Dark chocolate is the richest chocolate in protein, containing 7.8 grams of protein per 100g. It provides 2-5% of the Daily Value per serving. Most milk and white chocolates have less protein.
How much protein in dark chocolate?
Dark chocolate with 45-59% cacao solids has 4.88 grams of protein per 100g. An 1-oz serving provides 1.4 grams of protein.
Dark chocolate with 60-69% cocoa solids has about 6.1 grams of protein per 100g, or 1.74 grams per serving.
Dark chocolate with 70-85% is the richest chocolate in protein. It has 60% more protein than other dark chocolates with lower percentage of cacao solids and up to 120% more protein than many milk chocolates!
In fact, 70% dark chocolate has 7.8 grams of protein per 100g, while a serving provides 2.2 grams of protein.[1]
What’s the protein content of milk & white chocolate?
The protein content of milk chocolate greatly varies. It depends on the brand. Most milk chocolates contain between 3 and 8 grams of protein per 100g. So, we get between 0.8 and 2.3 grams of protein per an 1-oz serving.
Milk chocolate with almonds or hazelnuts has an even higher protein content. It has about 9 grams of protein per 100g, or 2.6 grams of protein per serving.
Moreover, white chocolate has 5.9 grams of protein per 100g, or about 1.7 grams of protein per serving.
Which chocolate builds muscle mass?
Milk and white chocolates are packed with sugar. If you want to consume less sugar, you should prefer dark chocolate. It’s the healthier option.
Although neither chocolate type is particularly rich in protein, dark chocolate may help build muscle mass. It has a great nutritional value. Dark chocolate is packed with fiber, iron, and potassium. Also, it contains some amounts of many other minerals, like calcium, copper, magnesium, chromium, and manganese.
In fact, dark chocolate contains so many compounds that involved in energy metabolism. When consumed in moderation, it’s good for a lean body.
Actually, small doses of dark chocolate, as part of a well-balanced, hypocaloric diet, are beneficial for weight loss. The best time to eat chocolate for weight loss is in the afternoon.
Can chocolate help us meet our daily needs?
Most people who follow a sedentary life need about 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram (2.2 lbs) of body weight a day.
Active people require more protein, though. Actually, the recommended daily intake of protein for people with minimal, moderate, and intense physical activity is 1, 1.3, and 1.6 grams per kg (2.2 lbs) of body weight, respectively.[2,3]
Thus, an 80 kg (177 lbs) person with moderate physical activity should get about 100 grams of protein a day. In contrast, a 59 kg (130 lbs) person with minimal activity needs only 47–59 grams of protein.
So, a serving of dark chocolate provides about 2-5% of the Daily Value.
Should I depend on chocolate to boost protein intake?
Certainly, we can’t depend on chocolate for protein. It may contribute to the daily protein intake, but, we should consume other foods high in protein to meet our daily needs.
We can eat only small amounts of chocolate, as it has too many calories. Even a small serving can have 170 calories!
Eat chocolate protein bars to boost protein intake!
If you like eating chocolate, and want to significantly increase protein intake, you could consume chocolate protein bars. They contain substantially more protein per calorie.
Most chocolate protein bars provide about 20 grams of protein. Also, they have fewer than 200 calories!
You’ll find a wide variety of protein chocolate bars on Amazon.
Common foods high in protein
Certainly, meat, poultry, fish, dairy, and eggs are high in protein. Moreover, they contain high-quality, complete protein. Animal products contain all essential amino acids.
However, we can also get high dosages of protein from plant-based foods, such as beans (e.g. soy, lentils, chickpeas), nuts, seeds, whole grains, mushrooms, vegetables (e.g. spinach, kale, broccoli), and even certain fruits (e.g. avocado).
