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CAFFEINE AND CHOCOLATE
Many of the old myths about chocolate and health are crumbling under the weight of scientific fact. The once-prevalent believe that
something that tastes so good just can't be good for you has given way to a more balanced picture of chocolate and cocoa products and
their relation to health and nutrition. There is a saying that “you can deprive the body, but the soul needs chocolate”.
MYTHS
Myth: Confectionery is a major cause of tooth decay.
Truth: Tooth decay is primarily the result of poor oral hygiene. Dental caries (another word for cavities) are caused by any foods
containing fermentable carbohydrates that are left on the teeth for too long. In fact, there are ingredients (such as cocoa
butter) found in chocolate products that may actually retard the tooth decaying process (cariostatic effect).
Myth: Chocolate is high in caffeine.
Truth: The amount of caffeine in a piece of chocolate candy is significantly lower than that in coffee, tea or cola drinks. For
instance, a 5 oz. cup of instant coffee has between 40 and 108 mg of caffeine, 12 oz. of Coke contains 34 mg, while a 1 oz.
milk chocolate bar contains only 6 mg, and even 1 oz. dark chocolate contains only about 20 mg.
Myth: Confectionery has a high fat content and will lead to weight gain.
Truth: Candy, in moderation, can be part of low-fat eating. In fact, an occasional sweet treat helps you stick to a healthy eating plan.
Remember, the darker the chocolate, the less sugar it has.
Myth: Chocolate contributes to the development of acne.
Truth: Over the past two decades, clinical studies have exonerated chocolate as a cause or exacerbating factor in the development or
persistence of acne. In fact, many dermatologists doubt that diet plays any significant role in acne. At the University of
Missouri, student volunteers with mild to moderate acne each consumed nearly 20 ounces of chocolate over a 48 hour period.
Examination of lesions on the fifth day of the test and again on the seventh day showed no new lesions other than those that
might be expected based upon the usual variations the subjects had exhibited during several weeks of observation prior to the
test. In a research study at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, a group of 65 subjects were fed chocolate bars
containing nearly ten times the amount of chocolate liquor as a normal 1.5 oz commercially available chocolate bar. A
control group ate a bar that tasted like chocolate, but actually contained no chocolate liquor. At the conclusion of the test, the
average acne condition of those eating the chocolate was virtually identical to that of controls who had eaten imitation bars.
Myth: Chocolate contributes commonly causes allergies.
Truth: It is possible for a person to be allergic to any food, including chocolate. But recent evidence suggests that allergy to
chocolate may be relatively rare. The actual incidence of allergic sensitivity to chocolate is far less common than positive
reactions to skin scratch tests would seem to indicate. In at least one double-blind study to determine the correlation positive
skin tests for chocolate allergy and the manifestation of clinically observable symptoms, researchers could find only one
patient out of a possible 500 who showed both a positive response to the skin test and an objective clinical reaction after
eating chocolate. To confirm food allergy or food sensitivity, a "challenge" of the food in question is administered. To yield
accurate results, the challenge should be conducted under double-blind conditions; that is, neither the investigator nor the
patient knows in advance whether the food administered is the suspected substance or a placebo. This allows for objective
evaluation of clinical symptoms.
FAQs
Q:
A:
What is the level of cholesterol in a 1.65 oz. bar of milk chocolate?
The American Heart Association recommends that daily cholesterol intake not exceed 300 mg. A chocolate bar is actually
low in cholesterol. A 1.65 oz. bar contains only 12 mg! A one oz piece of cheddar cheese contains 30 mg of cholesterol —
more than double the amount found in a chocolate bar.
Q:
A:
What is the level of sodium in a one oz milk chocolate bar?
According to the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences, the maximum Recommended Daily
Allowance (RDA) for sodium is 1,100 to 3,300 mg daily. A 1.5 oz milk chocolate bar contains 41 mg, while the same size
dark chocolate bar contains only 5 mg. On the other hand, a 1.5 oz serving of iced devil's food cake has a whopping 241
mg — many times more than chocolate bars.
Q:
A:
How much fat is there in a 1.5 oz. chocolate bar?
Health professionals and nutritionists suggest calories from fat should account for no more than 30% of your daily caloric
intake. A 1.5 oz. milk chocolate bar contains 13 grams of fat; a dark chocolate bar of the same weight contains 12 grams.
Q:
A:
Is chocolate poisonous to dogs?
Cocoa and chocolate products may be toxic or lethal to dogs and other domestic animals such as horses because these
animals metabolize theobromine more slowly than humans. The heart, central nervous system, and kidneys are affected.
Early signs of theobromine poisoning in dogs include nausea and vomiting, restlessness, diarrhea, muscle tremors, and
increased urination or incontinence. The treatment at this stage is to induce vomiting. Cardiac arrhythmias and seizures are
symptoms of more advanced poisoning.
Caffeine vs. Theobromine
Both caffeine and theobromine belong to a group of alkaloid substances known as methylxanthines. As shown below, the two
molecules only differ by one methyl group. Methylxanthines naturally occur in as many as sixty different plant species and include
caffeine (the primary methlyxanthine in coffee) and theophylline (the primary methylxanthine in tea). Theobromine is the primary
methylxanthine found in products of the cocoa tree, theobroma cacao. Caffeine occurs naturally in coffee, tea, cola and, to some
degree, cocoa beans. It may also be added to cola drinks and is a component of certain over-the- counter and prescription medications.
Theobromine is found in cocoa beans; tea contains trace amounts.
Theobromine
Although theobromine is chemically related to caffeine, it lacks caffeine's stimulant effect on the central nervous system (CNS). In
fact, theobromine is virtually inert as a CNS stimulant. Theobromine is mildly diuretic (increases urine production), is a mild
stimulant, and relaxes the smooth muscles of the bronchi in the lungs. In the human body, theobromine levels are halved between 6-10
hours after consumption. Despite the weakness of theobromine's effect on the brain, many people have mistakenly assumed that it is
effective in warding off fatigue and sleep, especially when it is consumed in combination with caffeine, as in chocolate.
To test this assumption, researchers compared the effect of caffeine, theobromine and a placebo in a clinical study. They found that
theobromine administered in a dose of 500 mg (the amount of theobromine in approximately 11 oz of milk chocolate consumed in one
sitting) did not increase pulse rate significantly more than the placebo. Caffeine, when compared to theobromine and the placebo,
produced significant CNS stimulation. In a double-blind clinical study, subjects ingested measured quantities of caffeine and
theobromine, separately and together, at random. Caffeine altered the subjects' own estimates of the time it took to fall asleep, as well
as the soundness of sleep, in a dose-dependent fashion. A dose of 300 mg. of theobromine, however, had no detectable effect on sleep.
When administered in combination with caffeine, theobromine neither increased nor decreased the sleep effects of caffeine.
Theobromine has been used as a drug for its diuretic effect, particularly in cases where cardiac failure has resulted in an accumulation
of body fluid. It has been administered with digitalis in order to relieve dilatation. Because of its ability to dilate blood vessels,
theobromine also has been used to treat high blood pressure.
Different types of chocolate contain different amounts of theobromine. In general, theobromine levels are higher in dark chocolates
(approximately 10 g/kg) than in milk chocolates (1-5 g/kg). Higher quality chocolate tends to contain more theobromine than lower
quality chocolate. Cocoa beans naturally contain approximately 300-1200 mg/ounce theobromine (note how variable this is!).