Caffeine in drinks
How much caffeine is in Dark chocolate (70–85% cacao)?
Data checked against the source on 2026-10-03 by Oleksii Y.
One 1 oz (28.35 g) of Dark chocolate (70–85% cacao) has 22.7 mg of caffeine, according to USDA Agricultural Research Service, FoodData Central (SR Legacy).
How Dark chocolate (70–85% cacao) compares
- Strength: 80 mg per 100 g.
- One 1 oz (28.35 g) has as much caffeine as about a quarter to a third of a cup of brewed coffee, which has 94.8 mg per 8 fl oz cup.
- Of the 7 other chocolate foods and drinks in our chocolate chart, 1 has more caffeine per serving and 6 have less.
How much will be left at bedtime?
1 × 1 oz (28.35 g) of Dark chocolate (70–85% cacao)
Left at 11:00 PM (8 h later), average metabolism
≈ 8 mg
Range 4–12 mg (fast to slow metabolism)
23 mg is already at or under the 50 mg this tool aims to have left at bedtime.
What sleep studies found near this dose
- Gardiner et al. 2025 (randomized trial): In 23 healthy young men, 100 mg taken 12, 8 or 4 hours before bed had no significant effect on measured or self-rated sleep.
- Gardiner et al. 2023 (meta-analysis): To avoid losing sleep time, the authors suggest a coffee (107 mg per 250 ml) at least 8.8 hours before bed.
Estimate from a simple model: half-life of 3, 5 or 8 hours, 50 mg bedtime target. How we calculate
Caffeine by size
| Serving | Caffeine |
|---|---|
| 1 oz (28.35 g) | 22.7 mg |
| 1 bar (101 g) | 80.8 mg |
How long does Dark chocolate (70–85% cacao) stay in your system?
Our model halves caffeine every 5 hours for average metabolism, and every 3 or 8 hours for fast or slow metabolism. From one 1 oz (28.35 g) of Dark chocolate (70–85% cacao) (23 mg), about 12 mg is still in your body 5 hours later and about 6 mg after 10 hours. If you clear caffeine slowly (an 8-hour half-life), about 10 mg is left after 10 hours.
Estimated caffeine left at 11:00 PM from one 1 oz (28.35 g) (23 mg), using a half-life of 5 hours for average metabolism and 3 to 8 hours for the range. How we calculate
| Had at | Left at bedtime (average) | Range |
|---|---|---|
| 8:00 AM (15 h before bed) | ≈ 3 mg | 1–6 mg |
| 12:00 PM (11 h before bed) | ≈ 5 mg | 2–9 mg |
| 3:00 PM (8 h before bed) | ≈ 8 mg | 4–12 mg |
| 6:00 PM (5 h before bed) | ≈ 12 mg | 7–15 mg |
How many fit in a day?
Reference amounts are for caffeine from all sources combined. Counted at the upper end of the stated amount, one serving at a time:
- Up to 400 mg a day for most healthy adults (FDA, EFSA): about 17 servings.
- Up to 200 mg at one time for healthy adults (EFSA): about 8 servings in one go.
- Up to 200 mg a day in pregnancy (EFSA, NHS): about 8 servings.
These are reference amounts for groups of people, not a personal limit. Some people feel jittery or sleep worse on much less. See the cutoff calculator for timing.
Good to know
EFSA lists 25 mg of caffeine for a 50 g bar of plain chocolate, less than the USDA value would give for the same weight.
How the serving amount was worked out: USDA lists 80 mg per 100 g (2 analysed samples); 28.35 g × 0.80 = 22.7 mg; 101 g × 0.80 = 80.8 mg.
Dark chocolate (70–85% cacao) vs other chocolate drinks
- Milk chocolate: Dark chocolate (70–85% cacao) has more caffeine than milk chocolate per 100 g (80 vs 20 mg). Dark chocolate (70–85% cacao): 22.7 mg per 1 oz (28.35 g); Milk chocolate: 8.8 mg per 1.55 oz bar (44 g).
- White chocolate: Dark chocolate (70–85% cacao) has more caffeine than white chocolate per 100 g (80 vs 0 mg). Dark chocolate (70–85% cacao): 22.7 mg per 1 oz (28.35 g); White chocolate: 0 mg per 100 g.
- Semisweet chocolate chips: Dark chocolate (70–85% cacao) has more caffeine than semisweet chocolate chips per 100 g (80 vs 62 mg). Dark chocolate (70–85% cacao): 22.7 mg per 1 oz (28.35 g); Semisweet chocolate chips: 9 mg per 1 serving (14.5 g).
Common questions
How much caffeine is in Dark chocolate (70–85% cacao)?
USDA Agricultural Research Service, FoodData Central (SR Legacy) gives 22.7 mg of caffeine per 1 oz (28.35 g). Other sizes are in the table on this page.
How many Dark chocolate (70–85% cacao) servings can I have in a day?
The FDA and EFSA cite up to 400 mg of caffeine a day, from all sources combined, for most healthy adults. At 22.7 mg per 1 oz (28.35 g), that is about 17 servings if Dark chocolate (70–85% cacao) is your only source. In pregnancy the reference is 200 mg a day.
How late can I drink Dark chocolate (70–85% cacao)?
One serving has about 23 mg, which is at or under the 50 mg our calculator aims to have left at bedtime, so it sets no cutoff for a single serving. Several servings add up.
How long does Dark chocolate (70–85% cacao) stay in your system?
Of the 23 mg in one 1 oz (28.35 g), roughly 12 mg remains after 5 hours and 6 mg after 10 hours with our average 5-hour half-life. From fast to slow metabolism, 10 hours later it is between 2 and 10 mg.
Where the number comes from
- Chocolate, dark, 70-85% cacao solids. USDA Agricultural Research Service, FoodData Central (SR Legacy). FDC ID 170273, nutrient "Caffeine" (262): portions "1 oz" = 28.35 g and "1 bar" = 101 g. Accessed 2026-10-02. Source ↗
- Caffeine (topic page). European Food Safety Authority. Table "How much caffeine is there in…", row "A bar of plain chocolate (50g) | 25mg" Accessed 2026-10-02. Source ↗
Recipes and labels change. If a number here no longer matches the label, the label wins.
General information, not medical advice
If you feel unwell after caffeine — for example chest pain, a fast or irregular heartbeat that does not settle, fainting, confusion or trouble breathing — get urgent medical help. If you are pregnant, take medication or have a heart, liver or anxiety condition, ask a doctor or pharmacist what amount is right for you.
Sources
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration (2024). Spilling the Beans: How Much Caffeine is Too Much? FDA Consumer Updates. fda.gov ↗
- European Food Safety Authority. Caffeine | EFSA. EFSA topic page (summary of the 2015 Scientific Opinion on the safety of caffeine). efsa.europa.eu ↗
- NHS. Foods to avoid in pregnancy. NHS. nhs.uk ↗
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