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cocoa
Condiments & Sauces
Trigger checker for cocoa
See cocoa rated across every trigger — FODMAP, histamine, salicylate, oxalate, tyramine and more — plus diet compatibility, all in one quick ingredient profile.
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Compare cocoa across criteria
Sensitivities
What cocoa contains
FODMAPs
Histamine & Amines
Plant compounds
Irritants
Additives
Allergens
Diet fit
Where cocoa fits
Therapeutic diets
Lifestyle diets
Religious diets
What to know about cocoa
Unsweetened cocoa powder is one of the most concentrated trigger foods in the baking cupboard. It grades high in histamine, very high in oxalate and very high in nickel, with a moderate hit of caffeine. Because it is the pure defatted solids with no sugar or milk to dilute it, every spoonful packs more oxalate and nickel than a finished chocolate bar, which is why a scoop in a smoothie or a mug of hot cocoa can flush, itch or bother a stone-prone person even when a small square of chocolate seems fine.
Watch for
- High in histamine and a mild histamine liberator, so cocoa can drive flushing, headaches or itching in people with histamine intolerance
- Very high in oxalate (cocoa powder is among the most oxalate-dense foods there is), a real concern if you form calcium-oxalate kidney stones
- Very high in nickel, one of the top foods to watch on a low-nickel diet for systemic nickel allergy
- Naturally caffeinated, so a large cocoa drink adds a moderate caffeine load on top of any coffee or tea
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FAQ
What does the FODMAP rating mean for cocoa?
Medium FODMAP: portion size matters more than the ingredient itself.
Is cocoa generally well tolerated?
Oxalates (Avoid) and Nickel (Avoid) Start with those if you react.
What should I check next?
Compare within the Condiments & Sauces group.