Everybody loves chocolate — well, almost everybody. For most people, chocolate is a delight to the senses, and some people actually crave it. But for another slice of the population, chocolate isn't so appealing; the sweet stuff can trigger heartburn and cause digestive upset, which can lead to bloating and gas. Here’s why that happens.
How Does Chocolate Cause GI Symptoms?
If you’re someone who experiences uncomfortable GI symptoms like bloating or gas after eating chocolate, there are several reasons why it may happen.
Cocoa Beans Are Acidic
Chocolate is made from cocoa beans, and these beans are naturally acidic. Because of the acid content in the cocoa beans, consuming chocolate can increase the risk of acid reflux — a condition that causes stomach acids to back up into the esophagus. As a result, you may experience symptoms like heartburn, bloating, abdominal pain, nausea, or a burning sensation in your chest. Eating too much chocolate may increase your risk of acid reflux or worsen your symptoms if you already have a diagnosis. If you notice that chocolate (or other chocolate products like cocoa powder or cocoa butter) is triggering your symptoms, it may help to reduce your intake of it.
You Might Be Allergic to Chocolate
Food allergy and intolerance are often used interchangeably, but they are not the same thing. And that’s because a food intolerance may cause an upset stomach if you eat the food, whereas a food allergy causes an immune system reaction that can be severe and even life-threatening.
If you eat chocolate and notice symptoms like hives; difficulty breathing; abdominal pain; swelling of the throat, lip, and tongue; wheezing; and vomiting, you may have a chocolate allergy. Because of the digestive symptoms an allergy can cause, you may also feel bloated and have gas. While a chocolate allergy is rare, if you suspect you’re allergic to chocolate, it’s important to reach out to your healthcare provider or see an allergy specialist for proper testing.
You’re Intolerant to Chocolate or Its Ingredients
Though a food intolerance is unrelated to the immune system and not always as severe as an allergy, it can still be bothersome. Food intolerance may occur for a variety of reasons, including your body's lack of an enzyme that you need to digest food or sensitivity to food additives.
And chocolate specifically contains natural substances called vasoactive amines (like histamine), which can trigger symptoms of a food intolerance in some people. These symptoms can vary from person to person but may include nausea, abdominal pain, gas, cramps, bloating, vomiting, heartburn, and diarrhea.
However, milk chocolate also contains a natural sugar called lactose — which is commonly found in a variety of dairy products. Sixty-five percent of people have a lower ability to digest foods with lactose in them (such as milk, yogurt, or cheese). And if you’re one of these people, you may also experience lactose intolerance symptoms after consuming milk chocolate. These symptoms include bloating, gas, stomach pain, nausea, and diarrhea.
Alternative Ways to Consume Chocolate
If you love chocolate but don’t like the bloating and gas that comes with it, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you should stop eating it altogether. Unless you know you have a serious allergy to chocolate, you may be able to work around your symptoms by taking a few extra steps to prevent symptoms from occurring in the first place. Consider the following:
Switch to Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate often doesn't contain milk — or as much milk — as milk chocolate. If lactose intolerance is your problem, avoiding milk chocolate and opting for dark chocolate can make a big difference. However, read the label carefully; the FDA warns that there may be hidden or inadvertent sources of milk in many chocolates that don't have it listed on the label.
These products might include advisory messages, such as “may contain milk” or “may contain dairy.” In testing, the FDA found 3 out of 4 such products contained milk, some with just as much milk as products that explicitly include milk on the ingredients list. Therefore, the FDA suggests reading “may” as “likely.” That said, choosing products that explicitly say they don't contain milk is your best bet.
Keep Your Symptoms in Check
If you experience GI symptoms after eating chocolate or have acid reflux, you may still be able to eat small amounts of trigger foods (like chocolate) without any problem. Start with a very small amount, and see if symptoms appear. If not, you can increase your serving size in small increments.
If that doesn't work, and you have gas or feel bloated, you might consider trying the following lifestyle changes to see if they make any difference in your symptoms:
Don’t eat too close to bedtime
Avoid lying down after eating
Keep your head elevated while you sleep
Eat smaller and more frequent meals, as opposed to fewer and larger meals
Limit your alcohol intake
Reduce or quit smoking
Maintain a weight that is right for your body
The Takeaway
The cocoa beans that make chocolate are acidic, so eating chocolate or other products that may contain cocoa beans may increase your risk of acid reflux.
A chocolate allergy may also trigger bloating and gas, among other GI symptoms.
Some people may also be intolerant to the ingredients in chocolate, such as the lactose found in milk chocolate, which can produce gas and bloating if you’re lactose intolerant.
If you’re not severely allergic to chocolate and still want to consume it occasionally, consider eating dark chocolate and trying lifestyle remedies that keep your symptoms in check.
EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Lynn Grieger is a registered dietitian-nutritionist, certified diabetes care and education specialist, certified personal trainer, and certified health and wellness coach. She completed requirements to become a registered dietitian at Valparaiso University in 1987 and completed a dietetic internship at Ingalls Memorial Hospital in Harvey, Illinois, in 1988.
Lynn brings her expertise in nutrition, exercise, and behavior change to her work in helping people reach their individual health and fitness goals. In addition to writing for Everyday Health, she has also written for websites and publications like Food and Health Communications, Today's Dietitian, iVillage.com, and Rodale Press.She has a passion for healthy, nutrient-dense, great-tasting food and for being outdoors as much as possible — she can often be found running or hiking, and has completed a marathon in every state.
