caffeine in chocolate?

[Daffodil]

i always thought the amt of caffeine in choc was negligable, but last night i ate one bar fry's mint creme about an hour before bed and i was WIDE awake for a few hrs...could not sleep!
it happened a few weeks back too after i had some after 8's (granted i did eat the whole box in one go so it was probably well deserved that i couldn't sleep) ..... but one little bar of choc????

i don't normally have any caffeine from any other source so maybe i'm mega sensitive to it?

how annoying is it when you're lying there awake and OH is fast asleep grrr.

[DiaShel]

Maybe it's the sugar. I'm allergic to caffeine and I have a little chocolate time to time and feel ok.

[Daffodil]

Maybe it's the sugar. .


yes thanks for that suggestion..i hadn't thought of that...just googled it and found this: Avoid before-bed snacks, particularly grains and sugars. This will raise blood sugar and inhibit sleep. Later, when blood sugar drops too low (hypoglycemia), you might wake up and not be able to fall back asleep.

http://www.mercola.com/article/sleep.htm

makes sense :-) i don't really have much sugar in my diet either most of the time. i just feel naughty sometimes and have to have chocolate.

[Mahk]

Choc does contain caffeine (http://coffeetea.about.com/library/blcaffeine.htm). Sugar also has stimulant aspects to it but there's also a third in chocolate called theobromine (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theobromine). This, I believe, is why it is bad to give to dogs. It is also supposedly the part that triggers "love receptors" in the brain and causes "chocolate addiction".

[Quantum Mechanic]

Yup, and vegan chocolate (since it's dark and not diluted with milk and such) would contain more theobromine per bite. I love my extra-dark chocolate goodies, but I never share them with her. She once got into a box of chip ahoys, but those are milk chocolate chips and barely even chocolate anyway, still, we learned and kept the cookies even higher up the next time!

[harpy]

There seems to be some controversy about whether chocolate actually does contain caffeine, or just theobromine.

http://www.xocoatl.org/caffeine.htm

Haven't got time to look up their scientific references at the moment. From the point of view of its effect on the nervous system it may be six of one and half a dozen of the other anyway. And I agree that in the case of the Fry's bar it could have been the sugar that kept you awake - they don't actually have that much chocolate do they?

[Gorilla]

just a small point: i'm pretty sure After Eights aren't vegan (unless you're talking about a different brand of mint thins that aren't actually After Eights).

[Mahk]

There seems to be some controversy about whether chocolate actually does contain caffeine, or just theobromine.

http://www.xocoatl.org/caffeine.htm

That's interesting but this study (http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/119585119/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0) which clearly differentiates between the two, so I don't think they'd confuse one for the other, did find caffeine.
---

There's a Ben and Jerry's ice cream that has as much if not more caffeine than a cup of coffee!


Caffeine is my favorite drug.

Although as best as I can tell After Eight chocolate mints currently contain butterfat, there are so many forum and blog entries across the net that insist they are vegan so I think at one time or in one country they once were.

[harpy]

Yes, After Eight did used to be vegan here at one time. Not sure why the silly sausages reformulated them. I think the company that makes them was taken over by Nestle or someone though so I wouldn't buy them even if they hadn't :p

[cedarblue]

whatever there is in chocolate, i can't allow myself to eat more than a couple of squares of it at night or else i get a 'hot' face which feels fuzzy during the night....weird.

[Daffodil]

Although as best as I can tell After Eight chocolate mints currently contain butterfat, there are so many forum and blog entries across the net that insist they are vegan so I think at one time or in one country they once were.

OMG no way!!!!! I'm sure I read they were vegan *digs out animal free shopper*
I eat bucket loads of them..... *retches*

[Daffodil]

OMG you're right! there's even a facebook group on the subject!! lol

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=9610193942


i can't believe it, i've eaten loads of them...they're about the only choc that my local shop sells that i thought i could eat. have to venture into next town to health food shop for frys. well that'll help my weight loss.....

[harpy]

I think these After Eight substitutes are (or at least were) vegan and they're also fairtrade

http://www.oxfam.org.uk/shop/productdetails.aspx?catalog=HighStNew&product=HN220280

They used to sell them in Oxfam shops though I don't recall seeing them lately

[Daffodil]

I think these After Eight substitutes are (or at least were) vegan and they're also fairtrade

http://www.oxfam.org.uk/shop/productdetails.aspx?catalog=HighStNew&product=HN220280

They used to sell them in Oxfam shops though I don't recall seeing them lately


thanks for that. happy that there's no oxfam shops near me. I am gonna give up excess sugar. i will treat myself to a bar of frys on the odd occasion i make it to the healthfood shop in town, other than that i shall refrain. nestle may have done my figure a huge favour hehe.

[harpy]

Sounds like a good way of looking at it :D I'm trying to limit my chocolate intake too as I could happily eat pounds of the stuff, especially when feeling stressed. Unfortunately there are a lot of shops round here selling vegan chocolate so I have to rely on self-discipline (or being too lazy to go out and buy it :o )

[smallhelen]

I gave up caffeine some years ago, so am particularly sensitive to it. Then a couple of years ago my lovely in-laws bought me a Green and Blacks dark chocolate Easter Egg. Completely forgot about the caffeine and wolfed down half of the egg (it was quite small). Next thing I know I have to go to bed for the afternoon as I feel all shaky and sick and basically very spaced out!
I know it was the caffeine cos I had a similar effect after accidentally taking a couple of doses of Paracetamol Plus.
So ... now I remember not to OD on the choccy goodness!! Especially the dark stuff.

[Tigerlily]

Choc does contain caffeine (http://coffeetea.about.com/library/blcaffeine.htm). Sugar also has stimulant aspects to it but there's also a third in chocolate called theobromine (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theobromine). This, I believe, is why it is bad to give to dogs. It is also supposedly the part that triggers "love receptors" in the brain and causes "chocolate addiction".


I had no idea about the Theobromine stuff. Chocolate, like the dark chocolate bars, make me ill. Headachey, nauseas, dizzy, hot, cranky, etc. I knew it wasn't the caffeine as I drink a ton of it but I wasn't sure what else was in it.

[jojomojo]

i always thought the amt of caffeine in choc was negligable, but last night i ate one bar fry's mint creme about an hour before bed and i was WIDE awake for a few hrs...could not sleep!
it happened a few weeks back too after i had some after 8's (granted i did eat the whole box in one go so it was probably well deserved that i couldn't sleep) ..... but one little bar of choc????

i don't normally have any caffeine from any other source so maybe i'm mega sensitive to it?

how annoying is it when you're lying there awake and OH is fast asleep grrr.

are frys mint cremes dairy free? lol this will make my day!

[Jiffy]

I believe they are.

[Daffodil]

^^ I believe they are too...wish they weren't tho! (I eat too many of them!) lol

[vava]

^^ I believe they are too...wish they weren't tho! (I eat too many of them!) lol

:eek:TAKE THAT BACK IMMEDIATELY MISS!:eek:

[Daffodil]

:eek:TAKE THAT BACK IMMEDIATELY MISS!:eek:


eh??? :confused:

[vava]

eh??? :confused:

wishing they wern't vegan.... it was a joke!!!!:D