthy women in Texas found that daily consumption of 12.7 grams of a natural cocoa bar (containing 309.6 mg of flavanols, including 48 mg of epicatechin) for 4 weeks led to an 18% increase in HDL ("good") cholesterol and a 60% decrease in EMPs (particles associated with blood vessel damage). However, additional positive changes in blood markers were seen mainly with obese women and not women of normal weight, suggesting a more positive effect of cocoa on obese women than those who are not obese (McFarlin, J Nutri Biochem 2015).

Long-term studies in people with elevated cholesterol levels are needed to better assess the true benefit of cocoa flavanols on cholesterol.

A small study in Italy found that within 2 hours of consuming a bar (40 grams) of dark chocolate which was greater than 85% cocoa, people with peripheral artery disease (due to atherosclerosis) were able to walk 15% further than normally; eating a similar amount of milk chocolate had no effect (Loffredo, J Am Heart Ass 2014). A six-month study of 44 people with peripheral artery disease in Chicago who consumed, as a beverage, 5 grams of cocoa providing 25 mg of epicatechin, or a placebo, three times daily, also suggested improvement in walking distance, indicating the cocoa increased six-minute walking distance 2.5 hours after the final drink by 42.6 meters (about a 12% increase over baseline) compared to placebo after adjusting for differences between the groups. It must be noted, however, that much of this improvement was relative to a 15.3 meter decrease in the placebo group and other adjustments, as the actual increase in the cocoa-treated group was very little -- only 8 meters. There was no significant difference between the groups 24 hours after the final drink, suggesting, no long-term benefit on walking distance (McDermott, Circ Research 2020).

Unfortunately, among people with mild hypertension, cocoa has been of limited benefit. A placebo-controlled study in the U.S. among people with stage 1 hypertension (blood pressure of 140-159/90-99 mm Hg), failed to show reductions in blood pressure or other benefits from cocoa-based products except among those also taking ACE inhibitors or beta blockers — among whom blood pressure levels fell by roughly 2 to 5 mm Hg. However, blood pressure rose (by about 5 mm Hg) among those taking diuretics who consumed the cocoa-based products. The study (funded by Hershey) involved the daily consumption of 10 grams of extra dark chocolate (89 mg of flavanols) and a beverage containing 2.5 grams of cocoa powder (42 mg of flavanols), or twice the amount of each for 8 weeks. (Njike, Clin Trials Reg Sci Cardiol 2016). Similarly, a study in Finland among people ages 33 to 64 with mild hypertension found that eating dark chocolate (49 grams daily -- 70% cocoa, providing 603 mg flavanols) for 8 weeks had no significant effect on blood pressure or other cardiovascular risk factors (such as arterial stiffness), compared to 8 weeks of refraining from chocolate. During both periods subject were told to reduce snacking — possibly explaining the loss of about 2 lbs. during the non-chocolate period of the study, although this did not affect blood pressure (Koli, Nutrition Journal, 2015).

Higher consumption of chocolate has been associated with a lower risk of developing atrial fibrillation, which is the most common type of irregular heartbeat and, itself, is associated with higher risk of stroke, heart failure, cognitive decline, dementia, and mortality (death over time). A large, 13.5 year study in Denmark found that compared to people who ate no chocolate, the risk of having atrial fibrillation was 10%, 17%, and 20% lower among those who ate, respectively, one to three 1 oz. servings of chocolate per month, one serving per week, and two to six servings per week after adjusting for calorie intake and other variables. Unfortunately, the type of chocolate (dark or milk) was not specified; however, chocolate in Europe is required to have higher concentrations of cocoa than in the U.S: at least 30% for milk chocolate (vs. 10% in the U.S.) and 43% for dark chocolate (vs. 35% in the U.S.) (Mostofsky, Heart 2017). A review of several studies found an association between moderate chocolate consumption (1 to 3 servings per month) and a 23% lower risk of heart failure compared to no regular chocolate consumption, although consumption of one or more servings per day was associated with a 17% higher risk of heart failure. These associations, however, were not deemed statistically significant and neither the form of chocolate nor serving size was specified (Krittanawong, Eur Heart J Supplement 2018).

Cocoa flavanols appear to temporarily delay one measure of platelet function according to a small study of healthy young men who consumed 50 grams of a high-flavanol (90% cocoa) chocolate (Lindt). A 14% delay in a measure of clotting (collagen/ADP-induced closure time) occurred four hours after eating the chocolate, which coincided with the appearance of cocoa flavanols in the men's blood. The researchers concluded that dark chocolate may be beneficial for people at risk of thrombosis (clot development) (Montagnana, Medicine 2018). However, the researchers acknowledged that more study is needed, and a long-term (three-month) study involving high-dose cocoa flavanols did not find a significant effect on platelet function in healthy men and women (Ottaviani, Am J Clin Nutr 2015).

Some evidence suggests that cardiovascular effects of flavanols are due to modulation of nitric oxide concentrations and that these effects may be based on chemical properties other than the antioxidant properties of the ingested compounds.

Blood Sugar, Insulin Resistance, and Diabetes
A review of 8 clinical trials among men and women (many of whom had conditions such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or diabetes) found, compared to placebo, that a daily cocoa flavanol intake between 200 mg and 600 mg significantly decreased fasting blood sugar levels (down 0.26 mmol/L), fasting insulin (down 2.43 uIU/mL) and HOMA-IR, a measure of insulin resistance (down 0.72 points). Higher daily intakes of cocoa flavanols (at or above 600 mg) resulted in a greater decrease in HOMA-IR (down 1.05 points), but had less of an effect of fasting insulin (down 2.10 uIU/mL) and did not significantly decrease fasting blood sugar levels (Lin, J Nutr 2016).

Note, however, that cocoa flavanols did not provide additional benefit to people with diabetes and hypertension already controlled with medication, as demonstrated in a 12-week, placebo-controlled study using 2.5 grams per day of flavanol-rich cocoa powder (ACTICOA, from Barry Callebaut) that contained a total of 207.5 mg of cocoa flavanols (Dicks, Nutrients 2018).

A large, 13-year study of postmenopausal women found that moderate consumption of chocolate (defined as 1 oz. 1.5 times per month but not more than 3 times per week) was associated with about a 10% lower risk of developing diabetes than consumption of 1 oz. of chocolate less than once a month (type of chocolate not defined). This reduction, however, was only statistically significant for those under 65 years of age or less physically active; risk of diabetes was not reduced for women who consumed 1 oz. of chocolate 3 or more times per week (Greenberg, Eur J Clin Nutr 2017).

A study of 14 healthy postmenopausal women found that they consumed an average of 100 fewer calories within 90 minutes after eating 85 grams (about two regular servings) of 80% dark chocolate than after eating similar amounts of white or milk chocolate. Blood glucose and insulin concentrations were also higher after consuming milk or white chocolate than after dark chocolate, suggesting greater blood sugar control with dark chocolate. Dark and milk chocolate (both of which contain cocoa solids) led to higher blood of levels of pancreatic polypeptide (which may help reduce appetite), than white chocolate (which does not contain cocoa solids). These results suggest that, given a choice, dark chocolate can help postmenopausal women moderate overall energy intake better than milk and white chocolate (Marsh, Appetite 2017).

Improved glucose metabolism from cocoa flavanol intake has also been associated with improved cognitive performance in healthy elderly men and women (See Memory section below).

Interestingly, 67 postmenopausal women in Spain who consumed 10 grams of cocoa-rich chocolate ("99% cocoa," providing 65.4 mg of cocoa flavanols) once daily for 6 months lost about 1 lb of body fat, while a similar group of 61 women not given the chocolate gained nearly ½ lb on average, although there were no significant differences between the groups in terms of changes in overall weight or BMI, nor in serum insulin. The chocolate maker Lindt & Sprungli supplied the chocolate but was not involved in the study (Garcia-Yu, Br J Nutr 2020). (The same study found a slight improvement in two measures of cognitive function with chocolate, as discussed below.)

Exercise and physical performance:
Cocoa flavanols can modestly improve physical performance in both young and old people.

A small study in moderately-trained young men given 40 grams of dark chocolate or white chocolate (which lacks flavanols) for 14 days found the dark chocolate resulted in a modest (17%) but statistically significant increase in the distance they could cycle in 2 minutes and reduced the oxygen cost of exercise, suggesting that it "may be an effective ergogenic aid for short-duration moderate intensity exercise." (Patel, J Int Soc Sport Nutr 2015). The benefit may be due to the ability of epicatechin flavanols to dilate blood vessels by modulating nitrous oxide production. Dove Dark Chocolate was used in the study on the researchers' belief that it had a high concentration of the flavanol epicatechin, but they did not test flavanol levels and it's likely that it actually has a low concentration relative to other products as indicated by other research (Kaspar, U. Wisc. 2006) and the fact that it is only 40% to 50% cocoa (according to Mars Chocolate customer care) and sugar is listed as its primary ingredient.

Consuming large amounts of cocoa powder may modestly improve physical performance in daily activities like walking, rising, and gripping objects. This was shown in a study among older men and women in Mexico (average age 76) which also showed the cocoa flavanols to reduce biochemical markers of oxidative stress associated with frailty. In the study, which lasted two months, every day before breakfast a group of participants consumed 5 grams of cocoa powder (with 6 grams of added sugar) mixed in water while another group had a placebo drink. Each serving of cocoa contained 179 mg of cocoa flavanols while the placebo was an alkalized cocoa beverage that did not contain flavonoids but contained the same amount of theobromine (Munguia, J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2019).

Memory and cognition:
Small clinical trials, typically using high-doses (500 mg to 900 mg) of cocoa flavanols suggests that cocoa flavanols moderately improve memory in older people with mild cognitive decline. In people with normal cognition, improvements may also occur with lower (and, possibly, with lower amounts (e.g. 86 mg) of flavanols and tend to be in attention, processing speed and reduced mental fatigue.

A review of 14 small clinical studies examined the effects of cocoa flavanols on cognition and memory and, while not all studies found a positive effect, the authors concluded that supplementation with cocoa flavanols can be effective at sustaining cognitive performance and memory. The greatest benefits were found in older adults, those with only mild cognitive decline and those consuming at least 500 mg per day of cocoa flavanols between 5 days to 3 months. However, the researchers also cautioned that due to the limited number of studies in the review, differences in dosages, timing, and the specific populations studied, more research is needed to confirm the beneficial effects of flavanols on cognition and memory (Socci, Front Nutr 2017).

Several of the studies included in the review noted above used extracts which were highly concentrated for cocoa flavanols produced by MARS. For example, a study of healthy people ages 50 to 69 found that drinking a high-flavanol, hot cocoa drink twice daily (providing 900 mg flavanols, including 138 mg epicatechin) for 3 months enhanced brain functioning. Compared to people given a similar, low-flavanol drink (10 mg flavanols, and less than 2 mg epicatechin), those given the high-flavanol drink experienced improved recall speed, comparable to individuals 30 years younger (Brickman, Nature Neuroscience 2014). It is not known if lower doses of flavanols -- such as the 200 mg dose suggested for cardiovascular benefit -- might work equally well for memory. The product used in the study was provided by MARS, Inc., maker of CocoaVia powder, which is reviewed below. Testing by ConsumerLab.com found that the ratio of epicatechin to total flavanols in the study's product to be similar to that of CocoaVia.

In a small study of healthy older adults (ages 50 — 65), drinking a high- flavanol cocoa drink, also provided by MARS (494 mg flavanols, 89 mg epicatechin) significantly increased blood flow to the brain 2 hours after ingestion, an effect not observed after drinking a low-flavanol drink (29 mg flavanols, 3 mg epicatechin). The study did not test cognitive function. (Lamport, Psychopharmacology 2015).

Another study showed cognitive benefits, and possible cardiovascular and metabolic benefits, with high-flavanol hot cocoa drinks. In the 2-month study, healthy individuals ages 60 to 85 were given one of three drinks providing the following amounts of cocoa flavanols: (993 mg flavanols, 185 mg epicatechin), (520 mg flavanols, 95 mg epicatechin), or (48 mg flavanols, 5 mg epicatechin). Those getting the higher flavanol drinks showed moderate improvements in certain aspects of cognitive performance — particularly processing speed. They also experienced reductions in blood pressure , LDL ("bad") cholesterol, and glucose and insulin levels, suggesting an association between glucose metabolism and improved cognitive performance (Mastroiacovo, Am J Clin Nutr 2014). The drink, called CocoaPro, was also provided by MARS Inc., which sponsored the study.

A study among 100 healthy, highly educated men and women (ages 65 to 75) with normal cognition in Finland compared the effects of consuming 50 grams daily of high-flavanol dark chocolate (Karl Fazer 70% Dark Chocolate Pralines - containing 410 mg flavanols, 85 mg epicatechin) versus low-flavanol dark chocolate (86 mg flavanols, 26 mg epicatechin) daily for two months. Performance on cognitive testing improved equally in both groups (which could have been due to experience with the tests over the course of the study), but it was clear that there was no special benefit from high-dose flavanols in people who were not experiencing cognitive decline. It's not known if consuming the high-flavanol dark chocolate would have shown a benefit compared to no consumption of cocoa flavanols (Suominen, Exp Gerontol 2020).

A study in Spain among postmenopausal women (average age 57) found that consuming 10 grams of cocoa-rich chocolate ("99% cocoa," providing 65.4 mg of cocoa flavanols) once daily for six months modestly improved cognitive flexibility and processing speed compared to similar women in a control group who did not consume the chocolate. However, there were no improvements in attention, verbal memory, or working memory compared to the control group (Garcia-Yu, Nutr Neurosci 2020). Note: These results would be more meaningful had a placebo product been used as the control.

A placebo-controlled study of healthy adults in Australia, ages 18 to 40, given a daily tablet providing 250 mg of cocoa flavanols found short-term improvement in self-reported mental fatigue while taking a mathematical test, but there were no effects on other aspects of cognitive performance, mood, or cardiovascular functioning. Interestingly, after one month, participants who had received the placebo reported feeling significantly less stressed than those receiving the cocoa flavanols (Massee, Front Pharmacol 2015).

