Foods Highest in Theobromine

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Top 50 whole foods per 100g, from USDA Standard Reference and Foundation databases

Cocoa, dry powder, unsweetened, processed with alkali ranks #1 of 50 for Theobromine, at 2634.0MG per 100g.

What These Theobromine Rankings Mean

This ranking surfaces the top 50 whole foods for Theobromine, pulled from USDA Standard Reference Legacy and Foundation databases. Those two sources intentionally exclude branded and processed entries, which keeps the list focused on raw ingredients where nutrient content reflects the food itself rather than fortification or recipe adjustments. There is no established FDA Daily Value for Theobromine, so amounts are reported in absolute terms (MG per 100g edible portion).

At the top of the ranking sits Cocoa, dry powder, unsweetened, processed with alkali, delivering 2634.0MG per 100g. The top three (Cocoa, dry powder, unsweetened, processed with alkali, Cocoa, dry powder, hi-fat or breakfast, processed with alkali, Cocoa, dry powder, unsweetened) together form a practical "big lever" set, foods where a single serving meaningfully moves daily intake. The visual bars beside each row scale against the top food, so you can see at a glance whether a lower-ranked food is still a strong source or a distant runner-up.

Because this page excludes branded products, it is the right tool for comparing whole-food cooking choices rather than packaged-food shopping decisions, for those, the per-food pages and the branded search tools cover the same nutrient at product level. All values are reported per 100g edible portion, which means the raw numbers can be directly compared but real-world servings differ (a 100g portion of spinach is very different from 100g of almonds by volume). The nutrition guides linked below explain how to translate % DV and per-100g figures into practical daily targets and how to read nutrition labels when comparing whole foods to their processed equivalents.

→ Compare the top three Theobromine sources side-by-side

# Food Amount % DV
1 Cocoa, dry powder, unsweetened, processed with alkali 2634.0 MG -
2 Cocoa, dry powder, hi-fat or breakfast, processed with alkali 2445.0 MG -
3 Cocoa, dry powder, unsweetened 2057.0 MG -
4 Baking chocolate, unsweetened, liquid 1597.0 MG -
5 Baking chocolate, unsweetened, squares 1297.0 MG -
6 Beverages, Dairy drink mix, chocolate, reduced calorie, with low-calorie sweeteners, powder 833.0 MG -
7 Chocolate, dark, 70-85% cacao solids 802.0 MG -
8 Beverages, Cocoa mix, no sugar added, powder 658.0 MG -
9 Chocolate, dark, 60-69% cacao solids 632.0 MG -
10 Beverage, instant breakfast powder, chocolate, sugar-free, not reconstituted 608.0 MG -
11 Beverages, Cocoa mix, low calorie, powder, with added calcium, phosphorus, aspartame, without added sodium or vitamin A 608.0 MG -
12 Puddings, chocolate flavor, low calorie, regular, dry mix 596.0 MG -
13 Candies, chocolate, dark, NFS (45-59% cacao solids 90%; 60-69% cacao solids 5%; 70-85% cacao solids 5%) 515.0 MG -
14 Chocolate, dark, 45- 59% cacao solids 493.0 MG -
15 Candies, semisweet chocolate 486.0 MG -
16 Candies, semisweet chocolate, made with butter 486.0 MG -
17 Puddings, chocolate flavor, low calorie, instant, dry mix 473.0 MG -
18 Candies, sweet chocolate 426.0 MG -
19 Desserts, rennin, chocolate, dry mix 424.0 MG -
20 Syrups, chocolate, HERSHEY'S Sugar free, Genuine Chocolate Flavored, Lite Syrup 407.0 MG -
21 Candies, dark chocolate coated coffee beans 368.0 MG -
22 Puddings, chocolate, dry mix, regular 362.0 MG -
23 Cookies, chocolate wafers 354.0 MG -
24 Beverages, malted drink mix, chocolate, powder 345.0 MG -
25 Beverages, coffee and cocoa, instant, decaffeinated, with whitener and low calorie sweetener 324.0 MG -
26 Beverages, Cocoa mix, powder 323.0 MG -
27 Beverages, coffee, instant, mocha, sweetened 294.0 MG -
28 Beverage, instant breakfast powder, chocolate, not reconstituted 290.0 MG -
29 Beverages, chocolate-flavor beverage mix for milk, powder, with added nutrients 277.0 MG -
30 Syrups, chocolate, fudge-type 247.0 MG -
31 Puddings, chocolate, dry mix, instant 245.0 MG -
32 Candies, MARS SNACKFOOD US, MILKY WAY Midnight Bar 238.0 MG -
33 Cookie, butter or sugar, with chocolate icing or filling 237.0 MG -
34 Baking chocolate, mexican, squares 231.0 MG -
35 Chocolate-flavored hazelnut spread 230.0 MG -
36 Cake, chocolate, commercially prepared with chocolate frosting, in-store bakery 215.0 MG -
37 Cake, snack cakes, creme-filled, chocolate with frosting 215.0 MG -
38 Candies, MARS SNACKFOOD US, TWIX chocolate fudge cookie bars 212.0 MG -
39 Cake, pudding-type, chocolate, dry mix 207.0 MG -
40 Candies, milk chocolate 205.0 MG -
41 Cookies, marshmallow, with rice cereal and chocolate chips 204.0 MG -
42 Candies, milk chocolate, with rice cereal 203.0 MG -
43 Candies, MR. GOODBAR Chocolate Bar 198.0 MG -
44 Cereals ready-to-eat, MALT-O-MEAL, COCO-ROOS 198.0 MG -
45 Syrups, chocolate, HERSHEY'S Genuine Chocolate Flavored Lite Syrup 195.0 MG -
46 Cookies, chocolate sandwich, with extra creme filling 190.0 MG -
47 Beverages, chocolate syrup 190.0 MG -
48 Frostings, chocolate, creamy, dry mix 188.0 MG -
49 Cookies, gluten-free, chocolate sandwich, with creme filling 188.0 MG -
50 Cookie, with peanut butter filling, chocolate-coated 186.0 MG -

Frequently Asked Questions

What food is highest in Theobromine?

Cocoa, dry powder, unsweetened, processed with alkali is the food highest in Theobromine, with 2634.0MG per 100g.

How much Theobromine do I need per day?

There is no established FDA Daily Value for Theobromine. Consult a healthcare professional for guidance on appropriate intake levels.

What are good whole food sources of Theobromine?

Top whole food sources of Theobromine include Cocoa, dry powder, unsweetened, processed with alkali, Cocoa, dry powder, hi-fat or breakfast, processed with alkali, Cocoa, dry powder, unsweetened, and more. These rankings are based on USDA Standard Reference and Foundation food data, measured per 100g edible portion.

Source: USDA FoodData Central — Standard Reference Legacy and Foundation databases. Branded and processed products are excluded. All values per 100g edible portion.
Source: FDA Daily Value reference — Theobromine (no established DV) based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
This information is for reference only and should not replace professional dietary advice.