Chocolate (cocoa)

Chocolate contains caffeine and sugar. Caffeinated foods should be limited or avoided for babies and young children. A baby does not need chocolate. When and how much to offer differs from country to country. Follow the market note on this page. Do not offer babies chocolate candy that is firm, round or chewy.

Plenty of chocolate products include allergens: dairy, peanut, egg, wheat, soy or tree nuts. Read the label before offering a taste, and introduce those allergens one at a time beforehand. Some products contain honey. Honey is not given before 12 months because of infant botulism.

How chocolate is made

The sticky pulp inside the pod ferments the cacao beans. That step gives the bitter beans their distinctive sweet flavor. The beans are then dried for keeping, roasted for flavor and ground. Refining separates cocoa butter from the solids. Cocoa powder comes from the solids. Mixed with cocoa butter, sugar and seasonings, they become chocolate.

Nutrition

Some kinds supply iron, magnesium, zinc, potassium, fiber and carbs. It can also hold antioxidants and plant compounds that are good for the heart and gut. Darker chocolate gives more nutrition, and it also has more caffeine.

Chocolate milk

Chocolate milk contains sugar and caffeine. Do not give it to a baby as a drink. As a drink it can crowd out breast milk and formula. Its sugar raises cavity risk and dulls a child's interest in other foods at meals. For traditional drinks such as atole, champurrado and drinking chocolate, follow the market note on this page too.

Dark and white chocolate

Dark and white chocolate also carry caffeine or plenty of sugar. Caffeine is higher, especially in dark chocolate. Sugar affects dental health too. Follow the market note for these as well, and do not serve them regularly.

Caffeine and sleep

Chocolate carries caffeine. A large amount, or chocolate every day, can add up to too much caffeine and disturb sleep. Small kids react more strongly than adults to caffeine: appetite may drop, and they may seem wired or jumpy.

Older children

For older children, baked goods with melted chocolate, chocolate ice cream and pudding are the easiest forms. Follow the market note for when to start. If your child chews well and follows directions, soft chocolate bars and soft candies with creamy fillings can be shared. Hold off on those with dried fruit or nuts, and anything very hard or chewy. Past age 3, let your child sit while eating one or two pieces of candy with mixed soft and chewy textures. Candies that are round and tough to chew, like malt balls or nuts coated in chocolate, take the most skill.

Chocolate can carry a choking risk. Lots of bars and candies are hard or sticky, and some are small and round. These traits raise risk. Prepare it for your child's age and stay within arm's reach at meals.

No, cocoa is not a common allergen. Allergy to cacao itself is uncommon but has been reported. Chocolate products may also include, or be made on the same lines as, other allergens: eggs, wheat, sesame, soy, dairy and nuts from trees. Read the ingredient list closely.

Start with a small amount for the first servings. If there is no reaction, raise it slowly.