FAQs

Is chocolate really an aphrodisiac?

Chocolate's reputation as an aphrodisiac (which it is not) goes back as far as the European conquest of Mexico.

How much caffeine is in chocolate?

Chocolate contains small amounts of caffeine. The cocoa bean contains between 0.1% and 0.7% caffeine, 0.2% being the most common amount found. Caffeine is also present in lesser amounts in the husk that surrounds the cocoa beans, usually from 0.5% to 0.3%.

Doesn't chocolate cause acne?

Eating chocolate does not cause acne. Skin care experts agree that acne is not caused by any specific food.

When you say that a chocolate bar is 65% 70% or 85% cacao, what does that mean?

A higher % cacao means less added sugar. For example, a 72% cacao dark chocolate has roughly 12 percent less sugar than a 60% cacao dark chocolate. Unsweetened baking chocolate is 100% cacao with no added sugar, and it is very bitter.

Does a higher cacao content result in a better chocolate?

In general, a higher % cacao lends a more intense chocolate flavor. For example, the U.S. cacao standards require a milk chocolate to contain at least 10% chocolate liquor. Semisweet or bittersweet chocolate must contain at least 35% chocolate liquor, resulting in higher % cacao and a more intense chocolate flavor.

What is the difference between "semisweet" and "bittersweet"?

By law, both bittersweet and semisweet chocolates contain a minimum of 35% chocolate liquor. The difference between the two is the amount of sugar used; semisweet is indeed sweeter, and bittersweet a little more bitter.