Probably two of the greatest inventions of humanity are chocolate and coffee. They changed everything for us. And when you combine these two, it creates euphoria in your mouth!
These jam-packed bite-size energy boosters are a classic choice for many. Of course, they are super tasty and delicious, but are they too much to eat so carelessly?
Ever noticed how you can’t fall asleep at night if you eat these choco-espresso beans at night?
Exactly how caffeinated are they?
In this article, we will find out how much caffeine in chocolate covered espresso beans and how you can make them at home!
How Much Caffeine is in Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans?
Roasted coffee beans dipped in chocolate are a comforting mid-day snack we all crave to have every day. But how caffeinated are they?
We all know both chocolate and coffee have caffeine in them. So when you combine them together, they become small capsules of energy. It’s important to know chocolate covered espresso beans caffeine content so you don’t eat too much of them.
Chocolate Type:
The type of chocolate and coffee beans you use highly determines how much caffeine it will contain. If you use dark chocolate instead of milk, there will be higher caffeine content. As the chocolate gets darker, the cocoa content increases thus more caffeine.
Dark chocolate has around 85 more cocoa than milk chocolate. The average caffeine in dark chocolate is around 22.7mg/oz. Compared to that, milk chocolate has 5mg/oz caffeine and while chocolate has zero caffeine. You can try the Ghirardelli 86% Cacao Midnight Reverie for it’s luxuriously deep, full-bodied flavor.
Coffee Beans:
Then comes the coffee beans. There are a handful of different types of coffee beans but the two most popular ones are Arabica and Robusta beans. Arabica beans are what you drink in every coffee shop and cafés. Robusta is stronger and bitter. They are often found in luxury coffee brands.
So exactly how much caffeine in one espresso bean? A single Arabica bean contains around 6mg of caffeine. Robusta on the other hand has around double the caffeine with 10mg per bean.
Most chocolate-covered coffee beans use Arabica beans for their lighter taste. The low caffeine also means you can have more of them without worrying too much. We like illy Classico Whole Bean Coffee for its light caramel notes. It goes really well with chocolates.
As none of us have any self-control while eating these choco-coffee beans, we should pick the best ingredients that make it healthier for us. If you want to try it with Robusta, go for something like FORTE by Filicori Zecchini. It’s a blend between Arabica and Robusta.
When you combine dark chocolate and Arabica beans to create these delicious snacks, the caffeine amount increases a bit. A single chocolate covered espresso beans caffeine content is 6-13 milligrams. This can vary from brand to brand depending on what type of chocolate or coffee beans they are using.
Types of Coffee Beans: Regular vs. Espresso
You might have noticed how different recipes mention coffee beans and some others mention espresso beans. While they seem like the same thing, they are not.
Most of us assume the term “espresso” might be referring to a different type of beans. The truth is, it’s all in the roasting.
The main difference between regular beans and espresso beans is the way they are roasted. Espresso beans are roasted for much longer which gives them their signature dark brown color.
Even though many think espresso beans are stronger than regular beans, it’s not true. The more you roast coffee beans, the lesser the caffeine content becomes. Just because espresso beans taste a bit bitter and thicker than regular coffee beans, doesn’t mean they are stronger.
Espresso is short for concentrated coffee. By concentration, it refers to the taste, not the caffeine level. So if you want your chocolate-covered coffee beans to have less caffeine, try using espresso beans to make them. It also tastes better as espresso beans are crunchier due to longer roasting.
How Many Espresso Beans Equal a Cup of Coffee?
This is a tough question to answer as each coffee bean comes in a unique size and shape. So to plainly say a specific number would be misleading and wrong. We can however give some assumptions. So how many espresso beans in a shot of espresso??
If we pick an average size of coffee bean then it would take around 40-50 beans to fill up a typical coffee mug. After coating it with chocolate, the number might decrease to 30-35. This amount of coffee beans would have around 60-70 mg of caffeine per cup of beans.
That’s actually not a lot if you compare this to a normal cup of coffee. So if you are trying to cut back on your coffee consumption, coffee beans can be a good alternative.
Do Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans Give You Energy?
Chocolate-covered coffee beans are basically bite-size pieces of energy. They give you an instant boost no matter what time of the day it is.
These beans can give you as much if not more energy than drinking a cup of coffee. Coffee will give you the necessary caffeine kick while the chocolate works as a great glucose source. chocolate covered coffee beans caffeine level is not as low as one might think.
As drinking coffee dilutes the intensity a lot, you get a stronger boost with these coffee beans. The same amount of coffee can give you twice the amount of energy when you eat it this way instead of drinking it.
Some of the health benefits of chocolate-covered coffee beans include:
- Coffee beans and chocolate are rich in antioxidants. These antioxidants increase our blood circulation.
- Higher antioxidant levels also help to boost our immune system.
- Dark chocolate is great for heart patients or people with the risk of heart issues. It prevents heart diseases.
- Both chocolate and coffee beans are low in cholesterol and fat. So they’re actually a healthy snack especially if you use dark chocolate with no sugar.
- These choco-espresso beans can be very beneficial for people who are on a weight loss journey. They don’t have bad cholesterol or too many calories. So they are a great healthy midday snack option.
- Caffeine helps to stimulate our brain thus keeping us productive throughout the day. These beans are a great energy booster.
- If you have trouble focusing at work, these chocolate covered coffee beans can really help.