A small study among healthy, young men (average age 24) found that consuming a high-flavonol, non-alkalized, reduced-fat cocoa beverage (Natural Acticoa, Barry Callebaut -- providing 681.4 mg total flavanols) two hours before cognitive testing modestly improved performance on a highly demanding cognitive task, but did not on less demanding cognitive tasks, compared to consuming a low-flavonol cocoa beverage (providing 4.1 mg total flavanols). Both beverages contained similar amounts of caffeine (about 19.4 mg). Additional testing in the study suggested that the findings may be explained by an ability of cocoa flavanols to increase blood flow to the brain when carbon dioxide levels are elevated (Gratton, Sci Rep 2020). Barry Callebaut provided both cocoa beverages but did not fund the study.

Mood and Stress
A placebo-controlled study of healthy adults in the UK given 25 grams daily of dark chocolate containing 500 mg of cocoa flavonoids (specific amount of flavanols, the predominant cocoa flavonoid, not listed), for four weeks found that levels of cortisol (a stress hormone) in saliva were significantly reduced (by 29%), compared to those given a low-flavonoid chocolate. The high-flavonoid group also reported a greater improvement in mood (a 5 point reduction on a 40 point-range "negative affect" scale, which relates to anxiety) than the low-flavonoid group (a 1.5 point reduction), but the between-group difference was not statistically significant. There was also no significant difference between the groups on "positive affect." (Tsang, Antioxidants 2019). As noted in the "Memory" section above, a study in Australia also did not find an overall effect of cocoa flavanols on mood.

A small study in Korea among 48 healthy men and women ages 20 to 30 without depression found that consuming 10 grams of "85% cocoa" dark chocolate (Weinrich 1895 Fine Dark Chocolate) providing 132 mg of polyphenols, three times daily for three weeks modestly decreased self-reported indicators of negative mood (i.e., feelings of irritability, hostility, guilt, etc.), although it did not increase self-reported positive mood (i.e. feelings of inspiration, enthusiasm, excitement, etc.) compared to a control group that did not consume chocolate. Consumption of the same amount of dark chocolate made with a lower percentage of cocoa (70% cocoa — providing 82.1 mg of polyphenols per serving) had no effect on mood. Consumption of the 85% cocoa dark chocolate led to changes in the presence and diversity of bacteria in the gut, that were associated with the decrease in negative mood (Shin, J Nutr Biochem 2021).

A U.S. population study found that people who consumed dark chocolate had 70% lower odds of reporting clinically relevant depressive symptoms than those who did not consume dark chocolate. This association did not exist for non-dark chocolate consumption (Jackson, Depress Anxiety 2019).

Skin
Cocoa flavanols may have a mild, beneficial effect on facial wrinkles and skin elasticity according to a well-controlled study of 64 women in Korea (average age 67) with moderate sun damage to the skin and visible wrinkles. After 24 weeks of consuming a low-fat cocoa beverage of 4 grams of processed cocoa powder (providing 320 mg of cocoa flavanols) or placebo once daily for 24 weeks, the depth of "crow's feet" wrinkles increased by 8 percent among those receiving placebo, but it barely changed in the cocoa flavanol group. Skin elasticity improved by about 9% in the cocoa flavanol group, while there was no improvement in the placebo group. There was no significant effect on skin hydration. The women were not permitted to consume other foods high in antioxidants around the time of the study. Among a subgroup of the women who were exposed to artificial UV radiation at the end of the study, those who drank the cocoa beverage required a higher dose of radiation to induce skin damage, suggesting cocoa might have a protective effect. The cocoa was provided by Barry Callebaut (Belgium) (Yoon, J Nutr 2015).

Vision
A small study found that adults in their 20's (with no eye disease) had greater visual acuity when tested about two hours after eating a bar of dark chocolate (Trader Joe's 72% Cacao Dark Chocolate) than after a bar of milk chocolate (Trader Joe's Crispy Rice Milk Chocolate). Small-letter contrast sensitivity was significantly greater with dark chocolate. Large-letter contrast sensitivity was only slightly greater with dark chocolate and this was not statistically significant. The study had several limitations including a lack of comparison to baseline vision (i.e., before chocolate), the investigators' knowledge of the identities of both bars, and self-reported measures of visual acuity, i.e., participants read eye charts mounted on the wall. The published study references ConsumerLab's results (from this Review) for the cocoa flavanol level in the dark chocolate bar (316.3 mg), which was much higher than in the milk chocolate (40 mg). The researchers speculate that increased blood flow to the retina or brain might explain the results (Rabin, JAMA Ophthalmol 2018). These results were later contradicted by a more rigorous study that was double-blinded (neither the researchers nor the participants knew which type of chocolate was consumed), included an objective measure (a scan that measures blood flow in the eye), and measured visual acuity at baseline (before chocolate consumption). This study found no improvement in visual acuity or blood flow in the eye two hours after dark chocolate (20 grams of dark chocolate providing 400 mg total flavanols) was consumed compared to milk chocolate (7.5 grams containing 5 mg total flavanols). The dark chocolate used in the study was Lavlé Belgian Chocolate, by The Good Chocolate Company in Belgium (Siedlecki, JAMA Ophthalmol 2019).

Cancer
Flavonoids in chocolate have shown anticancer activity in laboratory studies. Proposed mechanisms by which flavonoids may negatively affect cancer cells include: (1) increasing immune response, (2) decreasing oxidative stress, (3) reducing inflammation, (4) affecting proliferation and programmed cell death (i.e., apoptosis) of cancer, (5) reducing the formation of blood vessels to cancer (i.e., angiogenesis), and (6) reducing its spread (i.e., metastasis). Despite the many ways by which chocolate flavonoids might target cancer, most observational studies in humans have found that higher intake of chocolate does not reduce cancer risk. Evidence from the Women's Health Initiative Study, which included data on chocolate candy exposure for 114,281 women (average age 64), found that chocolate candy intake (type of chocolate not specified) was not associated with the risk of invasive total cancer or invasive breast cancer. Furthermore, the risk of invasive colorectal cancer was 18% higher for women who consumed an ounce (28.4 grams) of chocolate candy at least 1.5 times per week compared to those who consumed an ounce of chocolate less than once per month (Greenberg, J Acad Nutr Diet 2020). Since frequent chocolate consumption may contribute to adiposity (overweight/obesity), a risk factor for colorectal and certain other cancers, and there's no strong evidence supporting the benefit of chocolate for cancer prevention, it would not seem beneficial to increase chocolate intake to lower cancer risk.

Intestinal Health
A placebo-controlled 27-day study in which a high-flavanol cocoa powder was fed daily to young pigs (which have intestinal systems similar to those of humans) found significant increases in beneficial bacteria L. casei and Bifidobacterium at doses providing 205 mg to 410 mg of cocoa flavanols (from 10 grams to 20 grams of Acticoa powder from Barry-Callebaut) (Jang, J Nutr 2016). The results are similar to those from a study in healthy people in which consumption of 494 mg of cocoa flavanols daily from a drink significantly increased fecal levels of the same bacteria, while inhibiting potentially pathogenic Clostridium bacteria (Tzounis, Am J Clin Nutr 2011). These studies suggest that cocoa can have a "prebiotic" effect and "support intestinal health," according to the researchers.

Caffeine and Theobromine
Naturally present in cocoa, caffeine and theobromine promote alertness (by blocking cell receptors for adenosine — a hormone that promotes sleep) (Martinez-Pinilla, Front Pharmacol 2015). Theobromine can also relax blood vessels and have a diuretic effect (increasing urination) and, in the past, was used as a heart medication and for bronchodilation (to improve breathing). Taking theobromine decreased LDL ("bad") cholesterol by 5.6% in a study in which 500 mg of theobromine was taken daily by overweight but otherwise healthy men and women for four weeks (Smolders, Clin Nutr 2017). The amount of theobromine used in this study is only slightly more than the 300 to 400 mg ConsumerLab found in single, 40-gram servings of dark chocolates (cocoa powders contained about 100 mg per 5-gram tablespoon).

Theobromine has been unsuccessfully tried as a cough suppressant in people with chronic cough not due to illness or conditions such as COPD (Morice, J Thorac Dis 2017).

However, both compounds may also cause side effects (see Concerns and Cautions).

Quality Concerns and Tests Performed:

As noted above, there can be wide variation in the flavanol concentrations of cocoa-based products. In addition, heavy metals can contaminate cocoa plants and cocoa-based products. Consequently, ConsumerLab.com tested a variety of cocoa and cacao products for their amounts of flavanols, as well as for the heavy metals lead, cadmium, and arsenic. Although for many years there was scientific uncertainty about how to properly measure flavanols in cocoa products, in 2012 a validated method, using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), was developed and published by the AOAC International, allowing for more standardized measurement. This is the method utilized by ConsumerLab.com. For more details about the testing, see How Products Were Evaluated.

[Note: Due to popular interest in this category and the wide range of products, the results reported are cumulative: they include those published in July 2017, and most recently, in late 2019. The products are identified by the year reported.

What CL Found:

Flavanols:
As shown with blue bars in the graph below, ConsumerLab.com found the concentration of flavanols (measured in milligrams of flavanols per gram of product) varied greatly among products, ranging from 3 mg to 14 mg per gram among bars, 5 to 9 mg per gram among chips, 3 mg to 25 mg per gram among powders, 12 mg to 23 mg per gram among nibs, and from virtually none to a whopping 623 mg among supplements. Dutched (alkali processed) cocoas and chocolates generally had lower flavanol concentrations, as the Dutching process reduces flavanol levels.

Cadmium, Lead and Arsenic:
Concentrations of the toxic metal cadmium (shown with red bars) also ranged widely, from less than 0.005 mcg per gram in some supplements and bars to as much as 1.2 mcg and 1.8 mcg per gram, respectively, in two powders. The highest level in supplements and chips was 0.2 mcg/g, in nibs it was 0.5 mcg/g, and in bars it was 0.7 mcg/g. Many products exceeded established limits for cadmium per serving (indicated with red text). All of the values represented in the graph are also shown in the Results table.

None of the products exceeded limits for lead or arsenic applied by ConsumerLab.com.

Similar to CL's results in this Review, a study published in 2017 by researchers from the U.S. FDA of 144 cocoa and chocolate products (not identified by name) sold in the U.S. showed that the highest cadmium concentrations were in cocoa powders (averaging 0.7 mcg/g). This was followed by cocoa nibs (0.62 mcg/g), dark chocolates (0.27 mcg/g), and very low levels in milk chocolates (0.06 mcg/g). Lead was also highest in cocoa powders (0.11 mcg/g) with only negligible amounts in other products — the lowest being cocoa nibs (0.003 mcg/g) (Abt, Food Add & Contam 2017). A study of cadmium in cacao from plantations in Peru found that 57% of cacao bean samples exceeded 0.8 mcg per gram, with the highest levels (up to 1.79 mcg per gram) coming from northern Peru (Arevalo-Gardini, Sci Tot Environ 2017). (Note that cadmium is found in the cocoa solids and is not present in cocoa butter, nor, for the same reason, in white chocolate).

It's interesting to note that "Organic" products were generally more contaminated with cadmium than non-organic products — a phenomenon that ConsumerLab.com has observed in the past and noted in other Reviews. Although most products did not list the geographic source of their cacao beans (see 6^th column of Results table), nearly all those that did indicated areas in Central or South America. However, two products, both from Chocolove, indicated a combination of African and Caribbean sources and these products had lower than average concentrations of cadmium, consistent with the above-mentioned study by U.S. government researchers that found higher concentrations of cadmium in products from Latin America than from Africa. Higher concentrations of cadmium were in products from Latin America than from Africa. It was noted that although most of the world's cocoa beans come from Africa, only the varieties from Latin American produce the "fine cocas" (i.e., those having desirable flavor and color) that are used to make specialty dark chocolates and many cocoa powders (Abt, Food Add & Contam 2017).

Getting cocoa flavanols and minimizing cadmium:
The most healthful products in terms of flavanols and cadmium are those with the greatest ratio of flavanols to cadmium (i.e., more blue bar than red bar in the graph below). Not surprisingly, highly concentrated extracts (in which cadmium can be removed) such as CocoaVia and Futurebiotics had the best ratios of flavanols to cadmium.

Among dark chocolates, the best ratio was for Montezuma's Dark Chocolate Absolute Black with 14 mg per gram of flavanols but just 0.06 mcg of cadmium per gram of chocolate; in contrast, Pascha Organic Dark Chocolate provided only 5 mg per gram of flavanols but more than 0.5 mcg of cadmium per gram of chocolate. Not surprisingly, chocolate chip products fell within the range of dark chocolate bar products, and the chips from Guittard had a somewhat better ratio than those from Ghirardelli due to significantly more flavanols per gram (9.6 mg vs. 5.3 mg per gram) although also slightly more cadmium (0.23 mcg vs. 0.18 mcg per gram).

Nearly all of the cocoa powders had high concentrations of cadmium. Among those that did not, Ghirardelli Chocolate Premium Baking Powder had the best ratio of flavanols to cadmium, while Healthworks Cocoa Powder and Hershey's Cocoa Special Dark had the worst; in fact, Healthworks had the highest concentration of cadmium of any product tested and only a moderate concentration of flavanols.

All three of the nibs had moderately high concentrations of cadmium — 0.29 to 0.45 mcg per gram, but Navitas Organic Cacao had the best ratio of flavanols to cadmium.

Also included in the graph below is the amount of cadmium per serving, which is written in text to the right of each bar. Products that exceed daily cadmium limits are indicated in red font. However, because suggested serving sizes differ across products within a category, the concentrations and ratios discussed further above provide a more fair comparison of products.

Another way to look at flavanols and cadmium is in terms of the amount of cadmium exposure to get 200 mg of flavanols -- the minimum daily amount associated with cardiovascular benefits, which is shown in the graph below. Products with the longest red bars are the least favorable options for getting flavanols while avoiding cadmium.

Calories:
Calories in cocoa and dark chocolate products come mainly from their cocoa butter (9 Calories per gram) and added sugars (4 Calories per gram). As cocoa supplements typically contain little to no sugar and minimal cocoa butter, they provide few calories. Similarly, unsweetened cocoa powders contain no sugar and generally little cocoa butter, so a tablespoon (about 5 grams) typically provides only 10 to 20 Calories. Cocoa nibs naturally contain cocoa butter, so a 3-tablespoon serving (15 grams) may provide about 7 grams of fat and 150 Calories. Dark chocolate typically includes the most cocoa butter and sugar, so that a 40-gram serving will provide around 250 Calories -- or about 200 Calories if not sweetened with sugar. One of the products, Lily's, was lower in calories (160 Calories per 40 grams) than the others because of its use of non-sugar sweeteners, such as erythritol and stevia, and other ingredients allowing for a reduction in cocoa butter.

