Caffeine in Dark chocolate
A 50 g bar of dark chocolate holds about 40 mg of caffeine, the same as a can of Dr Pepper.
| Caffeine per serving | 40 mg |
| Serving | 1.7 oz bar (50 g) |
| Share of the 400 mg daily limit | 10% |
| Equal to filter coffee | 0.4 mugs |
| Equal to espresso | 0.6 shots |
How late can you have it?
At 40 mg this sits below 40 mg, the line Cira uses as low enough to sleep on, so on its own it is unlikely to keep you awake. It still adds to whatever else is already in you.
What to know
Cocoa solids carry the caffeine, so the percentage on the wrapper is the number that matters. 70 percent dark runs near 80 mg per 100 g, 85 percent noticeably higher.
A full 100 g bar is roughly an espresso. Eaten at 10 pm, as chocolate frequently is, that lands 80 mg squarely into the night.
Chocolate also carries theobromine, a milder relative of caffeine with a longer half-life of six to ten hours. It contributes to the restless feeling without appearing in any caffeine count, including this one.
Compared with the rest of the chocolate, pills and pre-workout
| Drink | Serving | Caffeine |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-workout | one scoop | 201 mg |
| Caffeine pill | one 200 mg tablet | 200 mg |
| Dark chocolate | 1.7 oz bar (50 g) | 40 mg |
| Milk chocolate | 1.7 oz bar (50 g) | 10 mg |
Common questions
How much caffeine is in dark chocolate?
Dark chocolate has about 40 mg of caffeine per 1.7 oz bar (50 g). That is 10% of the 400 mg daily limit for a healthy adult, or about 0.4 mugs of filter coffee.
Will Dark chocolate keep me awake?
On its own it is unlikely to. At 40 mg it stays below 40 mg, the line Cira uses as low enough to sleep on. It still adds to any caffeine already in you.
How many servings of dark chocolate can I have in a day?
About 10, going by the 400 mg daily limit for healthy adults. That limit covers everything else with caffeine in it too, so the real number is lower on a day with other coffee, tea or cola.
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Where these numbers come from
Caffeine content is the typical value for the serving shown, the same figure the Cira app uses. Brands and brew methods vary, so treat it as a good estimate rather than a measurement of your cup. The 5.7 hour half-life is a typical value for healthy adults, the 40 mg sleep line is a working threshold of the model, and the 400 mg daily limit is the figure used by the European Food Safety Authority and the US FDA. How the numbers are worked out.
