How much caffeine is in chocolate covered coffee beans?

In this brief guide, we will be answering ‘how much caffeine is in chocolate covered coffee beans?’ also we will see different varieties of chocolate-covered coffee beans and whether it is safe to consume or not.

How much caffeine is in chocolate covered coffee beans?

The amount of caffeine in chocolate covered coffee beans is about 12 mg of caffeine per bean for dark chocolate covered coffee beans and 11.4 mg for milk chocolate covered coffee beans (1). So if you had 12 beans you are ingesting around 144 mg of caffeine.

However, a study investigated the amount of caffeine in roasted coffee beans from different origins and also the weight variation of a single bean. The variation found for caffeine was between 15 mg/g and 20 mg/g while the weight of a single coffee bean ranged between 130 mg and 180 mg, with an average of 160 mg. This means that a single coffee bean contains between 2 and 3 mg of caffeine (4).

A serving of chocolate covered coffee beans weighs 40 g and contains 28 units. This means that each coffee bean is covered in 1.27 g of chocolate (as the bean alone weighs an average of 0.16 g). This adds 1 mg of caffeine, because dark chocolate has 80 mg of caffeine per 100 g. It can be concluded that, according to this study, a roasted coffee bean covered in chocolate can contain a maximum of 4 mg of caffeine and a serving of 40 g or 28 units can contain a maximum of 112 mg of caffeine, which is a third of the indicated by the USDA.

What are chocolate covered coffee beans?

Chocolate covered coffee beans belong to the coated goods. These confectionary products are made using a technique called panning. Pan coating is the build up of a center (kernel or corpus) with a liquid or liquid and powder substances with multiple layers or continuous phases, which are set, hardened or dried to smooth or pearled surface and often finished with a sealant and or a polishing agent, utilizing rotating pans or drums creating a fluid bed. The machinery used is often compared visually with a cement mixer. The drums or pans are horizontal or have their front slightly elevated and are fitted with internal ridges, which are used to aid mixing. As the product mixes, thin layers of liquid are added to coat the center material. It is during the drying or setting of this coating, that the tumbling action causes the surfaces to rub against each other to form a smooth finish (2).

Due to popular demands and love for chocolate and coffee beans and how well they both complement each other, a new venture was brought up: chocolate-covered coffee beans. The idea behind it was simple: instead of drinking, we will snack on it.

As the name suggests, it’s a roasted coffee bean either Arabica or Robusta bean covered with either white, milk or dark chocolate which is further covered by a confectioner’s glaze for shine.

Depending upon the bean and chocolate choice, the number of caffeine variates. For e.g, white chocolate won’t contribute any caffeine as it’s essentially all fat and sugar with no cocoa, while milk chocolate and dark chocolate do have cocoa in them. The cocoa bean-like coffee beans naturally contain caffeine and the darker the chocolates get the more caffeine is in them.

Similarly, coffee beans namely; Arabica and Robusta beans also have different characteristics. Arabica is less caffeinated around 6 mg compared to robusta that is approx. 10 mg a bean. Despite extra caffeine, robusta also has a stronger, bitter and richer taste. Caffeine content in Arabica coffee beans is in the range of 0.90–1.3%, while it ranges from 1.51 to 3.33% for Robusta (3).

Another thing is regular and espresso coffee beans. Some believe that these are interchangeable terms but that’s just not the case. The difference lies in roasting. Espresso beans are roasted for a longer duration which decreases the caffeine content and also gives them a richer and deeper taste than regular coffee beans.

So which chocolate covered beans have the most caffeine; let’s have a look.

• 1 dark chocolate covered coffee bean has approx. 6 – 13 mg of caffeine
• 1 milk chocolate covered coffee bean has approx. 5 – 10 mg of caffeine.

This depends on the thickness of the chocolate coating around the bean.

How many coffee beans is equal to a cup of coffee?

Since all coffee beans are unique in their size and shape, giving an estimated amount feels wrong.

If you set an average range for the size of beans then it would take about 40 – 50 beans to fill up a mug. But after coating it with chocolate the number will go down to less than 30. This amount of beans will have around 600 – 700 mg of caffeine per cup of bean. One portion of 28 pieces of chocolate covered coffee beans is told to weigh 40 g and contain 336 mg of caffeine (1).

In addition, the caffeine content of the coffee depends also on the roasting method, the storage condition of the roasted coffee beans, the geographical origin and species of the coffee plant (3). 

However, this much sweet and caffeine consumption can be a major health risk factor so it’s best to not exceed more than 10.

Do chocolate covered coffee beans give you energy?

Yes, they do. These beans being in a concentrated form gives you more and an instant boost of energy compared to a cup of coffee. Despite this, the chocolate coating provides an instant source of glucose.

What are the health benefits of chocolate covered coffee beans?

• Coffee beans and chocolate are rich in antioxidants. They not only aid in increasing your blood flow but also help to boost up your immune system.
• Chocolate and coffee beans are low in cholesterol and fat. They can be a healthy snack if you opt. for dark chocolate with no sugar.
• Coffee helps to stimulate our brain, keeping us productive and alert throughout the day.
• Cocoa contains the biogenic amides, phenylethylamine, tyramine, tryptamine and serotonin, and their precursors, phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan (2).

Besides, cocoa covered coffee beans contain chemical compounds called methylxanthines, including caffeine, theobromine and theophylline, which are thought to have similar physiological effects in the body, including stimulation of the central nervous system, cardiac muscle and skeletal muscle, relaxation of smooth muscle (such as bronchial muscle), and diuretic effects (2).

What happens if you eat too many chocolate covered coffee beans?

Firstly you might experience a sugar spike if you have eaten the beans coated with milk chocolate. Because of excess caffeine, you may also experience muscle twitching and trembles. Your heartbeat might also elevate and you may have trouble breathing too. Headache or vomiting can be caused by excessive caffeine consumption, especially in children (2).

If you experience these it’s better to lie down and rest till you feel normal.

Also, avoid having the beans at night as caffeine may interfere with your sleep keeping you awake all night.

The amount of chocolate is significant in the chocolate covered coffee beans. Therefore, they should be eaten as sweets. A diet including too much chocolate can lead to obesity and diabetes type 2, as well as induce acne formation (2).

How much caffeine is present in everyday food items?

Following is the chart that shows how much caffeine is in common food items (5).

Other FAQs about Chocolates that you may be interested in.

How to preserve m&ms

Can chocolate get moldy?

Can you give chocolate to dogs?

Conclusion

In this brief guide, we answered ‘how much caffeine is in chocolate covered coffee beans?’ also we have seen different varieties of chocolate-covered coffee beans and whether it is safe to consume or not.

If you have any comments or questions please let us know.

Citation

1. Basic Report:  19268, Candies, dark chocolate coated coffee beans
2. Aebi, M. Chocolate panning. Industrial Chocolate Manufacture and Use, 2009, 285-301.
3. Olechno, Ewa, et al. Influence of Various Factors on Caffeine Content in Coffee Brews. Foods, 2021, 10, 1208.
4. Fox, Glen P., et al. Variation in caffeine concentration in single coffee beans. J agri food chem, 2013, 61, 10772-10778.
5. de Mejia, Elvira Gonzalez, and Marco Vinicio Ramirez-Mares. Impact of caffeine and coffee on our health. Trends Endocrinol Metab, 2014, 25, 489-492.