Caffeine and Theobromine:
Note that that cocoa-based products will contain some caffeine — although typically less than in a cup of coffee (about 100 mg). A 40-gram serving of dark chocolate will generally contain about 25 to 85 mg of caffeine (see amounts listed in the 4^th column of the Results table). We didn't test other products for caffeine in 2019 unless an amount was claimed, but, based on past testing, a tablespoon of cocoa will contain about 10 to 20 mg of caffeine, supplements will contain about 1 mg to 30 mg of caffeine, and 30 grams of nibs may contain 45 to 85 mg of caffeine.

Theobromine, which can cause some side effects, is also found in cocoa-based products. We measured amounts in all dark chocolate bars, which ranged from 100 mg to over 600 mg per serving, and in supplements, which ranged from about 15 mg to 50 mg. These amounts are also listed in the 4th column of the Results table. Based on past testing, cocoa powders contain about 100 to 120 mg of theobromine per tablespoon (but can be much less if Dutched) and nibs contain about 300 mg per three tablespoon serving.

Read about potential side-effects of caffeine and theobromine in the Concerns and Cautions section.

Top Picks:

In choosing its Top Picks among the products "Approved" for quality in this Review, ConsumerLab.com looked for those with a high flavanol content and the lowest possible contamination, while also considering cost and taste.

Overall
If you are just after flavanols, you'll generally get the most flavanols with the least cadmium contamination and calories from supplements made from cocoa extracts and, among these, the one with the highest concentration of flavanols is CocoaVia Memory+ capsules. This product promises 750 mg of flavanols in a daily serving of 3 capsules for $1.50, and we found an even greater amount of flavanols (1,113.5 mg). This is a reasonable cost for flavanols, with each 200 mg of flavanols costing 40 cents (or just 27 cents based on the amount found), which is comparable to the cost of flavanols from other Approved products -- such as Trader Joe's Pound Plus 72% Cacao Dark Chocolate (27 cents) and about 10 cents more than Volupta Cacao Powder (33 cents based on the amount of flavanols claimed and only 17 cents based on the higher amount of flavanols found). Some cocoa powders provide flavanols at even lower cost but they were not Approved due to cadmium levels. Exposure to cadmium with CocoaVia Memory capsules is extremely low (0.005 mcg per gram).

Dark Chocolates
If you love strong dark chocolate, don't need it to be sweet, want plenty of flavanols and minimal cadmium contamination, the clear winner, and a Top Pick for dark chocolates, is Montezuma's Dark Chocolate Absolute Black — 100% Cocoa. We found that each gram contains 14 mg of flavanols and just 0.06 mcg of cadmium. Compare this with Trader Joe's The Dark Chocolate Lover's Chocolate Bar — 85% Cacao (tested in 2017) which had the next highest concentration of flavanols (12.6 mg per gram) but 12 times as much cadmium (0.73 mcg per gram) — the most cadmium in any dark chocolate we tested. Montezuma's, which is from England, is a bit pricey at $4.30 for a large (100 gram) bar, but, in terms of getting flavanols, it's among the lowest cost bars and it has the fewest calories — just 85.6 Calories per 200 mg of flavanols, as shown in the graph below. 

Although Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Lover's bar was a cadmium disaster and the two Trader Joe's cocoa powders in this Review were also among the worst in terms of cadmium, this is not the case with Trader Joe's Pound Plus — 72% Cacao Dark Chocolate, which is our other Top Pick for dark chocolates — for people who like dark chocolate a little sweet. In addition to being the least expensive dark chocolate by far ($4.99 for a huge, 500 gram, 1.1 pound, bar), it, like Montezuma's, was among the lowest in cadmium at just 0.07 mcg per gram and fairly high in flavanols (7.4 mg per gram). Despite containing sugar, it provides fewer Calories (163.3) per 200 mg of flavanols than many other bars, as shown in the graph below. Keep in mind that, due to added cocoa butter (which has twice the calories of sugar) and sugar itself, dark chocolate bars have more calories than cocoa powder, so, to get 200 mg of flavanols, you will consume about 100 to 250 or more Calories from a bar versus only about 30 calories from a (non-Dutched) powder.

Be aware that you can't always rely on the "% cocoa" or "% cacao" claims on dark chocolate bars to inform you of their flavanol concentrations: ConsumerLab.com has frequently found that bars claiming 80 to 85% cacao contain lower concentrations of flavanols than bars claiming flavanols in the 70% range. In the current Review, for example, Taza Chocolate Wicked Dark — 95% Dark had a lower flavanol concentration (5.5 mg per gram) than the Trader Joe's 72% bar (7.4 mg per gram). One reason why you can't rely on the "% cacao" as an indicator of flavanol content is that the confectionery industry has defined this as the sum of the cocoa liquor, cocoa powder, and cocoa butter in the formulation — and cocoa butter does not contain flavanols. Products claiming a high "% cacao" but which CL found to be relatively low in flavanols likely contain relatively high concentrations of cocoa butter. 

Chocolate Chips
Our Top Pick among dark chocolate chips is Guittard Extra Dark Chocolate Baking Chips — 63% Cacao because these chips provide 81% more flavanols per gram than Ghirardelli Chocolate Premium Baking Chips — 60% Cacao (9.6 mg vs. 5.3 mg) and cost a bit less (20 cents vs. 25 cents per 15 grams). However, Guittard does contain a bit more cadmium per gram (0.23 mcg vs. 0.18 mcg), making a 15-gram serving exceed the limit in Canada for children, but not for adults. For children, the Ghirardelli chips may be preferable. (Note that the Ghirardelli chips are about twice the size of the Guittard chips due a much wider base.)

Cocoa Powders
A conundrum with cocoa/cacao powders is that those with the highest flavanol concentrations tend to be the most contaminated with cadmium (and are, consequently, Not Approved by us). Conversely, those with little cadmium contamination (and are Approved by us) tend have low flavanol levels. And then there is the worst of both worlds, a product very low in flavanols but relatively high in cadmium, as exemplified by Hershey's Cocoa Special Dark, which we found to provide only 13.1 mg of flavanols per tablespoon (the lowest level among cocoa powders) but 3.2 mcg of cadmium, which is over the limit for children in Canada and just 0.9 mcg below the limit for adults.

Fortunately, there is a middle ground, which is where we found our Top Pick: Ghirardelli Chocolate Premium Baking Cocoa — 100% Cocoa. Per tablespoon, Ghirardelli has only 0.6 mcg of cadmium yet provides 44 mg of flavanols and costs just 13 cents. In fact, it is the only cocoa powder we tested that would not cause a child or adult to exceed daily cadmium limits if trying to get 200 mg of flavanols (which would take 4.5 tablespoons of Ghirardelli, as noted in the 5th column of the Results table). It has a moderate, although slightly bitter, chocolate flavor. If you want a less bitter cocoa powder while still minimizing cadmium, you need to sacrifice flavanols and go with the French product, Valrhona Poudre De Cacao Cocoa Powder, which, per tablespoon, provides just 17 mg of flavanols and costs 33 cents — 2½ times as much as Ghirardelli. Interestingly, both Valrhona and Hershey's Special Dark are Dutch processed -- which removes bitterness but also reduces flavanols -- but the concentration of cadmium in Valrhona is only one-sixth that of Hershey's.

If you are an adult and still want to use one of the cocoa powders that is high in flavanols but also high in cadmium, it may be best to limit consumption to one tablespoon per day. None of the high-flavanol powders would be appropriate for children.

Cacao Nibs
Unfortunately, all three brands of nibs (bits of broken, roasted cocoa bean) tested by CL were Not Approved due to cadmium contamination. However, the best option among them is Navitas Naturals Cacao Nibs because it had the highest concentration of flavanols — a whopping 677.1 mg per 3 tablespoons (30 grams), which was even more than its listed amount of 480 mg, and the lowest concentration of cadmium. Although the suggested 3 tablespoon serving size would put you at more than double the daily adult limit for cadmium, if you wanted just 200 mg of flavanols, you could eat a little less than one tablespoon per day and stay below the daily cadmium limit. Keep in mind that although nibs don't have sugar, about half their weight is fat, so they are not low in calories, and most of the fat is saturated fat. 

Cocoa Supplements
For the same reasons that made it our "Overall" Top Pick for getting flavanols, CocoaVia vegetarian capsules is also one of our two Top Picks among supplements.

Our other Top Pick among supplements is CocoaVia Dark Chocolate — Unsweetened, which is a powder that comes in packets that provide 450 mg of flavanols. It is a good option for someone who wants to enjoy a chocolaty drink providing hundreds of milligrams of cocoa flavanols with little cadmium.

We tested several powdered CocoaVia products of varying flavors — each listing 450 mg of flavanols per packet. The powder is to be added to drinks, such as milk or coffee, or to foods, like oatmeal or yogurt. All of the products passed our testing and we found the powders to mix easily into liquids. There are two Dark Chocolate versions (Sweetened and Unsweetened) and each was found to contain about 1 mcg of cadmium per packet, which is relatively low considering their enormous flavanol content. The Original flavor (which is a bit bitter) and Cran-Raspberry (which is tart and sweet) do not have a chocolate flavor but contain virtually no cadmium (0.01 mcg or less per packet). The Dark Chocolate versions have a rich dark chocolate taste. The Unsweetened version is a bit bitter, but we found it to pack a whopping 753.5 mg of flavanols per packet, which made it our Top Pick. The Sweetened version, which includes sucralose (which is non-caloric), is mildly sweet and was found to provide 497.1 mg of flavanols, which is still quite impressive.

Be aware that some cocoa supplements contain little or no flavanols. Hawaii Pharm Cacao (a liquid) contained little and, in our 2014 testing we found NuNaturals Pure Liquid™ Cocoa Bean Extract contained virtually no flavanols despite the claim on its label that it was "a highly concentrated extract and should not be confused with less potent powdered herbs or extracts."

How much of a danger is cadmium and lead from cocoa and chocolate?
As discussed above, many of the tested cocoa powders and nibs, and some of the dark chocolates, exceeded established limits for cadmium and represent significant and unnecessary exposure to cadmium.

Cadmium is a probable carcinogen (i.e., cancer-causing agent), can be toxic to the kidneys, can soften the bones -- causing bone pain, and may affect fetal development. Cadmium accumulates in the body due to its long biological half-life in humans of 10 to 35 years. It has been conservatively estimated that an adult weighing 150 lbs can tolerate total ongoing daily exposure to cadmium (that is, from all sources of exposure — food, drink, air) of up to 25 mcg, while a child of half that weight can tolerate about 12 mcg (EFSA 2011).

The concentrations of cadmium in plant-based foods that are normally considered "high" in cadmium, such as peanuts and sunflower seeds, have been found to range from 0.05 to 0.12 mcg per gram; which means that the cadmium concentrations in many cocoa powders tested by ConsumerLab.com were 10 to 20 times higher than in these cadmium-rich foods (ATSDR 2012). In addition, a daily serving of many cocoa products exceeds the limit in California of 4.1 mcg, above which a warning is to appear on the label, and the limit in Canada where a daily serving of a natural health product must contain no more than 6 mcg of cadmium for an individual weighing 150 lbs and 3 mcg for a 75 lb individual, such as a child.

Unfortunately, the U.S. government has not set a limit for cadmium in supplements or foods. The European Union has established a cadmium limit of 0.6 mcg per gram of cocoa powder, which most cocoa powders tested in this review would violate.

The European limit on cadmium in chocolates with 30% to 50% cacao is 0.3 mcg per gram and, for chocolate over 50% cacao, i.e., most dark chocolates, is 0.8 mcg per gram. None of the tested chocolate bars exceeded these European concentration limits, although Trader Joe's 85% Cacao came close at 0.73 mcg of cadmium per gram. It should be noted that the European cadmium limit on high-flavanol dark chocolate is lenient and likely considers the potential economic impact on cocoa producers of stricter limits. Its limit for milk chocolate is just 0.1 mcg per gram due to particular concern for children, who tend to eat more milk chocolate than dark chocolate and have a lower daily tolerance for cadmium due to smaller body size.

In May, 2021, it was proposed by the Codex Committee on Contaminants in Food that the European limit for chocolate be reviewed for adoption by the Codex Alimentarius, the international food standards agency that includes the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO). This review is scheduled for November 2021 (FAO 2021).

Since cadmium, as well as lead, compete for absorption with other metals, you may be able to reduce their absorption by making sure that you're getting adequate calcium, iron, and zinc in your diet (Nawrot, Biometals 2010).

Test Results by Product:

Listed alphabetically below are the test results for 43 cocoa/cacao-based products. Thirty-seven were selected by ConsumerLab.com and six supplements (each indicated with a CL flask) are included for having passed the same evaluation through ConsumerLab.com's voluntary Quality Certification Program.

Products listed as "Approved" contained the cocoa-related compounds based on their label claims and expected minimum amounts and met requirements regarding heavy metals and proper labeling (see Passing Score). Flavanol amounts found and listed calories are shown in the third column; amounts of cadmium found are shown in the fourth column — along with some caffeine and theobromine levels; price and cost comparisons are in the fifth column; notable features are in the sixth column, and the full list of ingredients is available for each product in the last column. 

Results of ConsumerLab.com Testing of COCOA PRODUCTS

(Click arrows or swipe left or right to see all columns)

Approval Status 

Product Name
(Suggested Serving on Label)

Cacao or Cocoa Claimed Per Serving

Taste

Flavanolsⓘ and Calories

Calories Per 200 mg Flavanols

Heavy Metalsⓘ, Caffeine and Theobromine Found

Cost Per Serving

[Cost Per 200 mg Flavanols]

Product Price

Cacao/Cocoa Source

Notable Features

Full List of Ingredients Per Serving

Dark Chocolate (Bar or Pieces):

NOT APPROVED

2019

Alter Eco® Deep Dark Blackout

Dist. by Alter Eco Foods

5 sections [40 g]

34 grams cocoa (based on claimed "85% cocoa")

Bittersweet, earthy chocolate flavor

5 sections [40 g]

Flavanols: 221.5 mg (5.5 mg per g) found

Calories: 260 [6.5 Cal/gram] claimed

234.8 Calories per 200 mg flavanols

5 sections [40 g]

Found 14.1 mcg cadmium per serving (0.35 mcg per g)

Caffeine: 50 mg

Theobromine: 375.6 mg

$1.85/5 sections

[$1.67 based on amount found; about 4.5 sections]

$44.28/twelve 2.82 oz [80 g] bar (approx. 24 servings)

Source: Ecuador

Non GMO Project Verified seal. International Fairtrade Certification seal. Vegan. Gluten-Free.

