⚠️CautionCurated
Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate has significantly more caffeine than milk chocolate — about 12mg per ounce for 70% cacao, and up to 22mg per ounce for very dark varieties. A few squares are perfectly fine, but a whole bar of 85%+ dark chocolate can add up quickly.
Track caffeine; ~12–22mg per oz depending on cacao percentage; add to daily total
Dark chocolate also contains theobromine in higher amounts than milk chocolate. Theobromine has a longer half-life than caffeine and passes into breast milk. At typical treat-sized portions (a few squares), neither the caffeine nor the theobromine is a concern. If you're eating multiple servings of very dark chocolate alongside other caffeinated beverages, factor it into your 300mg daily caffeine count. One ounce of 85% dark chocolate has roughly 20–22mg of caffeine.
Safer Alternatives:
Always confirm with your doctor or lactation consultant before making dietary changes while breastfeeding.
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