Bittersweet Chocolate vs. Cocoa Powder

Nutrition comparison of Bittersweet Chocolate and Cocoa Powder


Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?

We compared the nutritional contents of bittersweet chocolate versus cocoa powder (100g each) below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].

For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in bittersweet chocolate and cocoa powder:

  • Both bittersweet chocolate and cocoa powder are high in calcium, calories, dietary fiber, iron, potassium, protein and saturated fat.
  • Cocoa powder has more riboflavin and Vitamin B6.
Detailed nutritional comparison of bittersweet chocolate and cocoa powder is analyzed below. You can also visualize the nutritional comparison for a custom portion or serving size and see how the nutrition compares.

USDA sources for nutritional information: Bittersweet Chocolate (Baking chocolate, unsweetened, squares) and Cocoa Powder (Cocoa, dry powder, unsweetened) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.


Image of Bittersweet Chocolate src
Image of Cocoa Powder src

Calories and Carbs

calories

Both bittersweet chocolate and cocoa powder are high in calories. Bittersweet chocolate has 182% more calories than cocoa powder - bittersweet chocolate has 642 calories per 100 grams and cocoa powder has 228 calories.

For macronutrient ratios, bittersweet chocolate is lighter in protein, much lighter in carbs and much heavier in fat compared to cocoa powder per calorie. Bittersweet chocolate has a macronutrient ratio of 9:18:73 and for cocoa powder, 19:54:27 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.

Macro Ratios from Calories:

Bittersweet Chocolate Cocoa Powder
Protein 9% 19%
Carbohydrates 18% 54%
Fat 73% 27%
Alcohol ~ ~

carbohydrates

Cocoa powder is high in carbohydrates and bittersweet chocolate has 51% less carbohydrates than cocoa powder - bittersweet chocolate has 28.4g of total carbs per 100 grams and cocoa powder has 57.9g of carbohydrates.

dietary fiber

Both bittersweet chocolate and cocoa powder are high in dietary fiber. Cocoa powder has 123% more dietary fiber than bittersweet chocolate - bittersweet chocolate has 16.6g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and cocoa powder has 37g of dietary fiber.

sugar

Bittersweet chocolate and cocoa powder contain similar amounts of sugar - bittersweet chocolate has 0.91g of sugar per 100 grams and cocoa powder has 1.8g of sugar.

Protein

protein

Both bittersweet chocolate and cocoa powder are high in protein. Cocoa powder has 37% more protein than bittersweet chocolate - bittersweet chocolate has 14.3g of protein per 100 grams and cocoa powder has 19.6g of protein.

Fat

saturated fat

Both bittersweet chocolate and cocoa powder are high in saturated fat. Bittersweet chocolate has 300% more saturated fat than cocoa powder - bittersweet chocolate has 32.3g of saturated fat per 100 grams and cocoa powder has 8.1g of saturated fat.

cholesterol

Both bittersweet chocolate and cocoa powder are low in cholesterol - bittersweet chocolate has 2mg of cholesterol per 100 grams and cocoa powder does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamins

Vitamin E

Bittersweet chocolate and cocoa powder contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - bittersweet chocolate has 0.4mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and cocoa powder has 0.1mg of Vitamin E.

Vitamin K

Bittersweet chocolate and cocoa powder contain similar amounts of Vitamin K - bittersweet chocolate has 9.7ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and cocoa powder has 2.5ug of Vitamin K.

The B Vitamins

Cocoa powder has more riboflavin and Vitamin B6. Both bittersweet chocolate and cocoa powder contain significant amounts of thiamin, niacin, pantothenic acid and folate.

Bittersweet Chocolate Cocoa Powder
Thiamin 0.147 MG 0.078 MG
Riboflavin 0.1 MG 0.241 MG
Niacin 1.355 MG 2.185 MG
Pantothenic acid 0.168 MG 0.254 MG
Vitamin B6 0.027 MG 0.118 MG
Folate 28 UG 32 UG

Minerals

calcium

Both bittersweet chocolate and cocoa powder are high in calcium. Cocoa powder has 27% more calcium than bittersweet chocolate - bittersweet chocolate has 101mg of calcium per 100 grams and cocoa powder has 128mg of calcium.

iron

Both bittersweet chocolate and cocoa powder are high in iron. Bittersweet chocolate has 26% more iron than cocoa powder - bittersweet chocolate has 17.4mg of iron per 100 grams and cocoa powder has 13.9mg of iron.

potassium

Both bittersweet chocolate and cocoa powder are high in potassium. Cocoa powder has 84% more potassium than bittersweet chocolate - bittersweet chocolate has 830mg of potassium per 100 grams and cocoa powder has 1524mg of potassium.

Antioxidants and Phytonutrients

carotenoids

Carotenoids are micronutrients commonly found in plants and some animal products. An example is beta-carotene, the notable carotenoid which is a popular source of Vitamin A.[4][5]

For specific types of carotenoids, both bittersweet chocolate and cocoa powder contain significant amounts of lutein + zeaxanthin.

Bittersweet Chocolate Cocoa Powder
lutein + zeaxanthin 38 UG 38 UG

Omega-3 and Omega-6

omega 6s

Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, bittersweet chocolate has more linoleic acid than cocoa powder per 100 grams.

Bittersweet Chocolate Cocoa Powder
other omega 6 0.553 G ~
linoleic acid 1.435 G 0.44 G
Total 1.988 G 0.44 G



Customize your serving size


The comparison below is by common portions, e.g. cups, packages. You can also see a more concrete comparison by weight at equal weight (by grams) comparison.

Note: The specific food items compared are: Bittersweet Chocolate (Baking chocolate, unsweetened, squares) and Cocoa Powder (Cocoa, dry powder, unsweetened) .

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FAQ

Does bittersweet chocolate or cocoa powder contain more calories in 100 grams?
Both bittersweet chocolate and cocoa powder are high in calories. Bittersweet chocolate has 180% more calories than cocoa powder - bittersweet chocolate has 642 calories in 100g and cocoa powder has 228 calories.

Does bittersweet chocolate or cocoa powder have more carbohydrates?
By weight, cocoa powder is high in carbohydrates and bittersweet chocolate has 50% fewer carbohydrates than cocoa powder - bittersweet chocolate has 28.4g of carbs for 100g and cocoa powder has 57.9g of carbohydrates.

Does bittersweet chocolate or cocoa powder contain more calcium?
Both bittersweet chocolate and cocoa powder are high in calcium. Cocoa powder has 30% more calcium than bittersweet chocolate - bittersweet chocolate has 101mg of calcium in 100 grams and cocoa powder has 128mg of calcium.

Does bittersweet chocolate or cocoa powder contain more iron?
Both bittersweet chocolate and cocoa powder are high in iron. Bittersweet chocolate has 30% more iron than cocoa powder - bittersweet chocolate has 17.4mg of iron in 100 grams and cocoa powder has 13.9mg of iron.

Does bittersweet chocolate or cocoa powder contain more potassium?
Both bittersweet chocolate and cocoa powder are high in potassium. Cocoa powder has 80% more potassium than bittersweet chocolate - bittersweet chocolate has 830mg of potassium in 100 grams and cocoa powder has 1524mg of potassium.