Precaution: May contain milk, hazelnuts, almonds, coconut, and soy.

5 sections

Calories 260, Calories from Fat 200, Total Fat 22 g, Saturated Fat 13 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 0 mg, Total Carbohydrate 11 g, Dietary Fiber 5 g, Sugars 6 g, Protein 4 g, Percent of recommended daily intake: Vitamin A 0%, more...

APPROVED

2017

Baker's Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate Bar - 56% Cacao

Dist. by Kraft Foods Group, Inc.

2 pieces [14 g]

7.8 grams cacao (based on claimed "56% cacao")

Mild, sweet

2 pieces [14 g]

Flavanols: 101.1 mg (7.2 mg per g) found

Calories: 80 [5.7 Cal/gram] claimed

158.3 Calories per 200 mg flavanols

2 pieces [14 g]

✔
Found 2.1 mcg cadmium per serving (0.15 mcg per g)

Caffeine: 10.8 mg

Theobromine: 100.6 mg

$0.31/2 pieces

[$0.62 based on amount found; about 4 pieces]

$2.50/4 oz [113 g] bar (approx. 8 servings)

Source: Not listed

Kosher.

Precaution: Contains: Soy. Manufactured On Equipment That Processes Milk.

2 pieces

Calories 80, Calories from Fat 45, Total Fat 5 g, Saturated Fat 3 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 0 mg, Total Carbohydrate 8 g, Dietary Fiber 1 g, Sugars 6 g, Protein <1 g, Percent of recommended daily intake: Vitamin A 0%, Vitamin C 0%, Calcium 0%, Iron 6%, more...

APPROVED

2019

Baker's Unsweetened - 100% Cacao

Dist. by Kraft Heinz Foods

2 pieces [14 g]

14 grams cacao (based on claimed "100% cacao")

Slightly bitter, rich chocolate flavor

2 pieces [14 g]

Flavanols: 118.4 mg (8.5 mg per g) found

Calories: 70 [5 Cal/gram] claimed

118.4 Calories per 200 mg flavanols

2 pieces [14 g]

✔
Found 2.9 mcg cadmium per serving (0.21 mcg per g)

Caffeine: 18.3 mg

Theobromine: 171.6 mg

$0.35/2 pieces

[$0.59 based on amount found; about 3 pieces]

$2.79/4 oz [113 g] bar (approx. 8 servings)

Source: Not listed

Kosher.

Precaution: May Contain: Milk.

2 pieces

Calories 70, Total Fat 7 g, Saturated Fat 4.5 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 0 mg, Total Carbohydrate 4 g, Dietary Fiber 3 g, Total Sugars [Includes 0 g Added Sugars] 0 g, Protein 2 g, Vit. D 0 mcg, Calcium 0 mg, Iron 2.8 mg, Potas. 150 mg, more...

APPROVED

for Adults
2017

Chocolove® Extra Strong - 77% Cocoa Content

Dist. by Chocolove

$ Price Check

1/3 bar [30 g]

23.1 gram cocoa (based on claimed "77% cocoa")

Sweet, slightly fruity

1/3 bar [30 g]

Flavanols: 279.3 mg (9.3 mg per g) found

Calories: 180 [6 Cal/gram] claimed

129 Calories per 200 mg flavanols

1/3 bar [30 g]

✔
Note: Found 3.6 mcg cadmium per serving (0.12 mcg per g), which is over the Health Canada limit for children (3.0 mcg per serving)

Caffeine: 29.9 mg

Theobromine: 304.8 mg

$0.86/1/3 bar

[$0.62 based on amount found; about 2/9 of a bar]

$2.59/3.2 oz [90 g] bar (approx. 3 servings)

Source: African and Caribbean

Kosher.

Precaution: May Contain Traces Milk, Wheat, Peanuts Or Other Nuts.

1/3 bar

Calories 180, Fat Cal. 130, Total Fat 14 g, Sat Fat 9 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Cholest. 0 mg, Sodium 0 mg, Total Carb. 12 g, Fiber 4 g, Sugars 6 g, Protein 2 g, Percent of recommended daily intake: Vitamin A 0%, Vitamin C 0%, Calcium 2%, Iron 25%.

Ingredients: Cocoa Liquor, more...

APPROVED

2019

Chocolove Strong Dark Chocolate - 70% Cocoa Content

Dist. by Chocolove

$ Price Check

1/3 bar [30 g]

21 grams cocoa (based on claimed "70% cocoa")

Sweet, fairly smooth flavor, slightly waxy

1/3 bar [30 g]

Flavanols: 225.9 mg (7.5 mg per g) found

Calories: 160 [5.3 Cal/gram] claimed

141.7 Calories per 200 mg flavanols

1/3 bar [30 g]

✔
Found 2.7 mcg cadmium per serving (0.09 mcg per g)

Caffeine: 31.8 mg

Theobromine: 304.5 mg

$0.79/1/3 bar

[$1.08 based on amount found, about 4/9 of a bar]

$2.36/3.2 oz [90 g] bar (approx. 3 servings)

Source: African and Caribbean

Non GMO Project Verified seal. Kosher. Rainforest Alliance Certified seal.

Precaution: Contains Soy. May Contain Traces Of Milk, Wheat, Peanuts Or Other Nuts.

1/3 bar

Calories 160, Fat Cal. 110, Total Fat 13 g, Sat Fat 8 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Cholest. 0 mg, Sodium 0 mg, Total Carb. 14 g, Fiber 3 g, Sugars 9 g, Protein 2 g, Percent of recommended daily intake: Vitamin A 0%, Vitamin C 0%, Calcium 2%, Iron 30%.

Ingredients: Cocoa Liquor, more...

NOT APPROVED

2017

Dove® Dark Chocolate

Dist. by Mars Chocolate North America, LLC

5 pieces [40 g]

% cocoa not listed

Sweet, smooth, no bitterness

5 pieces [40 g]

Flavanols: 281.3 mg (7.0 mg per g) found

Calories: 210 [5.3 Cal/gram] claimed

149 Calories per 200 mg flavanols

5 pieces [40 g]

Found 9.5 mcg cadmium per serving (0.24 mcg per g)

Caffeine: 25.0 mg

Theobromine: 263.8 mg

$0.88/5 pieces

[$0.63 based on amount found; about 3.5 pieces]

$5.29/8.87 oz [251.5 g] bag (approx. 6 servings)

Source: Not listed

Kosher.

Precaution: Allergy Information: Contains Milk And Soy.

5 pieces

Calories 210, Fat Cal. 120, Total Fat 13 g, Sat. Fat 8 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Cholest. 5 mg, Sodium 0 mg, Total Carb. 24 g, Fiber 3 g, Sugars 19 g, Protein 2 g, Percent of recommended daily intake: Vitamin A 0%, Vitamin C 0%, Calcium 0%, Iron 6%, more...

APPROVED

2019

Endangered Species™ Chocolate Strong + Velvety Dark Chocolate - 88% Cocoa

Dist. by Endangered Species Chocolate, LLC

$ Price Check

1/3 bar [28 g]

24.6 grams cocoa (based on claimed "88% cocoa")

Bittersweet

1/3 bar [28 g]

Flavanols: 157.9 mg (5.6 mg per g) found

Calories: 180 [6.4 Cal/gram] claimed

228 Calories per 200 mg flavanols

1/3 bar [28 g]

✔
Found 1.5 mcg cadmium per serving (0.05 mcg per g)

Caffeine: 32.5 mg

Theobromine: 321.2 mg

$1.16/1/3 bar

[$1.47 based on amount found; about 2/5 of a bar]

$3.49/3 oz [85 g] bar (approx. 3 serving)

Source: Not listed

Non GMO Project Verified seal. International Fairtrade Certification seal. Kosher. Certified Vegan Vegan.org seal. Gluten-Free.

Precaution: Allergens: Contains Soy. Produced On Equipment That Also Processes Products Containing Milk, Peanuts And Tree Nuts.

1/3 bar [28 g]

Calories 180, Total Fat 13 g, Sat. Fat 8 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Cholest. 0 mg, Sodium 0 mg, Total Carb. 11 g, Total Sugars [Incl. 3 g Added Sugars] 3 g, Protein 3 g, Vitamin D 0 mcg, Calcium 0 mg, Iron 1.5 mg, Potassium 260 mg.

Ingredients: Bittersweet Chocolate (Chocolate Liquor, Sugar, Soy Lecithin, Vanilla).

NOT APPROVED

2017

Equal Exchange Chocolates Organic Panama Extra Dark - 80% Cacao

Dist. by Equal Exchange

12 pieces [40 g]

32 gram cacao (based on claimed "80% cacao")

Mild, slightly waxy

12 pieces [40 g]

Flavanols: 179.2 mg (4.5 mg per g) found

Calories: 240 [6 Cal/gram] claimed

267.9 Calories per 200 mg flavanols

12 pieces [40 g]

Found 8.4 mcg cadmium per serving (0.21 mcg per g)

Caffeine: 54.3 mg

Theobromine: 434.4 mg

$2.37/12 pieces

[$2.64 based on amount found; about 13 pieces]

$28.39/six 2.8 oz [80 g] bar (approx. 12 servings)

Source: Panama

USDA Organic Seal. Kosher.

Precaution: May Contain Milk, Peanuts, Hazelnuts, Almonds & Coconut.

12 pieces

Calories 240, Fat Cal. 170, Total Fat 19 g, Sat. Fat 12 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Cholest. 0 mg, Sodium 0 mg, Total Carb 15 g, Dietary Fiber 5 g, Sugars 8 g, Protein 4 g, Percent of recommended daily intake: Vitamin A 0%, Vitamin C 0%, Calcium 2%, Iron 40%.

Ingredients: Organic Chocolate Liquor, more...

APPROVED

2017

Ghirardelli® Intense Dark 86% Cacao

Mfd. by Ghirardelli Chocolate Company

4 sections [45 g]

38.7 gram cacao (based on claimed "86% cacao")

Not much flavor, waxy

4 sections [45 g]

Flavanols: 296.6 mg (6.6 mg per g) found

Calories: 250 [5.6 Cal/gram] claimed

168.6 Calories per 200 mg flavanols

4 sections [45 g]

✔
Found <0.1 mcg cadmium per gram

Caffeine: 35.3 mg

Theobromine: 435.8 mg

$1.23/4 sections

[$0.83 based on amount found; about 2.5 sections]

$2.46/3.17 oz [90 g] bar (approx. 2 servings)

Source: Not listed

Precaution: May contain tree nuts and milk.

4 sections

Calories 250, Calories from Fat 220, Total Fat 25 g, Saturated Fat 15 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 0 mg, Total Carbohydrate 15 g, Dietary Fiber 5 g, Sugars 5 g, Protein 3 g, Percent of recommended daily intake: Vitamin A 0%, Vitamin C 0%, Calcium 2%, Iron 25%, more...

APPROVED

2017

Lily's™ Dark Chocolate - Original - Stevia Sweetened 55% Cocoa

Dist. by Lily's Sweets, LLC

$ Price Check

1/2 bar [40 g]

22 gram cocoa (based on claimed "55% cocoa")

Smooth, not bitter. No aftertaste despite non-sugar sweeteners

1/2 bar [40 g]

Flavanols: 136.4 mg (3.4 mg per g) found

Calories: 160 [4 Cal/gram] claimed

234.6 Calories per 200 mg flavanols

1/2 bar [40 g]

✔
Found <0.1 mcg cadmium per gram

Caffeine: 24.8 mg

Theobromine: 322.9 mg

$2.20/1/2 bar

[$3.22 based on amount found; about 7/10 of a bar]

$4.39/3 oz [85 g] bar (approx. 2 servings)

Source: Not listed

Fair Trade Seal. Certified Gluten Free. No Sugar Added. Not a low calorie food.

Precaution: Produced on equipment that also processes product containing peanuts and tree nuts.

1/2 bar

Calories 160, Calories from Fat 130, Total Fat 15 g, Saturated Fat 9 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Cholesterol less than 5 mg, Sodium 0 g, Total Carbs 22 g, Dietary Fiber 12 g, Sugars less than 1 g, Erythritol 6g, Protein 2 g, Percent of recommended daily intake: Vitamin A 0%, Vitamin C 0%, Calcium 2%, Iron 20%, more...

NOT APPROVED

2019

Lindt Excellence Supreme Dark - 90% Cocoa

Mfd. by Lindt & Sprungli (USA) Inc.

4 squares [40 g]

36 grams cocoa (based on claimed "90% cocoa") (Dutched - alkali processed)

Slightly sweet, mild chocolate flavor, waxy

4 squares [40 g]

Flavanols: 147.5 mg (3.7 mg per g) found

Calories: 240 [6 Cal/gram] claimed

325.4 Calories per 200 mg flavanols

4 squares [40 g]

Found 5.8 mcg cadmium per serving (0.15 mcg per g)

Caffeine: 42.4 mg

Theobromine: 474 mg

$1.68/4 squares

[$2.27 based on amount found; about 1/2 of a bar]

$4.19/3.5 oz [100 g] bar (approx. 2.5 servings)

Source: Not listed

Precaution: May contain traces of peanuts/ soybeans/ tree nuts/ milk.

4 squares

Calories 240, Calories from Fat 190, Total Fat 22 g, Saturated Fat 13 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 10 mg, Total Carbohydrate 12 g, Dietary Fiber 5 g, Sugars 3 g, Protein 4 g, Percent of recommended daily intake: Vitamin A 0%, Vitamin C 0%, Calcium 4%, Iron 15%, more...

APPROVED

2019

Top Pick

for Dark Chocolate (Bar or Pieces)

Montezuma's® Dark Chocolate Absolute Black - 100% Cocoa

Mfd. by Montezuma's Chocolates

1/4 bar [25 g]

25 grams cocoa (based on claimed "100% cocoa")

Strong chocolate flavor, slightly bitter

1/4 bar [25 g]

Flavanols: 350.5 mg (14 mg per g) found

Calories: 150 [6 Cal/gram] claimed

85.6 Calories per 200 mg flavanols

1/4 bar [25 g]

✔
Found 1.4 mcg cadmium per serving (0.06 mcg per g)

Caffeine: 85.3 mg

Theobromine: 604.5 mg

$1.08/1/4 bar

[$0.61 based on amount found; about 3/20 of a bar]

$25.82/six 100 g bar (approx. 24 servings)

Source: Not listed

Vegan. Free From Gluten, Soya, Colourings, Preservatives & GM.

