Coffee beans and cocoa beans look almost exactly alike, so it may seem like they could come from the same plant, or at least be closely related. While these beans do have some similarities, they come from entirely different plants and are used to produce different, delicious goodies.
As a registered dietitian, I’ll explain how these unique beans compare to each other!
Coffee beans vs cocoa beans – a brief comparison
Coffee beans and cocoa beans may look similar, but they come from two entirely different plants – the Coffea plant and the cacao tree. Coffee beans are grown to be brewed into coffee or espresso, while cocoa beans are harvested to either be sold as raw cacao nibs or as cocoa powder and chocolate after further processing.
Both are rich in antioxidants and provide a buzzy energy boost thanks to their caffeine content, although their potential health benefits are highly dependent on the form in which they’re consumed.
Let’s go into all of this in more detail below.
Coffee beans
Coffee beans are seeds of the Coffea plant, used to make the caffeine-rich beverage we all know and love – coffee. Coffee beans are the pit inside coffee cherries, the reddish-purplish fruit of the Coffea plant.
Raw coffee beans are green and are often processed into an extract added to pre-workout drinks and weight loss supplements. Roasting turns them a dark brown color and brings out the pleasant flavor and rich aroma we associate with coffee.
Most coffee beans are grown in the Bean Belt, a geographical area close to the equator. This includes places like Colombia, Guatemala, Brazil, Ethiopia, Yemen, and Indonesia.
Cocoa beans
Cocoa beans, on the other hand, have nothing to do with coffee. Cocoa beans are used to make chocolate.
Raw cocoa beans from the cocoa plant are known as cacao beans. These seeds are surrounded by a white, fleshy fruit within a tough cacao pod. Unroasted cacao is sold as raw cacao nibs often used as a less processed alternative to chocolate.
Once cacao beans are roasted, they’re referred to as cocoa beans. These beans are used to make cocoa powder, cocoa butter, and chocolate.
The cacao tree also grows well near the equator and is predominantly grown in West Africa and Central and South America.
Differences
1) Plant source
Coffee beans and cocoa beans are obtained from completely different plants. Coffee beans are harvested from the Coffea plant, while raw cacao beans are harvested from Theobroma cacao, the cacao tree.
The Coffea plant is classified in the Rubiaceae family and Coffea genus, while the cacao tree is classified in the Malvaceae family and Theobroma genus.
2) Used to make different products
One of the most obvious differences between coffee beans and cocoa beans is that they’re used to produce different food products. Coffee beans are used to make ground coffee and espresso, while cocoa beans are used to make chocolate and cocoa powder.
Similarities
1) Both are plant-based seeds
Good news for vegans: coffee beans and cocoa beans are both plant-based, making them appropriate for an animal-free diet. No animal-derived ingredients are used in the processing of either type of seed.
Where vegans will need to be careful is ordering coffee-based drinks or buying chocolate, as both end products can contain milk or honey. Fortunately, many coffee shops offer non-dairy milk and many dark chocolates are dairy-free. Nowadays we even have plant-based milk chocolate made with non-dairy milk powder!
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2) May help reduce chronic disease risk
Coffee and cocoa are both rich sources of antioxidants and polyphenols. These plant-based compounds fight damaging oxidative stress and inflammation within the body.
Because of this, diets high in antioxidants and polyphenols can help reduce the risk1 of developing several chronic metabolic diseases, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, some cancers, metabolic syndrome, and obesity.
Where they differ is in the specific types and amounts of antioxidants and polyphenols they contain. Cocoa is particularly high in polyphenols compared to most other foods.
Cocoa2 is rich in flavonoids, a type of polyphenol also found in tea, wine, dark-colored fruits, spices, and some vegetables. It contains catechin, epicatechin, and procyanidins, all of which act as powerful antioxidants.
The amount of polyphenols in coffee depends on the roast. Light roasts have the most polyphenols, while dark roasts have significantly less. The main polyphenols and antioxidants in coffee are caffeine, chlorogenic acid, diterpenes, and trigonelline.
It’s important to mention that adding cow’s milk to coffee significantly impairs its antioxidant properties3. It appears that the proteins in milk bind to the antioxidants. Fortunately, this effect is lower with soy milk4.
Of note, the health benefits of coffee and cocoa are highest when limiting highly-sweetened versions like frappuccinos or chocolate desserts. These foods are okay to consume once in a while, but consistently consuming too many added sugars can increase your chronic disease risk.
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3) Contain caffeine
Coffee beans and cocoa beans both contain caffeine, a central nervous system stimulant. That said, they differ in how much total caffeine they provide.
- Coffee: 95 milligrams of caffeine per cup
- Espresso: 68 milligrams per shot
- Dark chocolate: 12 milligrams per ounce
- Milk chocolate: 6 milligrams per ounce
The FDA recommends limiting your daily caffeine consumption to 400 milligrams or less. This is the amount in about 3-4 cups of coffee, so coffee and chocolate both contain safe amounts of caffeine as long as they’re consumed in moderation.
RELATED: Are Energy Drinks Vegan?
4) Growing conditions
Both seeds flourish when grown in warm, tropical climates close to the equator.
5) Similar processing
Coffee beans and cocoa beans are both fermented, dried, and roasted before they’re used to make conventional coffee and chocolate. Roasting brings out the unique aromatic compounds and characteristic flavors of each.
The exception: unroasted, green coffee beans are most often used to make an extract added to weight-loss supplements. This extract is high in chlorogenic acids, a polyphenol that may help prevent high blood sugar and reduce body weight5. The extract is also rich in caffeine, making it a popular addition to energy drinks.
Raw, unroasted cacao beans are often chopped small into cacao nibs, which can be used as a nutrient-dense topping for desserts and smoothie bowls. They’re sometimes ground with sugar to make raw chocolate bars.
Summary
Coffee beans and cocoa beans look very similar, but they come from entirely different plants and are used to make very different end products — coffee and chocolate, respectively.
They do have some similarities in that they both contain caffeine, are rich in anti-inflammatory antioxidants and polyphenols, grow best in tropical climates, and are typically dried and roasted before undergoing additional processing into coffee and chocolate.
The scientific information in this article was accurate at the time of publishing but may change over time as new research becomes available.
References
- Barrea L, Pugliese G, Frias-Toral E, et al. Coffee consumption, health benefits and side effects: a narrative review and update for dietitians and nutritionists. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2023;63(9):1238-1261. doi:10.1080/10408398.2021.1963207
- Jean-Marie E, Bereau D, Robinson JC. Benefits of Polyphenols and Methylxanthines from Cocoa Beans on Dietary Metabolic Disorders. Foods. 2021;10(9):2049. Published 2021 Aug 31. doi:10.3390/foods10092049
- LIczbiński P, Bukowska B. Tea and coffee polyphenols and their biological properties based on the latest in vitro investigations. Ind Crops Prod. 2022;175:114265. doi:10.1016/j.indcrop.2021.114265
- Ilana Felberg, Adriana Farah, Mariana C. Monteiro, Ronoel L. de O. Godoy, Sidney Pacheco, Verônica Calado, Carmen M. Donangelo. Effect of simultaneous consumption of soymilk and coffee on the urinary excretion of isoflavones, chlorogenic acids and metabolites in healthy adults.Journal of Functional Foods. 2015; 19(A):688-699, ISSN 1756-4646. doi:10.1016/j.jff.2015.09.059.
- Kanchanasurakit S, Saokaew S, Phisalprapa P, Duangjai A. Chlorogenic acid in green bean coffee on body weight: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Syst Rev. 2023;12(1):163. Published 2023 Sep 14. doi:10.1186/s13643-023-02311-4
