What are the Sugar Levels per 100grams of Raw Cocoa Beans?

by Marcus Volke
(Ballarat, Victoria, Australia)

Here's a great Dark Chocolate Questions query from "down under" contributed by Marcus.

Looking at the nutritional facts in pure raw cocoa beans, it shows a relatively low number in sugar per 100grams but a very high number in carbohydrates per 100grams. Aren't carbs just sugar and fibre?

Starches are also carbohydrates.

The cocoa bean contains a lot of starch and fiber. Levels vary according to the type of bean, fermenting and drying techniques used.
One analysis determined that about 9% of the
cocoa bean was starch and about 3% was crude fiber, according to the International Cocoa Organization web site.

A look at the nutrition facts on packages of raw cocoa beans shows that dietary fiber accounts for a very large percentage of the total carbohydrate.


What are the actual sugar levels in cocoa beans, including 'complex' sugars?

Cocoa beans naturally contain very low levels
of sugar. Total sugar levels ranged from as low as 0.8% to as high as 1.73%.

Surprisingly, sugar levels in cocoa beans contribute little to the total carbohydrate level.
Fiber and starch contribute much more.

Thanks Marcus!