Precaution: May Contain Traces Of Dairy, Nuts, Peanuts & Sesame Seeds.

1/4 bar

Energy 160 kcal, Fat [of which: saturates 8 g] 13 g, Carbohydrates [of which: Sugars <0.1 g] 2 g, Protein 3 g, Fibre 4 g, Salt <0.01 g.

Ingredients: Dark Chocolate (Cocoa Mass 100%).

NOT APPROVED

2017

Moser Roth Edel Bitter 85% Cacao

Dist. by Moser Roth GmbH

1 bar [25 g]

21.3 mg cacao (based on claimed "85% cacao")

Rich chocolate taste, smooth

1 bars [25 g]

Flavanols: 197.5 mg (7.9 mg per g) found

Calories: 151 [6 Cal/gram] claimed

152.9 Calories per 200 mg flavanols

1 bars [25 g]

Found 6.1 mcg cadmium per serving (0.25 mcg per g)

Caffeine: 25.5 mg

Theobromine: 253 mg

$1.50/1 bar

[$1.52 based on amount found; about 1 bar]

$5.99/4 bars [100 g] (approx. 4 servings)

Source: Not listed

Precaution: Can also contain portions of milk, hazelnut, almond, peanuts and other nuts.

1 bars

Calories 151, Total Fat 12.5 g, Saturated Fat 7.7 g, Carbohydrate 5.1 g, Sugars 3.5, Protein 2.8 g, Salt 0.07 g.

Ingredients: Cocoa mass, cocoa butter, sugar, lean cocoa, emulsifier lecithin (soya), vanilla extract.

NOT APPROVED

2017

Pascha™ Organic Dark Chocolate - 85% Cacao

Dist. by Pascha Chocolate Company

10 pieces [42 g]

35.7 gram cacao (based on claimed "85% cacao")

Bitter

10 pieces [42 g]

Flavanols: 192.4 mg (4.6 mg per g) found

Calories: 260 [6.2 Cal/gram] claimed

270.3 Calories per 200 mg flavanols

10 pieces [42 g]

Found 22.7 mcg cadmium per serving (0.54 mcg per g)

Caffeine: 58.9 mg

Theobromine: 454.4 mg

$1.60/10 pieces

[$1.66 based on amount found; about 10 pieces]

$3.99/3.5 oz [100 g] bar (approx. 2.5 servings)

Source: Peru

USDA Organic Seal. Non GMO Project Verified. Kosher. Free From Peanuts, Nuts, Dairy, Soy, Eggs, Wheat & Gluten. Fair Trade Certified Seal.

10 pieces

Calories 260, Calories from Fat 170, Total Fat 19 g, Saturated Fat 12 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 15 mg, Total Carbohydrate 16 g, Dietary Fiber 4 g, Sugars 7 g, Protein 5 g, Percent of recommended daily intake: Vitamin A 0%, Vitamin C 8%, Calcium 4%, Iron 10%, more...

NOT APPROVED

2019

Scharffen Berger® Unsweetened - 99% Cacao

Mfd. by Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker

1 block [55 g]

54.5 grams cacao (based on claimed "99% cacao')

Bitter, earthy chocolate flavor

Note: Large, thick, block for baking

1 block [55 g]

Flavanols: 305.9 mg (5.6 mg per g) found

Calories: 280 [5.1 Cal/gram] claimed

183.1 Calories per 200 mg flavanols

1 block [55 g]

Found 13.6 mcg cadmium per serving (0.25 mcg per g)

Caffeine: 79.2 mg

Theobromine: 628.7 mg

$1.92/1 block

[$1.25 based on amount found; about 1/10 of a bar]

$9.58/9.7 oz [275 g] bar (approx. 5 servings)

Source: Not listed

Kosher.

1 block

Calories 280, Calories from Fat 250, Total Fat 30 g, Sat. Fat 19 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Cholest. 0 mg, Sodium 5 mg, Total Carb. 14 g, Dietary Fiber 9 g, Sugars <1 g, Protein 8 g, Percent of recommended daily intake: Vitamin A 0%, Vitamin C 0%, Calcium 2%, Iron 20%, more...

NOT APPROVED

2019

Taza Chocolate® Wicked Dark® - 95% Dark

Mfd. by Taza Chocolate

1/2 bar [35 g]

33.3 grams cacao (based on claimed "95% cacao")

Mildly sweet, earthy chocolate flavor, slightly grainy

1/2 bar [35 g]

Flavanols: 192.5 mg (5.5 mg per g) found

Calories: 210 [6 Cal/gram] claimed

218.2 Calories per 200 mg flavanols

1/2 bar [35 g]

Found 6.8 mcg cadmium per serving (0.19 mcg per g)

Caffeine: 67.2 mg

Theobromine: 414.4 mg

$1.69/1/2 bar

[$1.75 based on amount found; about 1/2 of a bar]

$3.37/2.5 oz [70 g] bar (approx. 2 servings)

Source: Not listed

USDA Organic seal. Non GMO Project Verified seal. Gluten Free. Dairy Free. Soy Free. Vegan. Kosher.

Precaution: Contains traces of almonds, cashews, coconut, hazelnuts and pecans.

1/2 bar

Calories 120, Total Fat 14 g, Sat Fat 10 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 0 mg, Total Carb. 14 g, Dietary Fiber 8 g, Total Sugars [Incl. 2 g Added Sugars] 2 g, Protein 5g, Percent of recommended daily intake: Vitamin D 0%, Calcium 2%, Iron 6%, Potassium 6%, more...

NOT APPROVED

2019

Theo Sea Salt - 70% Dark Chocolate

Dist. by Theo Chocolate

1/2 bar [43 g]

30.1 grams cocoa (based on claimed "70% cocoa")

Mildly sweet and salty, smooth chocolate flavor

1/2 bar [43 g]

Flavanols: 172.9 mg (4 mg per g) found

Calories: 210 [4.9 Cal/gram] claimed

242.9 Calories per 200 mg flavanols

1/2 bar [43 g]

Found 10.3 mcg cadmium per serving (0.24 mcg per g)

Caffeine: 52.5 mg

Theobromine: 427.4 mg

$1.73/1/2 bar

[$2.00 based on amount found; about 3/5 of a bar]

$3.46/3 oz [85 g] bar (approx. 2 servings)

Source: Not listed

Non GMO Project Verified seal. USDA Organic seal. Soy Free. Kosher. Fair For Life Fair Trade seal.

Precaution: Allergy Information: Manufactured on shared equipment with products containing milk, eggs, wheat, peanuts & tree nuts.

1/2 bar

Calories 210, Fat Cal. 150, Total Fat 17 g, Sat. Fat 10 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Cholest. 0 mg, Sodium 150 mg, Total Carb. 20 g, Fiber 4 g, Sugars 13 g, Protein 3 g, Percent of recommended daily intake: Vitamin A 0%, Vitamin C 0%, Calcium 0%, Iron 4%, more...

NOT APPROVED

2017

Trader Joe's® The Dark Chocolate Lover's Chocolate Bar - 85% Cacao

Dist. by Trader Joe's

2/3 bar [40 g]

34 grams cacao (based on claimed "85% cacao")

Slightly fruity, bitter

2/3 bar [40 g]

Flavanols: 502.4 mg (12.6 mg per g) found

Calories: 250 [6.3 Cal/gram] claimed

99.5 Calories per 200 mg flavanols

2/3 bar [40 g]

Found 29 mcg cadmium per serving (0.73 mcg per g)

Caffeine: 74.4 mg

Theobromine: 439.2 mg

$0.56/2/3 bar

[$0.22 based on amount found; about 1/5 of a bar]

$1.69/2 1.75 oz. [50 g] bars (approx. 3 servings)

Source: Colombia

Our Venders Follow Good Manufacturing Practices To Segregate Ingredients To Avoid Cross Contact With Allergens.

Precaution: Made On Shared Equipment With Milk.

2/3 bar

Calories 250, Calories from Fat 180, Total Fat 20 g, Saturated Fat 10 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 0 mg, Total Carbohydrate 13 g, Dietary Fiber 5 g, Sugars 6 g, Protein 4 g, Percent of recommended daily intake: Vitamin A 0%, Vitamin C 0%, Calcium 6%, Iron 6%, more...

APPROVED

2019

Top Pick

for Dark Chocolate (Bar or Pieces)

Trader Joe's® Pound Plus - 72% Cacao Dark Chocolate

Dist. by Trader Joe's

3 squares [38 g]

27.4 grams cacao (based on claimed "72% cacao")

Sweet, slightly bitter, smooth chocolate flavor

3 squares [38 g]

Flavanols: 281.2 mg (7.4 mg per g) found

Calories: 230 [6.1 Cal/gram] claimed

163.6 Calories per 200 mg flavanols

3 squares [38 g]

✔
Found 2.7 mcg cadmium per serving (0.07 mcg per g)

Caffeine: 47.1 mg

Theobromine: 508.4 mg

$0.38/3 squares

[$0.27 based on amount found; about 2 squares]

$4.99/17.6 oz [500 g] bar (approx. 13 servings)

Source: Not listed

Kosher.

Precaution: Contains Soy. May Contain Traces Of Wheat, Milk, Eggs, Tree Nuts.

3 squares

Calories 230, Calories from Fat 130, Total Fat 15 g, Saturated Fat 9 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 0 mg, Total Carbohydrate 19 g, Dietary Fiber 5 g, Sugars 10 g, Protein 3, Percent of recommended daily intake: Vitamin A 0%, Vitamin C 0%, Calcium 0%, Iron 40%, more...

Dark Chocolate (Chips):

APPROVED

2019

Ghirardelli® Chocolate Premium Baking Chips - 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate

Mfd. by Ghirardelli Chocolate Company

16 chips [15 g]
(wide, flat shape)

9 grams cacao (based on claimed "60% cacao")

Slightly sweet, very slightly bitter, smooth chocolate flavor

16 chips [15 g]

Flavanols: 79.2 mg (5.3 mg per g) found

Calories: 80 [5.3 Cal/gram] claimed

202 Calories per 200 mg flavanols

16 chips [15 g]

✔
Found 2.7 mcg cadmium per serving (0.18 mcg per g)

$0.25/16 chips

[$0.64 based on amount found; about 35 chips]

$4.79/10 oz [283 g] bag (approx. 19 servings)

Source: Not listed

Kosher.

Precaution: May contain milk.

16 chips

Calories 80, Calories from Fat 50, Total Fat 6 g, Sat Fat 3.5 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 0 mg, Total Carbohydrate 8 g, Dietary Fiber 1 g, Sugars 6 g, Protein 1 g. Percent of recommended daily intake: Vitamin A 0%, Vitamin C 0%, Calcium 0%, Iron 6%, more...

APPROVED

for Adults
2019

Top Pick

for Dark Chocolate (Chips)

Guittard Extra Dark Chocolate Baking Chips - 63% Cacao

Dist. by Guittard Chocolate Company

30 pieces [15 g]
(little "kiss-shaped" chips)

9.5 grams cacao (based on claimed "63% cacao")

Moderately sweet, smooth chocolate flavor

30 pieces [15 g]

Flavanols: 143.6 mg (9.6 mg per g) found

Calories: 80 [5.3 Cal/gram] claimed

111.5 Calories per 200 mg flavanols

30 pieces [15 g]

✔
Note: Found 3.4 mcg cadmium per serving (0.23 mcg per g), which is over the Health Canada limit for children of 3.0 mcg per serving

$0.20/30 pieces

[$0.28 based on amount found; about 40 pieces]

$4.49/11.5 oz [326 g] bag (approx. 22 servings)

Source: Not listed

Organic. Made In A Peanut-Free, Tree-Nut Free, & Gluten-Free Manufacturing Facility. International Fairtrade Certification seal. Non GMO Project Verified seal.

Precaution: Made On Equipment Also Used To Make Milk Chocolate; Not Suitable For Individuals With Milk Allergies.

30 pieces

Calories 80, Total Fat 5 g, Saturated Fat 3 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 0 mg, Total Carb 8 g, Dietary Fiber 3 g, Total Sugars [Including 5 g Added Sugars] 6 g, Protein, Vitamin D 0 mcg, Calcium 10 mg, Iron 2 mg, Potassium 84 mg.

Ingredients: Cacao Beans, Sugar, Sunflower Lecithin And Vanilla.

Cacao/Cocoa Powder:

APPROVED

for Adults
2017

Dagoba® Organic Chocolate Cacao Powder

Mfd. by Dagoba Organic Chocolate a division of The Hershey Company

1 tbsp [5 g]

5 gram cocoa powder

1 tbsp [5 g]

Total Flavanols: 35.5 mg (7.1 mg per g) found

Calories: 10 [2 Cal/gram] claimed

56.3 Calories per 200 mg flavanols

1 tbsp [5 g]

✔
Note: Found 3.1 mcg cadmium per serving (0.61 mcg per g), which is over the Health Canada limit for children of 3.0 mcg per serving

Caffeine: 15.1 mg

Theobromine: 128.5 mg

$0.17/1 tbsp

[$0.95 based on amount found; about 5.5 tbsp]

$45.60/6 pack of 8 oz [226 g] containers (total 48 oz [1,356 g]) (approx. 270 servings)

Source: Not listed

Kosher. USDA Organic Seal. Rainforest Alliance Certified.

Precaution: May Contain tree nuts, wheat, soy, dairy and egg.

1 tbsp

Calories 20, Calories from Fat 10, Total Fat 1.5 g, Saturated Fat 0.5 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 0 mg, Total Carbohydrate 3 g, Dietary Fiber 2 g, Sugars 0 g, Protein 1 g, Percent of recommended daily intake: Vitamin A 0%, Vitamin C 0%, Calcium 0%, Iron 15%.

Ingredients: Cocoa.

APPROVED

2019

Top Pick

for Cacao/Cocoa Powders

Ghirardelli® Chocolate Premium Baking Cocoa - 100% Cocoa

Dist. by Ghirardelli Chocolate Company

1 tbsp [6 g]

6 gram cocoa powder

Moderate chocolate flavor, slightly bitter

1 tbsp [6 g]

Flavanols: 44 mg (7.3 mg per g) found

Calories: 15 [2.5 Cal/gram] claimed

68.2 Calories per 200 mg flavanols

1 tbsp [6 g]

✔
Found 0.6 mcg cadmium per serving (0.1 mcg per g)

$0.13/1 tbsp

[$0.60 based on amount found; about 4.5 tbsp]

$4.99/8 oz [227 g] bag (approx. 38 servings)

Source: Not listed

Kosher.

