The New Complete Book of Food

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r Chocolate

(Cocoa, milk chocolate, sweet chocolate)

Nutritional Profile

Energy value (calories per serving): Moderate

Protein: Low (cocoa powder)

High (chocolate)

Fat: Moderate

Saturated fat: High

Cholesterol: None

Carbohydrates: Low (chocolate)

High (cocoa powder)

Fiber: Moderate (chocolate)

High (cocoa powder)

Sodium: Moderate

Major vitamin contribution: B vitamins

Major mineral contribution: Calcium, iron, copper

About the Nutrients in This Food

Cocoa beans are high-carbohydrate, high-protein food, with less dietary

fiber and more fat than all other beans, excepting soy beans.

The cocoa bean’s dietary fiber includes pectins and gums. Its proteins

are limited in the essential amino acids lysine and isoleucine. Cocoa butter,

the fat in cocoa beans, is the second most highly saturated vegetable fat

(coconut oil is number one), but it has two redeeming nutritional qualities.

First, it rarely turns rancid. Second, it melts at 95°F, the temperature of the

human tongue. Cocoa butter has no cholesterol; neither does plain cocoa

powder or plain dark chocolate.

Cocoa beans have B vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, niacin) plus min-

erals (iron, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, and copper).

All chocolate candy is made from chocolate liquor, a thick paste pro-

duce by roasting and grinding cocoa beans. Dark (sweet) chocolate is made

of chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, and sugar. Milk chocolate is made of choc-

olate liquor, cocoa butter, sugar, milk or milk powder, and vanilla. White

* These values apply to plain cocoa powder and plain unsweetened chocolate. Add-

ing other foods, such as milk or sugar, changes these values. For example, there is

no cholesterol in plain bitter chocolate, but there is cholesterol in milk chocolate.