How to Eat Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans?
Of course, the obvious way to eat these chocolate covered espresso beans would be just as they are. But if you can, sprinkle some of them on chocolate ice cream or on top of a chocolate cake to decorate.
They not only look luxurious and shiny, but they also add a certain charm to a dessert. Now that we think of it, you can add them to any coffee or chocolate-based dessert as decoration and they would alleviate the whole dish.
You know one of those tricks that makes others think you’ve put too much effort into this? These beans do exactly that.
Even though they look so fancy, they are super easy to make. You can check out our recipe for chocolate covered coffee beans here.
What Happens If You Eat Too Many Chocolate-Covered Espresso Beans?
Even though these choco-coffee beans are safe to eat, you can definitely have too many of them. But how many is too many? Well for starters, if you finish a full packet of chocolate-espresso beans, that would indicate eating too many of them.
So what happens if you eat too many of these delicious snacks? You might get a massive sugar spike especially if you’ve used milk chocolate in them.
You might experience muscle twitching and tremble from consuming excess amounts of caffeine. If this happens you might feel your heartbeat increasing and trouble breathing.
If you actually experience any of these issues, lie down on your bed and rest until it all comes back to normal. When we consume too much sugar and caffeine in a small period of time, we experience these things.
If you eat chocolate covered coffee beans at night, it might interfere with your sleep routine. So you might end up staying up all night unable to fall asleep. Now we don’t want that, do we?
Frequently Asked Questions
01. Do Espresso Beans Have Caffeine?
Yes, espresso beans definitely have caffeine in them. A single chocolate covered espresso bean has around 6-12 mg of caffeine. Usually, around 6mg of that comes from the espresso bean and the rest from the chocolate.
However, it is a myth that espresso beans have higher caffeine content compared to regular coffee beans. In fact, they have less caffeine due to longer roasting periods.
The more you roast coffee beans, the lesser the caffeine level becomes. Heat destroys caffeine so if you want higher caffeine content, try blonde coffee instead of espresso coffee.
02. Do Trader Joe’s Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans Have Caffeine?
Trader joe chocolate covered espresso beans are super popular due to their delicious taste and rich coffee flavor. As they are small bite-size pieces, you tend to eat a lot of them without even realizing it. You can also try the Starbucks chocolate covered coffee beans!
So it’s important to know how much caffeine is in those beans. Otherwise, you might end up not being able to sleep all night long!
Trader Joe’s chocolate covered coffee beans have around 13.4 mg of caffeine which is significantly higher than if you were to make it at home. They might not seem like too much but when you start to munch on them, the numbers add up. They can be quite addictive so be careful!
03. Is It Safe to Eat Coffee Beans?
Yes, coffee beans are totally safe to eat as long as you eat them in moderation. They are packed with many different antioxidants and caffeine. So they help to boost your energy and uplift your mood instantly.
The downside of caffeine is, if you consume too much of it, you might feel restless and unsteady. If you eat too many coffee beans in the afternoon, chances are sleep won’t be quite possible for you that night.
Coffee beans are eaten in many different ways in different cultures. Some like to coarsely grind them to add to different dishes along with nuts and seeds. Some add coffee beans to desserts. Chocolate covered coffee beans are probably the most popular ways of enjoying these delicious seeds.
04. Will Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans Keep You Awake?
Yes, chocolate covered coffee beans will definitely keep you awake at night. Don’t be deceived by their small size as these beans are packed with caffeine. As they are very easy to snack on, you can over consume them without realizing it.
Eating too many coffee beans can make you unable to fall asleep. Coffee beans can be stronger than a cup of coffee as they are much higher in concentration and not diluted with water. So it’s important to be mindful of how many you eat.
05. Does Eating Coffee Beans Help You Lose Weight?
Coffee beans are high in antioxidants and caffeine which are natural energy boosters. When you are on a diet, the most common issue is weakness and fatigue. Calories in chocolate covered espresso beans aren’t too high either.
Eating chocolate covered coffee beans can provide the necessary energy you need without having to consume fat or sugar. They are low calorie and free of bad cholesterol. This makes them an excellent option as a healthy snack.
Some recent studies have shown that coffee beans contain chlorogenic acid which naturally tricks the body into burning fat. This can help to lose weight in the long run too.
06. Can I Eat Raw Coffee Beans?
You can eat raw coffee beans but they might not be very enjoyable. Raw coffee beans are extremely tough to bite and chew.
They also have a bitter, acidic, and grassy taste. Unroasted coffee beans taste earthy which is nothing similar to the roasted version we are so familiar with.
If you have never eaten raw coffee beans before, sudden consumption can cause stomach ache as they are quite hard to digest. So it’s just better to eat roasted coffee beans instead of raw ones.
What Can You Take Home?
It turns out, chocolate covered coffee beans are quite caffeinated. As much as we have a can’t-stop-won’t-stop attitude with these choco-coffee beans, we need to be mindful of how much we eat.
Now that you know how much caffeine in chocolate covered espresso beans, hopefully you will consume them in moderation.
They can be quite beneficial for our health and body if you eat them moderately. Just like everything else in life, eating too much of these delicious cocoa-beans can cause the opposite effect.
Does that mean we will stop eating chocolate-espresso beans? Of course NOT. But we will be careful from now on (sort of)!
What do you think? Is it something you’d worry about? Let us know in the comments!
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