Precaution: May contains tree nuts, wheat, soy, milk and egg.

1 tbsp

Calories 15, Total Fat 1.5 g, Saturated Fat 1 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 0 mg, Total Carbohydrate 3 g, Dietary Fiber 2 g, Total Sugars [Includes 0 g Added Sugars] 0 g, Protein 1 g, Vit. D 0 mcg, Calcium 6 mg, Iron 3 mg, Potas. 108 mg.

Ingredients: Cocoa.

NOT APPROVED

2017

Healthworks Cacao Powder

Dist. by Healthworks

2.5 tbsp [14 g]

14 gram cocoa powder

2.5 tbsp [14 g]

Flavanols: 185.9 mg (13.3 mg per g) found

Calories: 60 [4.3 Cal/gram] claimed

64.6 Calories per 200 mg flavanols

2.5 tbsp [14 g]

Found 24.9 mcg cadmium per serving (1.8 mcg per g)

Caffeine: 38.2 mg

Theobromine: 255.4 mg

$0.33/2.5 tbsp

[$0.36 based on amount found; about 2.5 tbsp]

$10.63/16 oz [454 g] container (approx. 32 servings)

Source: Latin America

USDA Organic Seal.

2.5 tbsp

Calories 60, Calories from Fat 10, Total Fat 1.5 g, Saturated Fat 1 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 10 mg, Total Carbohydrate 9 g, Dietary Fiber 4 g, Sugars 0 g, Protein 3 g, Percent of recommended daily intake: Vitamin A 0%, more...

NOT APPROVED

2017

Hershey's Cocoa - 100% Cacao Natural Unsweetened

Dist. by The Hershey Company

1 tbsp [5 g]

5 gram cocoa powder

1 tbsp [5 g]

Flavanols: 123.7 mg (24.7 mg per g) found

Calories: 10 [2 Cal/gram] claimed

16.2 Calories per 200 mg flavanols

1 tbsp [5 g]

Found 4.3 mcg cadmium per serving (0.85 mcg per g)

Caffeine: 10.4 mg

Theobromine: 121.7 mg

$0.09/1 tbsp

[$0.15 based on amount found; about 1.5 tbsp]

$4.19/8 oz [226 g] container (approx. 45 servings)

Source: Not listed

Kosher, NO gluten, artificial colors, preservatives.

1 tbsp

Calories 10, Calories from Fat 5, Total Fat 0.5 g, Saturated Fat 0 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 0 mg, Total Carbohydrate 3 g, Dietary Fiber 2 g, Sugars 0 g, Protein <1 g, Percent of recommended daily intake: Vitamin A 0%, Vitamin C 0%, Calcium 0%, Iron 2%, more...

APPROVED

for Adults
2019

Hershey's Cocoa Special Dark - 100% Cacao

Dist. by The Hershey Company

1 tbsp [5 g]

5 gram cocoa powder (Dutched - alkali processed)

Smooth, moderate chocolate flavor. Very dark color.

1 tbsp [5 g]

Flavanols: 13.1 mg (2.6 mg per g) found
Lowest in flavanols among cocoa powders

Calories: 10 [2 Cal/gram] claimed

152.7 Calories per 200 mg flavanols

1 tbsp [5 g]

✔
Note: Found 3.2 mcg cadmium per serving (0.64 mcg per g) , which is over the Health Canada limit for children of 3.0 mcg per serving

$0.10/1 tbsp

[$1.46 based on amount found; about 15 tbsp]

$4.29/8 oz [226 g] container (approx. 45 servings)

Source: Not listed

No Artificial Flavors. No Artificial Colors. No Preservatives. Gluten Free. Kosher. Non GMO Project Verified seal.

1 tbsp

Calories 10, Total Fat 0.5 g, Saturated Fat 0 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 0 mg, Total Carbohydrate 3 g, Dietary Fiber 2 g, Total Sugars [Includes 0 g Added Sugars] 0 g, Protein, Vitamin D 0 mcg, Calcium 10 mg, Iron 2.1 mg, Potassium 250 mg, more...

NOT APPROVED

2019

Navitas™ Organic Cacao Powderⓘ

Dist. by Navitas Organics

2.5 tbsp [15 g]

15 gram cacao powder

Somewhat smooth, mild chocolate flavor, very slightly bitter

2.5 tbsp [15 g]

700 mg flavanols
Flavanols: 374.4 mg (25 mg per g) (53.5% of listed amount)

Calories: 60 [4 Cal/gram] claimed

32.1 Calories per 200 mg flavanols

2.5 tbsp [15 g]

Found 9.7 mcg cadmium per serving (0.65 mcg per g)

$0.62/2.5 tbsp

[$0.18 based on amount claimed]
[$0.33 based on amount found; about 1.25 tbsp]

$9.34/8 oz [227 g] bag (approx. 15 servings)

Source: Peru

USDA Organic seal. Non GMO Project Verified seal. Kosher. BPA Free. International Fairtrade Certification seal.

2.5 tbsp

Calories 60, Total Fat 1.5 g, Saturated Fat 1 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 0 mg, Total Carbohydrate 8 g, Dietary Fiber 5 g, Total Sugars [Includes 0 g Added Sugars] 0 g, Protein 4 g, Vitamin D 0 mcg, Calcium 35 mg, more...

NOT APPROVED

2017

Trader Joe's® Cocoa Powder Unsweetened

Dist. by Trader Joe's

1 tbsp [5 g]

5 gram cocoa powder

1 tbsp [5 g]

Flavanols: 118.1 mg (23.6 mg per g) found

Calories: 10 [2 Cal/gram] claimed

16.9 Calories per 200 mg flavanols

1 tbsp [5 g]

Found 5.9 mcg cadmium per serving (1.2 mcg per g)

Caffeine: 19.6 mg

Theobromine: 123.2 mg

$0.05/1 tbsp

[$0.08 based on amount found; about 1.5 tbsp]

$2.49/9 oz [255 g] container (approx. 51 servings)

Source: Columbia

Precaution: May Contain Traces Of Soy.

1 tbsp

Calories 10, Calories from Fat 5, Total Fat 0.5 g, Sodium 0 mg, Total Carbohydrate 3 g, Dietary Fiber 2 g, Protein less than 1 g, Percent of recommended daily intake: Iron 4%, Magnesium 6%.

Ingredients: Tumaco Cocoa Powder.

NOT APPROVED

2019

Trader Joe's® Organic Fair Trade Cacao Powder

Dist. by Trader Joe's

1 tbsp [5 g]

5 gram cacao powder

Somewhat bitter/sour, mild chocolate flavor

1 tbsp [5 g]

Flavanols: 76 mg (15.2 mg per g) found

Calories: 20 [4 Cal/gram] claimed

52.6 Calories per 200 mg flavanols

1 tbsp [5 g]

Found 4.9 mcg cadmium per serving (0.98 mcg per g)

$0.09/1 tbsp

[$0.23 based on amount found; about 2.5 tbsp]

$3.99/8 oz [227 g] bag (approx. 45 servings)

Source: Peru

Kosher. Quality Assurance International Certified Organic seal. USDA Organic seal. International Fairtrade Certification seal.

1 tbsp

Calories 20, Total Fat 0.5 g, Saturated Fat 0 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 0 mg, Total Carbohydrate 3 g, Dietary Fiber 2 g, Total Sugars [Includes 0 g Added Sugars] 0 g, Protein 1 g, Vitamin D 0 mcg, Calcium 10 mg, Iron 0.6 mg, Potassium 100 mg, more...

APPROVED

2019

Valrhona Poudre De Cacao Cocoa Powder - 100% Cacao

Dist. by Valrhona

5 gⓘ

5 gram cacao powder (Dutched - alkali processedⓘ)

Smooth, earthy moderate chocolate flavor. Very dark color.

5 gⓘ

Flavanols: 17 mg (3.4 mg per g) found

Calories: 22.5 [4.5 Cal/gram] claimed

264.7 Calories per 200 mg flavanols

5 gⓘ

✔
Found 0.5 mcg cadmium per serving (0.1 mcg per g)

$0.33/5 gⓘ

[$3.88 based on amount found; about 10 g]

$16.50/8.82 oz [250 g] container (approx. 50 servings)

Source: Not listed

Kosher.

5 gⓘ

Calories 22.5, Calories from Fat 10, Total Fat 1.125 g, Saturated Fat 1.5 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 1.25 mg, Total Carbohydrate 2 g, Dietary Fiber 1.375 g, Sugars 0.125 g, Protein 1.125 g, Percent of recommended daily intake: Vitamin A 0%, Vitamin C 0%, more...

APPROVED

2019

Volupta Cacao Powder

Dist. by Volupta, LLC

1 tbsp [5 g]

5 gram cacao powder

Slightly bitter, moderate chocolate flavor

1 tbsp [5 g]

55 mg flavanols
✔
Flavanols: 105.6 mg (21.1 mg per g) found

Calories: 20 [4 Cal/gram] claimed

37.9 Calories per 200 mg flavanols

1 tbsp [5 g]

✔
Found 2.9 mcg cadmium per serving (0.59 mcg per g)

$0.09/1 tbsp

[$0.33 based on amount claimed]
[$0.17 based on amount found; about 2 tbsp]

$32.99/2 pack of 32 oz [907 g] bags (total 64 oz [1,814 g]) (approx. 362 servings)

Source: Peru, Ecuador

USDA Organic seal. Non GMO Project Verified seal. International Fairtrade Certification seal. Kosher. Vegan.

Precaution: Processed In A Facility That Also Handles Egg, Dairy, Soy, Wheat, Tree Nut, Fish.

Prop 65 Warning for Reproductive Health.

1 tbsp

Calories 20, Total Fat 0.5 g, Saturated Fat 0 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Polyunsaturated Fat 0 g, Monounsaturated Fat 0 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 0 mg, Total Carbohydrate 3 g, Dietary Fiber 2 g, Total Sugars [Includes 0 g Added Sugars] 0 g, Protein 1 g, Vitamin D 0 mcg, more...

Cacao Nibs:

NOT APPROVED

2019

Healthworks® Cacao Nibs

Dist. by Healthworks

1 oz [28 g]

28 gram cacao nibs (small-sized)

Very crunchy, slightly bitter, mild chocolate flavor

1 oz [28 g]

Flavanols: 596.8 mg (21.3 mg per g) found

Calories: 130 [4.6 Cal/gram] claimed

43.6 Calories per 200 mg flavanols

1 oz [28 g]

Found 12.6 mcg cadmium per serving (0.45 mcg per g)

$0.75/1 oz

[$0.25 based on amount found; about 1/3 of an ounce]

$11.99/16 oz [454 g] bag (approx. 16 servings)

Source: Latin America

USDA Organic seal.

1 oz

Calories 130, Calories from Fat 110, Total Fat 14 g, Saturated Fat 8 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 0 mg, Total Carbohydrate 10 g, Dietary Fiber 8 g, Sugars 0 g, Protein 4 g, Percent of recommended daily intake: Vitamin A 0%, more...

NOT APPROVED

2019

Best Option

Among Nibs

Navitas™ Organics Organic Cacao Nibs

Dist. by Navitas Organics

3 tbsp [30 g]

30 gram cacao nibs (small- and medium-sized)

Very crunchy, slightly bitter, mild chocolate flavor

3 tbsp [30 g]

480 mg flavanols
✔
Flavanols: 677.1 mg (22.6 mg per g) found

Calories: 190 [6.3 Cal/gram] claimed

56.1 Calories per 200 mg flavanols

3 tbsp [30 g]

Found 8.7 mcg cadmium per serving (0.29 mcg per g)

$0.87/3 tbsp

[$0.36 based on amount claimed]
[$0.26 based on amount found; about 1 tbsp]

$6.99/8 oz [227 g] bag (approx. 8 servings)

Source: Peru

USDA Organic seal. Non GMO Project Verified seal. Kosher. BPA Free. International Fairtrade Certification seal.

3 tbsp [30 g]

Calories 190, Total Fat 15 g, Saturated Fat 9 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 0 mg, Total Carbohydrate 11 g, Dietary Fiber 8 g, Total Sugars [Includes 0 g Added Sugars] 0 g, Protein 4 g, Vitamin D 0 mcg, Calcium 26 mg, Iron 1 mg, Potassium 255 mg, Magnesium 84 mg, more...

NOT APPROVED

2017

Viva Naturals® Cacao Nibs Organic

Dist. by Viva Naturals Inc.

2 tbsp [14 g]

14 gram cacao nibs

Crunchy

2 tbsp [14 g]

Flavanols: 170.1 mg (12.2 mg per g) found

Calories: 90 [6.4 Cal/gram] claimed

105.8 Calories per 200 mg flavanols

2 tbsp [14 g]

Found 4.9 mcg cadmium per serving (0.35 mcg per g)

Caffeine: 20.5 mg

Theobromine: 135.4 mg

$0.38/2 tbsp

[$0.45 based on amount found; about 2 tbsp]

$12.29/1 lb [454 g] container (approx. 32 servings)

Source: Peru

Non GMO Project Verified. Quality Assurance International Certified Organic. Kosher. Vegan. Gluten-Free.

2 tbsp

Calories 90, Calories from Fat 60, Total Fat 7 g, Saturated Fat 4.5 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 0 mg, Total Carbohydrate 4 g, Dietary Fiber 3 g, Sugars 0 g, Protein 2 g, Percent of recommended daily intake: Vitamin A 0%, more...

Cacao and Cocoa Supplements:

APPROVED

2019

CocoaVia™

Dist. by Mars Symbioscience, A Division Of Mars, Inc.

2 capsules

1,100 mg cocoa extract

2 Capsules Daily With Food.

2 capsules

450 mg flavanols
✔
Flavanols: 600.4 mg (495.7 mg per g) found

Calories: 5 [4.1 Cal/gram] claimed

1.7 Calories per 200 mg flavanols

Large vegetarian capsuleⓘ

2 capsules

✔
Found 0.1 mcg cadmium per serving (0.1 mcg per g)

20 mg caffeine listed
✔
Caffeine: 19.5 mg

Theobromine: 55.7 mg

$1.33/2 capsules

[$0.59 based on amount claimed]
[$0.44 based on amount found]

$120.00/3 pack of 60 capsule bottles (total 180 capsules)

Source: Not listed

Precaution: 20 mg Naturally-Occurring Caffeine Per Serving.

