Sunday, May 05, 2013

Alkaloids in chocolate

Chocolate is a food preparation made from the beans of the tropical cacao tree. Because of their plant origins, chocolate products contain alkaloids.

Alkaloids are usually highly active pharmacologically as they can across the blood-brain barrier and depress or stimulate the central nervous system and interact with neurotransmitter receptors.

The dominant alkaloid present is theobromine, with caffeine being present in a smaller amount. Concentrations of both alkaloids vary depending on the origin of the beans.

A psychotic alkaloid, theobromine, makes the chocolate mildly stimulating and slightly addictive. However, theobromine has a weaker effect on the nervous system compared to caffeine.

While theobromine is present in a concentration between 2% and 3 %, cocoa contains quantities of caffeine lower than coffee (1%).

Dark chocolate is high in theobromine and caffeine due to the addition of more coca solids than that of milk and white chocolates.
Alkaloids in chocolate

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