Back to the Cocoa Powder Guide
Natural (non-alkalized) cocoa powder contains roughly 35 mg of flavanols per gram on average, or about 190 mg in a level tablespoon, according to a study of commercial cocoa powders. Dutch-process cocoa contains far less: about 14 mg per gram when lightly alkalized and as little as 4 mg per gram when heavily alkalized. Processing, not just the brand or price, decides how many flavanols end up in your spoon.
Below are the numbers for each type of cocoa and chocolate, what changes them, and how to read a label if flavanols matter to you.
Flavanols are plant compounds in the flavonoid family; in cocoa they include epicatechin, catechin and longer chains called procyanidins. The amount in a finished powder depends on the bean, fermentation, roasting and, above all, whether the cocoa is alkalized. What makes a cocoa powder count as high-flavanol is covered in our high-flavanol cocoa powder guide.
How many flavanols are in cocoa powder?
A 2008 study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry measured total flavanols, including procyanidins, in commercial cocoa powders grouped by how strongly they were alkalized:
| Type of cocoa powder | Total flavanols (average) | Per level tablespoon (about 5.4 g) |
|---|---|---|
| Natural (non-alkalized) | About 35 mg per gram | About 190 mg |
| Lightly alkalized (Dutch-process) | About 14 mg per gram | About 75 mg |
| Medium alkalized | About 8 mg per gram | About 40 mg |
| Heavily alkalized (very dark, “black” style) | About 4 mg per gram | About 20 mg |
These are averages; individual powders in each group varied widely. The pattern is clear, though: the higher the alkalizing (and the darker the powder), the fewer flavanols remain. Epicatechin, the single flavanol people most often ask about, follows the same pattern and makes up only a small part of the total. Our guide to epicatechin in cocoa powder covers it in detail.
How do cocoa powder, dark chocolate and milk chocolate compare?
A survey of U.S. cocoa and chocolate products found flavanols per gram ranked in this order:
| Rank | Product | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Natural cocoa powder | Highest share of nonfat cocoa solids, no alkalizing |
| 2 | Unsweetened baking chocolate | All cocoa, but about half of it is cocoa butter, which carries few flavanols |
| 3 | Dark chocolate and baking chips | Diluted by sugar and cocoa butter |
| 4 | Milk chocolate | Less cocoa, more sugar and milk |
| 5 | Chocolate syrup | Mostly sugar and water |
The same survey found flavanols track closely with nonfat cocoa solids, the dry cocoa part left after the butter is pressed out. That is why plain cocoa powder, which is mostly nonfat cocoa solids, leads every chocolate product.
What lowers flavanols in cocoa?
- Alkalizing (Dutch processing): the biggest single loss, as the table above shows.
- Roasting: studies show roasting lowers epicatechin, from slightly to more than half, depending on the bean origin and how hot and long the roast. Unroasted (“raw”) cacao keeps more; we compare them in raw cacao powder vs cocoa powder.
- Fermentation: needed for chocolate flavor, it also lowers flavanols; lightly fermented beans keep more but taste more bitter and astringent.
- Baking: oven heat, especially with baking soda, reduces some flavanols in brownies and cakes; drinks and no-bake recipes keep more.
In practice, a natural cocoa (not processed with alkali) used in drinks or no-bake recipes keeps the most.
Grevista is a one-ingredient natural (non-alkalized) cocoa from Vietnamese Trinitario cacao; its own measured results are on our lab results page, and the background on high-flavanol cocoa is in high-flavanol cocoa powder. See sizes on the Grevista cocoa powder page.
To put this into practice when you shop, see our guide to the best cacao powder, which compares options by processing, flavor and published heavy-metal testing.
What studies have looked at on cocoa flavanols and the heart is summarized in cocoa and heart health.
Flavanol amounts are also printed on capsule products; see cocoa flavanol supplements for how those labels compare with cocoa powder.
Frequently asked questions
Does cocoa powder have more flavanols than dark chocolate?
Yes, gram for gram. Natural cocoa powder is mostly nonfat cocoa solids, while dark chocolate is diluted with sugar and cocoa butter.
Is cacao powder higher in flavanols than cocoa powder?
Only if it is unroasted or less processed. “Cacao” on a label is often just another name for natural cocoa; the processing matters more than the name. See cacao vs cocoa powder.
How much cocoa powder is in a typical serving?
Most recipes use 1 to 2 tablespoons per mug or serving. Our guide to how much cocoa powder per day covers everyday amounts.
Are cocoa flavanol supplements the same as cocoa powder?
No. Supplements use concentrated cocoa extracts standardized to a set flavanol amount, while cocoa powder is a whole food whose flavanols vary with processing.
Sources
- Miller KB et al., “Impact of alkalization on the antioxidant and flavanol content of commercial cocoa powders,” Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2008 (PubMed 18710243).
- Miller KB et al., survey of commercially available cocoa and chocolate products in the U.S., Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2009.
- Andres-Lacueva C et al., flavanol and flavonol contents of cocoa powder products and the influence of manufacturing, Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2008.
- USDA FoodData Central: cocoa, dry powder, unsweetened (1 tbsp = 5.4 g).
Written by the Grevista Editorial Team. Last updated November 6, 2026. How we check facts: Editorial Policy.