☕ Cocoa
Also known as: cocoa, hot cocoa, cocoa drink, cocoa with milk, hot chocolate
Cocoa is a hot drink of cocoa powder and milk; the powder has about 13.7 g fat per 100 g against 52.3 g in baking chocolate, so it is lighter than hot chocolate.
Cocoa (hot cocoa) is a hot drink of cocoa powder and milk. People mix it up with hot chocolate, but the powder holds far less fat. According to USDA, unsweetened cocoa powder has 13.7 g of fat per 100 g, while a bar of unsweetened baking chocolate has 52.3 g. That is why cocoa comes out lighter.
The powder has 19.6 g of protein and 57.9 g of carbohydrate per 100 g; the baking chocolate has 14.3 g of protein. For the drink you want the powder. A pack labelled baking chocolate is a different product, with nearly four times the fat.
The story of cocoa with milk is tied to the physician Hans Sloane. He spent 1687 to 1689 in Jamaica as personal physician to the governor. The Natural History Museum in London says he found the local chocolate nauseating and hard to digest, and that it became more pleasant with milk. His recipe was patented and later taken over by Cadbury, whose nineteenth-century wrappers credited Sloane. The museum adds a caution: Jamaicans were drinking cocoa with milk and cinnamon before he arrived. So calling him the inventor is debatable.
Milk remains the base of the drink. For other ways milk ends up in a cup or glass, see the pages on milk tea and the milkshake.
Facts
| Fat per 100 g | Unsweetened cocoa powder 13.7 g; baking chocolate bar 52.31 g 1 |
|---|---|
| Protein | Cocoa powder: 19.6 g protein per 100 g 1 |
| Duration | Hans Sloane in Jamaica: 1687–1689 3 |
How it connects to milk
Links
- What is made from it
- 🥃 Licor 43 Chocolate, 🥃 Kahlúa Chocolate Sips
- What is used
- 🥛 Milk
- Part of
- ☕ Milk in the kitchen: dishes and drinks
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Alexander
Frequently asked questions
How much fat is in cocoa powder?
USDA lists 13.7 g per 100 g for unsweetened cocoa powder. Unsweetened baking chocolate has 52.3 g.
How much protein does cocoa powder have?
19.6 g per 100 g in the USDA database, against 14.3 g in unsweetened baking chocolate.
Who invented cocoa with milk?
Hans Sloane is usually named; he was in Jamaica from 1687 to 1689. The Natural History Museum notes that Jamaicans were already drinking cocoa with milk and cinnamon.
Why did Sloane add milk?
The museum says he found the local chocolate nauseating and hard to digest, and milk made it more pleasant.
Is it true that cocoa and baking chocolate are the same thing?
No. Baking chocolate has 52.3 g of fat per 100 g and cocoa powder 13.7 g, which is why a drink made from powder is lighter.
What to read next
- 🥃 Alexander — Classic creamy cocktail: gin, white crème de cacao and cream, with grated nutmeg. The Brandy Alexander, made with cognac or brandy, is the best-known version and later overtook the gin original.
- 🥃 Licor 43 Chocolate — Licor 43 Chocolate is a Spanish liqueur line combining Licor 43 Original with selected cocoa; 16% ABV (32 proof) per the brand's FAQ; launched in 2021.
- 🥃 Kahlúa Chocolate Sips — Kahlúa Chocolate Sips is a Kahlúa line in two versions, Smooth Chocolate and White Chocolate, based on the coffee liqueur and meant to be sipped. Both are 16% ABV according to the producer.
Similar
🥤 Milkshake · 🍳 Béchamel · 🌙 Warm milk at bedtime · 🥣 Breakfast cereal · 🥞 Blini · ☕ Cappuccino
ℹ️ Dairy products contain lactose and milk proteins: if you are lactose intolerant or allergic to milk protein, ask a doctor.
Sources
- USDA FoodData Central. Cocoa, dry powder, unsweetened (SR Legacy 169593)
- USDA FoodData Central. Baking chocolate, unsweetened, squares (SR Legacy 167568)
- Natural History Museum. Hans Sloane: physician, collector and botanist
- Natural History Museum. Sir Hans Sloane's Voyage to Jamaica, 1687–1689