Chocolate science!

[antikythera]

This is just fascinating. I've heard arguments about it for a very long time, but I only now found a scientific explanation.

Chocolate does not contain caffeine*. Caffeine is one of a class of molecules called methylxanthines. Coffee contains caffeine, tea contains theophylline, and chocolate contains theobromine (if you own dogs, this name might

Comments

[krasota]

You can cook with it, garnish with it, make hot chocolate. :)

[wdomburg]

Chocolate contains caffeine, but in very tiny quantities. Take a look at the certificate of analysis for baking chocolate from NIST.

[antikythera]

Aah, cool... I wonder if that quantity of caffeine is actually high enough that we actually get any stimulant effects from it, or if what we feel from eating chocolate is pretty much all theobromide.

[annieeats]

I'm not sure how you're getting that info from the article you linked. Chocolate has some caffeine (not much) in addition to theobromine (both are in the methylxanthine family). Another link.

[antikythera]

That makes more sense, thanks.

[poledradog]

I would think any recipe that calls for melted chocolate could use this...you can adjust the sugar down somewhat for recipes that ask for unsweetened chocolate.

Also, I'm *really* glad you posted this. For a long time now we've been trying to figure out why soda doesn't bother my husband (sleepwise), but chocolate does. The fact that it's a slightly different chemical explains it. I guess he's just more sensitive to the chocolate "version"...interesting!

[tygrkatt]

This is great with dark chocolate, makes it so rich. I posted this back in December too