Does Milk Chocolate Contain Any Caffeine?

Chocolate of any kind tends to get a bad rap, but the truth behind those chocolate myths is they are not all accurate, and some deserve more attention than others. When it comes to milk chocolate, this creamy indulgence is about more than sugary goodness. Sure, chocolate chip cookies wouldn't be the same without those milk chocolate chips, but hiding in those morsels, the very same chocolate that envelops the peanut butter in Reese's peanut butter cups and the caramel of a Rollo, is caffeine.

The caffeine it contains is the same type of energy-inducing stimulant you find in coffee, tea, and energy drinks. The good news is milk chocolate doesn't have a large amount of it. A chocolate bar clocking in at just over 11⁄2 ounces contains 9 milligrams of caffeine.



This is a drop in the bucket when you compare it to the caffeine content of a cup of coffee. How much caffeine is in a cup of coffee? An 8-ounce cup of your morning brew contains between 95 and 165 milligrams. Milk chocolate will definitely not have you bouncing off the walls; however, it is important to note that all chocolate is not created equal when it comes to caffeine.

The darker the chocolate, the more caffeine Dark chocolate has plenty of health benefits beyond being delicious and has more caffeine than milk chocolate. This is because the caffeine is concentrated in the cocoa solids, something of which dark chocolate has more. Depending on how much cocoa it contains and where and how it is produced, dark chocolate can boast anywhere from 18 milligrams to 43 milligrams of caffeine per ounce.

It's still less than an energy drink, which can contain as much as 357 milligrams. Of course, if your love for milk and dark chocolate is waning after this caffeine revelation and you want chocolate without any caffeine at all, you may want to opt for white chocolate, which has none. How much caffeine is too much? According to the Mayo Clinic , a healthy adult can safely consume up to 400 milligrams of caffeine a day.

Still, each individual's tolerance for this substance can vary. Too much can cause jitters, nervousness, a quickened heart rate, and even headaches. So, while milk chocolate may not have much, being aware of foods and drinks you might not know have caffeine will help you better manage your intake.

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