Cocoa powder is a popular ingredient used in baking, drinks, and desserts. With its rich chocolate flavor and versatility in recipes, many enjoy using cocoa powder to add chocolate goodness without too many extra calories. But is cocoa powder actually low in calories? Let’s take a closer look.
The Nutrition Facts of Cocoa Powder
The calorie and nutrient content of cocoa powder can vary slightly depending on the brand and type you buy. However, in general, a 2 tablespoon (10 gram) serving of unsweetened cocoa powder contains around:
- 20-25 calories
- 2-3 grams carbohydrates
- 1-2 grams fiber
- 1-2 grams protein
As you can see, cocoa powder is very low in calories, with only around 20-25 calories per serving. It also provides a small amount of fiber and protein.
The key thing to pay attention to is that the cocoa powder is unsweetened. Sweetened cocoa powder or brands mixed with extra sugar can contain 100 calories or more per serving.
Cocoa Powder Provides Rich Chocolate Flavor Without Lots of Calories
So what makes cocoa powder low in calories compared to other chocolate products? It comes down to the processing method.
Cocoa powder is made by crushing cocoa beans and removing the fatty cocoa butter. What’s left behind is a powder with concentrated chocolate flavor but almost no fat.
In comparison, products like chocolate bars and chocolate chips contain cocoa solids along with extra cocoa butter and sugar. The cocoa butter is where a lot of the additional calories come from in these foods.
This makes unsweetened cocoa powder a convenient way to add chocolate taste to recipes and drinks without significantly increasing the calorie count.
How Cocoa Powder Compares to Other Chocolate Products
To give you a better idea of how low in calories cocoa powder is, here’s how it stacks up against some other popular chocolate foods:
| Food | Serving Size | Calories |
|---|---|---|
| Unsweetened cocoa powder | 2 tablespoons (10g) | 20-25 |
| Semi-sweet chocolate chips | 2 tablespoons (30g) | 140 |
| Milk chocolate bar | 1 ounce (28g) | 150 |
| Dark chocolate bar | 1 ounce (28g) | 170 |
As you can see from the table, cocoa powder provides only around 20-25 calories per serving compared to 140-170 calories in the same serving size of chocolate chips or bars.
So if you’re looking to add chocolate flavor to recipes without lots of extra calories, unsweetened cocoa powder is a smart choice.
Benefits of Cocoa Powder
In addition to being low in calories, cocoa powder offers several health benefits:
- Antioxidants – Cocoa is rich in antioxidants called flavonoids, which can help reduce oxidative damage and inflammation in the body.
- Heart health – The flavonoids in cocoa have been linked with improving blood pressure and cholesterol levels, which promotes heart health.
- Better blood flow – Cocoa flavonoids help dilate blood vessels to allow improved blood circulation.
- Anti-aging effects – The antioxidants in cocoa powder may help slow aging by protecting cells against damage.
- Blood sugar control – Some research shows cocoa may help improve insulin resistance and regulate blood sugar levels.
Thanks to all these benefits, enjoying a bit of unsweetened cocoa powder regularly can be great for your health as well as your waistline.
Is Dutched Cocoa Powder Lower in Calories?
You may also come across Dutch process cocoa powder in grocery stores. This type of cocoa powder is treated with an alkalizing agent to neutralize its acids.
Dutching the cocoa powder makes it darker in color with a more mellow, less bitter taste. However, nutritionally, Dutch process cocoa powder has a very similar number of calories compared to natural cocoa powder.
So no matter which type you choose, you can enjoy cocoa powder without worrying about it being high in calories.
Tips for Using Cocoa Powder
Here are some tips for incorporating unsweetened cocoa powder into your diet:
Smoothies
Add 1-2 tablespoons of cocoa powder per serving into your favorite smoothie recipe for an antioxidant and fiber boost.
Oatmeal
Mix cocoa powder into your oats while cooking to give your morning bowl a chocolatey flavor.
Granola bars
When making homemade granola bars, mix in 2-3 tablespoons cocoa powder into the base to make chocolate granola bars.
Hot chocolate
For a lower calorie hot chocolate, mix cocoa powder with hot milk and sweeten just slightly with honey or maple syrup.
Coffee drinks
Add cocoa powder to your morning latte or mocha for a diabetes-friendly flavor boost.
Baking
Use cocoa powder in recipes for brownies, cakes, cookies, and other chocolate baked goods.
Conclusion
Unsweetened cocoa powder contains only around 20-25 calories per serving, making it a low calorie way to add chocolate flavor to foods and beverages. Compared to other chocolate products, cocoa powder is very low in fat and calories thanks to the method of removing the fatty cocoa butter during processing.
In addition to being low in calories, cocoa powder provides important antioxidants and health benefits. Enjoying unsweetened cocoa powder in smoothies, oatmeal, coffee drinks, and baked goods can satisfy your chocolate cravings while supporting overall wellness.
So don’t hesitate to add a dash of cocoa powder into your recipes to boost flavor without worrying about it being high in calories!