Is cocoa powder OK to feed babies?
Cocoa powder is a common ingredient in lots of baked goods and hot chocolates, and most people have a little tub of it hiding in the cupboard somewhere. However, you might have also heard of some alternatives like Carob powder and Cacao powder.
But is it OK for babies to eat these, and if not, when can you start including them in their diet?
In this blog, we’re going to take a look at the science and ingredients behind it and compare cocoa powder to alternatives like Carob powder and Cacao powder.
Is carob better than cocoa powder for children?
Using a little cocoa powder or cacao powder in baking is fine for babies as they do not contain sugar but it’s worth noting that not too much should be added due to the caffeine and high mineral content found in both of them.
Cocoa powder contents (unsweetened):
Per 100g
- 311kcal
- 22g fat (13g sat)
- 10g carbs (0g sugars)
- 30g fibre
- 18.5g protein
- 0.09g salt
- 1500mg potassium
- 520mg magnesium
- 10.5mg iron
- 6.9mg zinc
- 3.9mg copper
- 230mg caffeine
Cacao powder content:
(cocoa and cacao from the same bean but Cacao is milled at a lower temp)
Per 100g
- 370kcal
- 21g fat (13g saturates)
- 22g carbs (1g sugars)
- 34g fibre
- 18g protein
- 0.04g salt
- 1920mg potassium
- 414mg magnesium
- 12.5mg iron
- 8.9mg zinc
- 3.9mg copper
- Around 230mg of caffeine
Carob powder: What is it, and is it suitable for babies?
The carob pod contains an edible sweet pulp. Once it is roasted and dried, the pulp is ground into a powder known as carob powder.
Per 100g
- 300kcal
- 0.7g fat (0.1g sat)
- 49.1g carbs (40.5g sugars)
- 39.8g fibre
- 5g protein
- 0.09g salt
- No caffeine
Because of the high sugar content, Carob is not recommended for babies and instead, it’s best to opt for Cacao or Cocoa powders (unsweetened).
What we use at V&Me:
One of the most popular snacks on the V&Me menu is the Chocolate & Coconut Loaf which was launched in the Spring Menu of 2024.
Here is the ingredient list:
Banana, olive oil, milk (milk), eggs (egg), bi-carb, self-raising flour (gluten, wheat), cocoa powder, desiccated coconut, golden raisins (sulphites), baking powder (gluten)
At V&Me, we cook everything fresh from scratch daily in our Battersea kitchen. That means there is no need for any preservatives whatsoever, and no lengthy defrost sessions in the microwave!
How to sign up?
If you’re a London parent and you want to join the growing number of mums and dads getting fresh baby food deliveries to their doorstep, click the link below and get your first delivery now!
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