2 capsules

Calories 5, Total Carbohydrate <1 g, Cocoa Extract (bean) [Cocoa Flavanols 450 mg] 1,110 mg.

Other Ingredients: Hypromellose Capsule, Silicon Dioxide, Magnesium Stearate.

APPROVED

2019

CocoaVia™ - Cran-Raspberry (Mix)ⓘ

Dist. by Mars Symbioscience, A Division Of Mars, Inc.

1 packet [5.9 g]

1,200 mg cocoa extract

Add 1 packet to a beverage or food of choice.

Purple powder, mixes easily; Tart, sweet, cranberry/raspberry flavor; slightly astringent, slight lingering sweetness

1 packet [5.9 g]

450 mg flavanols
✔
Flavanols: 443 mg (75.1 mg per g) found

Calories: 20 [3.4 Cal/gram] claimed

9.1 Calories per 200 mg flavanols

Powder in packet

1 packet [5.9 g]

✔
Found 0.01 mcg cadmium per serving (0.002 mcg per g)

25 mg caffeine listed
✔
Caffeine: 16.3 mg

Theobromine: 54.6 mg

$1.17/packet

[$0.52 based on amount claimed]
[$0.53 based on amount found]

$35.00/30 packets

Source: Not listed

Precaution: 25 mg Naturally-Occurring Caffeine Per Serving. Contains Bioengineered Food Ingredients.

1 packet

Calories 20, Total Carbohydrate 5 g, Cocoa Extract (bean) [Cocoa Flavanols 450 mg] 1,200 mg.

Other Ingredients: Maltodextrin, Citric Acid, Natural Flavors, Sucralose.

APPROVED

2019

CocoaVia™ - Original (Mix)ⓘ

Dist. by Mars Symbioscience, A Division Of Mars, Inc.

1 packet [4 g]

1,130 mg cocoa extract

Add 1 packet to a beverage or food of choice.

Dark brown powder, mixes easily; Little flavor, slightly bitter and astringent

1 packet [4 g]

450 mg flavanols
✔
Flavanols: 404 mg (101 mg per g) found

Calories: 15 [3.8 Cal/gram] claimed

7.5 Calories per 200 mg flavanols

Powder in packet

1 packet [4 g]

✔
Found <0.008 mcg cadmium per serving (<0.002 mcg per g)

25 mg caffeine listed
✔
Caffeine: 14.8 mg

Theobromine: 14.8 mg

$1.17/packet

[$0.52 based on amount claimed]
[$0.58 based on amount found]

$35.00/30 packets

Source: Not listed

Precaution: 25 mg Naturally-Occurring Caffeine Per Serving. Contains A Bioengineered Food Ingredient.

1 packet

Calories 15, Total Carbohydrate 3 g, Cocoa Extract (bean) [Cocoa Flavanols 450 mg] 1,130 mg.

Other Ingredients: Maltodextrin.

APPROVED

2019

CocoaVia™ - Sweetened Dark Chocolate Mixⓘ

Dist. by Mars Symbioscience, A Division Of Mars, Inc.

1 packet [6 g]

1,130 mg cocoa extract (Dutched - alkali processed)

Add 1 packet to a beverage or food of choice.

Very dark brown powder, mixes easily; Dark chocolate flavor, mildly sweet, slight lingering sweetness

1 packet [6 g]

450 mg flavanols
✔
Flavanols: 497.1 mg (82.9 mg per g) found

Calories: 20 [3.3 Cal/gram] claimed

8 Calories per 200 mg flavanols

Powder in packet

1 packet [6 g]

✔
Found 1.1 mcg cadmium per serving (0.2 mcg per g)

30 mg caffeine listed
✔
Caffeine: 20.6 mg

Theobromine: 114.6 mg

$1.17/packet

[$0.52 based on amount claimed]
[$0.47 based on amount found]

$35.00/30 packets

Source: Not listed

Precaution: 30 mg Naturally-Occurring Caffeine Per Serving. Contains A Bioengineered Food Ingredient.

1 packet

Calories 20, Total Carbohydrate 4 g, Dietary Fiber <1 g, Protein <1 g, Iron 0.7 mg, Potassium 170 mg, Cocoa Extract (bean) [Cocoa Flavanols 450 mg] 1,130 mg.

Other Ingredient: Cocoa Powder (Processed With Alkali), Maltodextrin, Sunflower Lecithin, Sucralose.

APPROVED

2019

Top Pick

CocoaVia™ - Unsweetened Dark Chocolate Mix

Dist. by Mars Symbioscience, A Division Of Mars, Inc.

1 packet [6.8 g]

1,500 mg cocoa extract (Dutched - alkali processed)

Add 1 packet to a beverage or food of choice.

Very dark brown powder, mixes easily; Dark chocolate flavor, moderately bitter

1 packet [6.8 g]

450 mg flavanols
✔
Flavanols: 753.5 mg (110.8 mg per g) found

Calories: 20 [2.9 Cal/gram] claimed

5.3 Calories per 200 mg flavanols

Powder in packet

1 packet [6.8 g]

✔
Found 1.3 mcg cadmium per serving (0.19 mcg per g)

30 mg caffeine listed
✔
Caffeine: 20.7 mg

Theobromine: 154.6 mg

$1.67/1 packet

[$0.74 based on amount claimed]
[$0.44 based on amount found]

$50.00/30 packets

Source: Not listed

Precaution: 30 mg Naturally-Occurring Caffeine Per Serving. Contains A Bioengineered Food Ingredient.

1 packet

Calories 20, Total Fat 0.5 g, Total Carbohydrate 4 g, Dietary Fiber 1 g, Protein <1 g, Iron 0.9 mg, Potassium 180 mg, Cocoa Extract (bean) [Cocoa Flavanols 450 mg] 1,500 mg.

Other Ingredients: Cocoa Powder (Processed With Alkali), Maltodextrin, Sunflower Lecithin.

APPROVED

2020

Top Pick

CocoaVia™ Memory+ⓘ

Dist. by Mars Symbioscience, A Division Of Mars, Inc.

3 capsules

1,650 mg
cocoa extract

3 Capsules Once Daily With Food.

3 capsules

750 mg flavanols
✔
Flavanols: 1,113.5 mg (623.4 mg per g) found

Calories: 5 [2.8 Cal/gram] claimed

0.9 Calories per 200 mg flavanols

Large capsuleⓘ

3 capsules

✔
Found <0.009 mcg cadmium per serving (<0.005 mcg per g)

30 mg caffeine listed
✔
Caffeine: 26.1 mg
Theobromine: 75.6 mg

$1.50/3 capsules

[$0.40 based on amount claimed]
[$0.27 based on amount found]

$135.00/3 bottles of 90 capsules (270 capsules total)

Source: Not listed

Precaution: 30 mg Naturally Occurring Caffeine Per Serving.

3 capsules

Calories 5, Total Carbohydrate 1 g, Cocopro® Cocoa Extract (bean) [Cocoa Flavanols (including 105 mg (-)-epicatechin) 750 mg] 1,650 mg.

Other Ingredients: Hypromellose Capsule, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Silicon Dioxide.

APPROVED

2017

Futurebiotics Dark Chocolate Extract 500 mg

Mfd. by Futurebiotics®

$ Price Check

1 capsule

500 mg Violetamine™ dark chocolate bean extract

As a dietary supplement for adults, take 1 capsule daily or as recommended by a healthcare professional.

1 capsule

Flavanols: 24.5 mg (41.4 mg per g) found

Calories not listed

Large vegetarian capsuleⓘ

1 capsule

✔
Found 0.02 mcg cadmium per serving (0.04 mcg per g)

Caffeine: 2.1 mg

Theobromine: 14.2 mg

$0.38/1 vegetarian capsule

[$3.13 based on amount found]

$22.98/60 vegetarian capsules

Source: Not listed

100% Vegetarian. Contains no added yeast, sugar, salt, starch, soy, wheat, gluten, dairy, artificial colors, preservatives or animal products.

1 capsule

Violetamine™ Dark Chocolate bean extract (contains polyphenols) 500 mg.

Other Ingredients: Modified cellulose (vegetarian capsule), microcrystalline cellulose, silica, vegetarian stearate.

NOT APPROVED

2017

Hawaii Pharm Cacao

Dist. by Hawaii Pharm LLC

20 drops [0.9 mlⓘ]

1,100 mg cacao extract

Take about 20-30 drops in juice, water, tea or as desired up to four times per day.

20 drops [0.9mlⓘ]

Flavanols: 0.23 mg (0.22 mg per g) found

Calories not listed

20 drops [0.9mlⓘ]

✔
Found <0.1 mcg cadmium per gram

Caffeine: 9.2 mg

Theobromine: 55.7 mg

$0.30/20 drops

[$262.85 based on amount found]

$19.95/2 fl oz. [60 ml] bottle (approx. 66 servingsⓘ)

Source: Not listed

Non-GMO. Contains No Alcohol. Contains NO gluten, artificial colors, pesticides, preservatives, heavy metals.

20 drops

Dry herb/menstruum ratio: 1:3.

Ingredients: Certified Organic Cacao (Theobroma Cacao) raw beans. Other Ingredients: Vegetable palm glycerin, crystal clear artesian Hawaiian water.

NOT APPROVED

2017

Solaray® Cocoa

Mfd. by Nutraceutical Corp.

1 capsule

500 mg cacao extract

Take one vegetarian capsule with a meal or glass of water.

1 capsule

Total Flavanols: 0.95 mg (1.8 mg per g)

Calories not listed

Large vegetarian capsuleⓘ

1 capsule

✔
Found 0.06 mcg cadmium per serving (0.11 mcg per g)

Caffeine: 0.65 mg

50 mg theobromine listed
✔
Theobromine: 65.9 mg

$0.15/1 vegetarian capsule

[$32.60 based on amount found]

$9.29/60 vegetarian capsules

Source: Not listed

1 capsule

Cocoa (Theobroma cacao) (bean extract) (Guaranteed to contain 50 mg [10%] Theobromine) 500 mg.

Other Ingredients: Vegetable Cellulose Capsule, Maltodextrin, Rice Hull Concentrate and Rice Bran Extract.

Unless otherwise noted, information about the products listed above is based on the samples purchased by ConsumerLab.com (CL) for this Product Review. Manufacturers may change ingredients and label information at any time, so be sure to check labels carefully when evaluating the products you use or buy. If a product's ingredients differ from what is listed above, it may not necessarily be of the same quality as what was tested.

The information contained in this report is based on the compilation and review of information from product labeling and analytic testing. CL applies what it believes to be the most appropriate testing methods and standards. The information in this report does not reflect the opinion or recommendation of CL, its officers or employees. CL cannot assure the accuracy of information.

Copyright ConsumerLab.com, LLC, 2021 All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced, excerpted, or cited in any fashion without the express written permission of ConsumerLab.com LLC

ConsumerTips™:

As shown in the test results above, the flavanol content of cocoa and cacao products can vary tremendously and most products do not list their flavanol content. Use the information in the third column to compare the amounts found. Be aware that caffeine levels also range widely: Some products contain little while others provide more caffeine than a cup of coffee. Use the information in the fourth column of the table above to compare amounts of caffeine in products. An effective dose of flavanols from cocoa products has not been established for any specific purpose, although positive results have been seen with dosages ranging from about 50 mg to 200 mg or more per day. As noted above, in Europe, cocoa-based products providing at least 200 mg of total flavanols per day are permitted to claim an effect which may promote normal blood flow. To get 200 mg of flavanols from a natural or raw, unsweetened cocoa powder, you would need about 1 to 1¼ tablespoons of powder. Some products, however, are made to contain higher concentrations of flavanols.  Products made from cocoa powder which has been Dutched (alkaline processed) -- which lowers the bitterness and darkens the color of cocoa powder -- have lower concentrations of flavanols: light Dutching reduces levels by about 60%, medium Dutching by about 75%, and heavy Dutching by about 90% according to one study (Miller, J Agric Food Chem 2008). Dutched cocoa powders and chocolates sold in the U.S. must include the statement "Processed with alkali" or identify the specific alkali used, e.g., "Processed with sodium bicarbonate." However, they need not specify whether a light, medium or heavy Dutching process was used. It is not clear if alkaline processing has an effect on heavy metal contamination.

It is interesting to note that although the CocoaVia mix (powder) tested in this Review includes cocoa powder "processed with alkali," this powder is combined with a high-flavanol cocoa extract, so the resulting product is high in flavanols. According to a communication received by ConsumerLab (on 8/25/17) from Mars, maker of CocoaVia, the alkalized cocoa is added to provide a richer taste and darker color to the extract which is made from fresh cocoa beans (using the "Cocoapro process") that are higher in flavanols than the fermented and roasted beans traditionally used to make cocoa powders.

Are cocoa and chocolate good sources of iron?
Like cadmium and lead, iron (and other minerals like calcium, magnesium and zinc) is absorbed from the soil as cacao plants grow (Aikpokpodion, J Agri Sci 2010). The amount of iron in a particular cocoa powder or chocolate will vary, but is estimated to be about 1 or 2 mg in a 5 gram tablespoon of cocoa powder and about 3 milligrams in a 40 gram serving of dark chocolate. However, not all the iron in cocoa and chocolate products is absorbed (Yokoi, Br J Nutr 2009). The type of iron found in plants is absorbed only about half as well as iron from animal sources. Additionally, polyphenols in cocoa and chocolate can interfere with iron absorption (Natsume, Biosci Biotechnol Biochem 2000;Hurrell, Br J Nutr 1999). One clinical study in children found that iron absorption from a chocolate flavored drink containing 158 mg of polyphenols was very low, but was significantly improved when vitamin C (known to increase iron absorption) was added to the drink (Davidsson, Am J Clin Nutr 1998). So while cocoa and chocolate provide some iron, don't count on them to significantly contribute to the daily recommended intake, which generally ranges from 7 mg to 18 mg depending on your age and gender and is 27 mg for pregnant women (See the Iron Review for more about iron requirements) — and you don't need to worry about it causing you to exceed the tolerable daily intake level for iron, which is 40 to 45 mg. 

