Although chocolate isn’t typically on a list of constipation-fighting foods, this sweet treat can loosen things up. Confections containing dairy may cause lactose-intolerant people to get diarrhea after consuming chocolate as well as have other side effects like gas and bloating. Additionally, the fiber and caffeine in plain chocolate can have a laxative effect.
Caffeine and Fiber in Chocolate
If you’ve ever had the urge to go right after drinking your morning coffee, then you’ve experienced caffeine’s laxative effects. According to Integris Health, caffeine can increase the rate of motility, which is the contraction of the muscles in the digestive tract that encourage bowel movements.
The amount of caffeine in chocolate depends on the type of chocolate. Generally, the higher the cocoa content — and therefore the darker the chocolate — the higher the caffeine level. For example, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), an ounce of dark chocolate with 70 to 85 percent cacao solids has 22.7 milligrams (mg) of caffeine, while one ounce of dark chocolate with 45 to 59 percent has 12.2 mg.
That isn’t much in comparison to a cup of brewed coffee, which has 94.8 mg of caffeine, according to the USDA. However, if you eat more than an ounce of chocolate, you could get the runs. And if you eat a lot of chocolate and drink a lot of coffee, you could be taking in too much caffeine, which the International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders says is a common cause of chronic diarrhea.
Chocolate also contains fiber — the indigestible parts of plant foods that help move food through the digestive tract, per the Mayo Clinic. Eating enough fiber is crucial to preventing constipation and normalizing bowel movements, according to Johnson Memorial Health. But a big dose all at once can make you feel the urgent call of nature, especially for people who don’t eat a lot of fiber.
The darker the chocolate, the more fiber it has. One ounce (oz) of chocolate with 70 to 80 percent cacao solids has 3 grams (g) of fiber. That’s not likely enough to have an immediate laxative effect. But if you eat an entire 3.5 oz bar of dark chocolate, you’ll get about 11 g of fiber in one sitting, which, along with the 79 mg of caffeine, could really get you going — so to speak.
Chocolate Containing Dairy
According to Mount Sinai, as many as 30 million American adults are lactose intolerant to some degree by the time they turn 20. This means they are unable to digest lactose, a natural sugar in milk products. Common symptoms of lactose intolerance include bloating, cramps, gas, and diarrhea.
Plain dark chocolate is often dairy-free. However, milk chocolate and other chocolate confections do contain dairy, according to the Mayo Clinic. If you get diarrhea after eating chocolate, check the ingredients list.
Dairy comes in many forms, and labels don’t always simply list milk or cream as an ingredient. Other dairy-containing ingredients may be lurking in your favorite chocolate treat, according to Go Dairy Free. These include:
- Casein
- Butter solids
- Sodium caseinate
- Whey
- Nougat
- Lactoferrin
- Iron caseinate
There are also many others. It’s worth it to print out a list of all the dairy-related ingredients so you can reference it when choosing chocolate.
Milk allergy can cause some symptoms similar to lactose intolerance, but it’s a much more serious matter, the Mayo Clinic notes. Milk allergy is an immune response to the proteins in milk, and the symptoms can be potentially life-threatening. Seek immediate medical attention if you experience hives, itching around the mouth, wheezing, vomiting, shortness of breath, or swelling of your lips, tongue, or throat.
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