What about the fat in dark chocolate bars?
While cocoa powder contains only cocoa solids, chocolate bars contain both cocoa solids and cocoa butter — the fat from cocoa beans. The majority of the fat in cocoa butter, about 65% or so, is saturated fat, mostly palmitic acid and stearic acid. Cocoa butter contains smaller amounts of the unsaturated fats oleic acid (30%) and linoleic acid (3%) (Liendo, Food Res Int 1997). Dark chocolate does not contain trans-fat. Since cocoa butter is a relatively expensive ingredient, some chocolate manufacturers replace a portion of the fat in cocoa butter with less expensive, "replacement" fats, such as palm or soybean oil, but, in the U.S. such products must be labeled as "chocolate flavored" rather than "chocolate."

Acrylamide in cocoa and chocolate — a concern?
Acrylamide is a neurotoxin and probable carcinogen produced when cocoa beans are roasted (part of typical processing). FDA tests in 2002 found amounts of acrylamide in various cocoa powders and chocolate bars to range from 0.29 mcg to 4.5 mcg per serving (see table below), although other foods, particularly potato-based products like fries, cookies, crackers, and coffee generally contribute higher amounts to the daily diet — estimated to be about 35 mcg for an adult. Dutched (alkalized) and milk chocolate have lower concentrations of acrylamide — but also lower levels of flavanols. Nevertheless, it's best to minimize intake of acrylamide when possible. Even a small amount of acrylamide may slightly increase the risk of tumors, leading the state of California to require a warning label on foods containing more than 0.2 mcg (micrograms) of acrylamide per daily serving, although there is little risk of neurotoxicity with exposure to less than 140 mcg per day according to the EPA.

Acrylamide in Cocoa and Chocolate

Cocoa or Chocolate	Parts per Billion (mcg/kilogram)	Per Serving (Calculated for 5 grams of cocoa or 40 grams of chocolate)
Hershey's Cocoa	909	4.5 mcg
Hershey's European Style Dutch Processed Cocoa	58	0.29 mcg
Ghirardelli Unsweetened Cocoa	316	1.58 mcg
Ghirardelli Bittersweet Chocolate Baking Bar	93	3.7 mcg
Baker's Bittersweet Baking Chocolate Squares	104	4.2 mcg
Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bar	Not detectable	N/A

Source: FDA Acrylamide in Food Survey Data 2002

Child labor and cocoa production
Be aware that, despite promises to eradicate the unethical practice, cocoa sourced from West Africa, and possibly other countries, may be the product of child labor. Several organizations help to provide oversight and set standards for ethically responsible cocoa farming and production, including Fair Trade International, Fair for Life, and the Rainforest Alliance. Cocoa products and chocolate bars that meet these standards, which include no use of forced or child labor, may bear these organizations' seals on their labels. ConsumerLab lists these seals, as well as the country of origin (when available) for cocoa products tested in this review in the sixth column, "Notable Features," of the Results table.

Concerns and Cautions:

Cocoa and chocolate products are generally safe. In a 3-month study of healthy men and women, a dose of up to 1,000 mg of cocoa flavanols from a cocoa extract taken twice a day with meals was found to be safe and well-tolerated, with no significant changes in blood pressure, platelet function, cholesterol, or heart rate (Ottaviani, Am J Clin Nutr 2015).

Bear in mind that some cocoa-based products, particularly chocolate, contain high amounts of added sugars and fats and contribute a significant number of calories. These should be used in moderation, as excessive intake of sugars, fats, and calories may negate any positive benefits of flavanols.

Caffeine and Theobromine
While the amounts of caffeine and theobromine found in typical servings of cocoa and chocolate are generally well-tolerated, they can cause side effects such as heartburn, gastritis, insomnia, anxiety, and heart arrhythmias in some people, as well as interfere with the actions of drugs used for these conditions and with stimulant drugs and MAO inhibitors. In the study noted above, gastrointestinal side effects were more frequent when cocoa extract was taken on an empty stomach than with meals.

Higher intakes of theobromine can cause other side effects in some people. For example, daily intake of 50 - 100 grams of cocoa (providing 800 mg to 1,500 mg of theobromine) has been associated with sweating, trembling and severe headache (IARC 2018). Theobromine has also been reported to cause nausea and vomiting in some individuals taking a very high dose (1000 mg per day -- equivalent to the amount of theobromine in three to five 40-gram bars of dark chocolate) (Baggott, Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2013). High amounts of theobromine might also be an issue for people who need to control blood sugar levels. Results of a study in which 500 mg of theobromine was taken daily by overweight but otherwise healthy men and women for four weeks found that blood glucose rose significantly more after eating as compared to responses in the same people when theobromine was not taken. As noted earlier, moderate consumption of cocoa flavanols as well as chocolate intake may help control blood sugar and reduce the risk of diabetes, but not higher levels. If blood sugar control is an issue for you, it would seem wise to limit intake of dark chocolate to no more than two servings per week.

Caffeine and theobromine are toxic to dogs and cats. See a Chocolate Toxicity Calculator for estimates of toxicity based on the weight of the animal and the amount and type of chocolate consumed. Initial signs of caffeine/theobromine intoxication in pets are extreme thirst, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal distention, and restlessness, which can progress to hyperactivity, increased urination, rigidity, tremors, fast, slow or irregular heartbeat, high or low blood pressure, seizures, coma and even death. Dark chocolate is more toxic than milk chocolate.

Migraine?
Consumption of cocoa and/or chocolate has been reported to trigger migraines in some people, however, the evidence for this is mixed, and it is unclear exactly how cocoa may trigger migraines. Cocoa contains the amino acids phenylethylamine and tyramine (approximately 0.1 - 2.8 mcg/g and 3.6 - 8.3 mcg/g, respectively), which are also found in foods such as wine and cheese and which people with migraines are often advised to avoid. However, clinical studies of the effects of these amino acids in people with migraine have yielded mixed results, with some finding an increase in the incidence in migraine and others finding no increase (Hannington, Br Med J 1967; Moffet, J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 1972; Sandler, Nature 1974). Cocoa also contains histamine, a substance which can dilate blood vessels and cause allergic reactions such as rash and headache in some people (Kovacova-Hanuskova, Allergol Immunopathol (Madr) 2015). Cocoa ingestion has been shown in one clinical study to increase blood flow to the brain, which, theoretically, might trigger migraine in some people (Lamport,Psychopharmacology 2015). Interestingly, however, double-blind clinical studies of chocolate consumption, a single serving of chocolate between 44 and 62 grams has not found an increased risk of migraine in people with a history of migraine, compared to placebo; a review of these and other studies concluded that there was no reliable scientific basis to support the recommendation that people with migraines avoid chocolate and cocoa-containing foods (Lippi, Acta Biomed 2014). In addition, animal studies have found cocoa and cocoa extract to have anti-inflammatory effects on the trigeminal nerve (inflammation of which is associated with migraine) and surrounding tissues, suggesting a possible benefit for migraine — although this has not been studied yet in people (Abbey, J Ethnopharmacol 2008; Cady, Mol Nutr Food Res 2013).

Kidney stones
The National Kidney Foundation advises individuals who are prone to developing calcium oxalate kidney stones (the most common type of kidney stone) to avoid cocoa and chocolate because they contain high amounts of oxalates — naturally occurring compounds that bind with calcium and form kidney stones in some people. In a small study among women (who were not noted to have a history of kidney stones) consuming 68 grams (about 12 pieces) of dark chocolate (Whittaker's dark Ghana chocolate, 72% cocoa) increased urinary oxalate output by an average of 69% over a six-hour period compared to when chocolate was not consumed (Schroder, J Food Compost Anal 2011).

Cocoa powder contains higher concentrations of oxalates than chocolate, as chocolate includes other ingredients, such as cocoa fat, that don't contribute oxalates. In the same study above, the researchers also analyzed the oxalate content of 15 cocoa powders and 34 dark/bitter chocolate bars. The powders averaged 729 mg of total oxalates per 100 grams while the dark chocolates averaged about one-third of that amount -- 254 mg total oxalates per 100 grams. Among the five dark chocolate bars purchased in the U.S., Newman's Own Super Dark Chocolate contained the lowest concentration of total oxalates (169 mg/100 grams) and Ghirardelli Unsweetened Chocolate contained the highest (322 mg/100 grams). Bars containing higher % cocoa tended to contain higher concentrations of oxalates, but not in all cases, suggesting that other factors, such as differences in cocoa bean varieties and processing methods may also affect oxalate content. A recommended low-oxalate diet may limit daily oxalate intake to 50 to 80 mg or less. Based on the average amounts found in this study, amounts of total oxalates in typical servings of cocoa powder (about 36 mg per 1 tablespoon) or dark chocolate (about 100 mg per 50-gram bar) would be close to, or exceed, this limit.

Acne
Although some studies using chocolate bars have not found chocolate to worsen acne, a small, double-blind, placebo-controlled study giving 100% cocoa powder (i.e., pure chocolate) to men ages 18 to 35 found a positive association between the number of pimples they developed and the use of cocoa. The men, who had a history of acne, were given a single serving ranging from 0 to 170 mg of cocoa powder in capsules and were followed for one week. Although some men given cocoa did not develop pimples during the week, and some men given placebo did, overall there was a modest but positive correlation between the amount of cocoa consumed and the number of pimples developed (Caperton, J Clin Aesthet Dermatol 2014).

Allergies
People with milk allergies should be aware that dark chocolate bars may contain milk. Tests published in 2020 by the FDA of 119 dark chocolate bars and chips specifically claiming to be "dairy-free" or "milk-free" showed that approximately 10% of these products contained milk. The FDA reported similar findings in 2015, which included finding milk in a bar labeled as "allergen-free."

Nickel
Cocoa powder and chocolate (and related products, like chocolate syrup) are among foods which have relatively high concentrations of nickel and may trigger allergic contact dermatitis (eczema) in nickel-sensitive individuals. This typically occurs when ingesting large portions or in conjunction with ingestion of large amounts of other high-nickel foods (such as peas and beans, canned foods, shellfish, oats (including granola), peanuts, hazelnuts, walnuts, and sunflower seeds) (Pizzutelli, Eur Ann All Clin Immunol, 2011). One case report involved four children in the U.S. with known nickel sensitivity who binged on chocolate Easter eggs (Jacob, Ped Derm 2014). The U.S. FDA provides a listing of the amounts of nickel in common foods.

In response to a possible allergic reaction to nickel reported to ConsumerLab.com by a CL member who had used CocoaVia, CL purchased the latest formulation of CocoaVia Unsweetened Dark Chocolate Mix and tested it for nickel in January 2016. For comparison, CL also tested a cocoa powder and a dark chocolate. The highest concentration of nickel was in the cocoa powder (Hershey's Cocoa — Natural Unsweetened) -- 9.0 mcg/g. This was followed by CocoaVia -- 5.85 mcg/g and Endangered Species Natural Dark Chocolate 88% Cocoa -- 5.56 mcg/g. These are higher levels than the FDA has reported in other foods, the highest of which was 3 mcg/g in sunflower seeds, followed by 2 mcg/g in an oat-based cereal, and 1 mcg/g in milk chocolate. The listed serving of 43 grams (half a bar) of Endangered Speciesdark chocolate therefore contained 239 mcg of nickel. This is similar to all the nickel in an adult daily diet, which has been reported to range from 200 to 300 mcg (Grandjean, IARC Sci Publ 1984). As the suggested serving sizes are smaller for CocoaVia (6.8 grams) and Hershey's Cocoa Powder (5 grams), total nickel per serving from these was 40 mcg and 45 mcg, respectively.

The take home message about nickel: Natural cocoa powder has more nickel per gram than CocoaVia (a cocoa extract) or dark chocolate (which, in turn, has much more nickel than milk chocolate), but the relatively large serving size of chocolate means higher total nickel exposure. However, at their suggested serving sizes, none of these exceeds the daily tolerable upper intake level for nickel, which is 1,000 mcg (1 mg) — a limit based on nickel toxicity (IOM, 2001), not nickel allergy which can occur with lower amounts.

Ochratoxin A
Cocoa beans can become contaminated with fungi which produce toxins, particularly during drying and storage. Ochratoxin A (OTA), a potential carcinogen and kidney toxin, is one of the most common fungal toxins to occur in cocoa beans. However, most OTA is found in the shell of the bean, which is removed during processing. An analysis of 85 cocoa and chocolate products sold in Canada between 2011 and 2012 found that two cocoa powders exceeded proposed European limits (which was never established), although the levels of OTA were still below 5 ppb, the European limit for OTA in roasted coffee (Turcotte, Mycotoxin Res 2013). For this reason, ConsumerLab.com did not include OTA testing in this Review.

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Information on this site is provided for informational purposes only. It is not an endorsement of any product nor is it meant to substitute for the advice provided by physicians or other healthcare professionals. The information contained herein should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease. Consumers should inform their healthcare providers of the dietary supplements they take.

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Latest Clinical Research Updates for Cocoa Powders, Dark Chocolate, Extracts, Nibs & Supplements

Dark Chocolate for Mood?

9/25/2021

A recent study investigated the effects of consuming dark chocolate on mood. The effect depended on cocoa level. See the results in the Mood and Stress section of our Dark Chocolate and Cocoa Review. Also see our Top Picks among dark chocolate bars and cocoa products.

Cocoa for Cognition

12/02/2020

A new study suggests that cocoa may improve some aspects of cognitive function in healthy people and sheds some light on how this may work. See the details in the Memory and Cognition section of the Dark Chocolate and Cocoa Review. Also see our Top Picks among dark chocolates, cocoa powders and supplements.

Chocolate for Cognition?

11/22/2020

Does eating chocolate improve cognition in postmenopausal women? See what a new study found in the Memory and Cognition section of the Dark Chocolate and Cocoa Review. Also see our Top Picks for dark chocolate, cocoa powders and supplements based on their flavanol content and purity.

Undeclared Milk in Dark Chocolates

10/03/2020

If you're allergic to milk, be aware that about 10% of "dairy free" dark chocolate bars and chips were recently found to contain milk. Learn more in the Concerns and Cautions section of our Dark Chocolates Review. Also see our Top Picks for dark chocolate.

Chocolate to Improve Body Composition?

8/11/2020

Can eating a small amount of chocolate every day help improve body composition? Find out what a recent study showed in the What It Does section of the Dark Chocolates, Cocoa & Cacao Powders, Nibs, and Supplements Review. Also see our Top Picks for dark chocolate, chocolate chips and cocoa powders.

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