Very few people are actually allergic to chocolate, as a true cocoa allergy is rare. More commonly, reactions to chocolate are the result of a food intolerance or allergy to an ingredient in chocolate. People may be allergic to one or more food additives used in some chocolate products. Much of the commercially available chocolate in the United States contains numerous additives.

Chocolate was first produced and consumed by indigenous peoples in Central America. It comes from a bean of the cocoa tree and was combined with chili peppers to make a drink. The chocolate bars common today evolved through 200 years of experimentation in Europe and North America.

There are three main forms of cocoa that may be used in chocolate:

• Cocoa liquor. The material that originates from the first processing of harvested cocoa beans (cocoa powder combined with cocoa butter).
  
  
• Cocoa butter. The solid fat component of chocolate. Cocoa butter is pressed from the cocoa liquor and separated into the butter and the powder.
  
  
• Cocoa powder. Chocolate liquor without the cocoa butter.

The regulations for what defines chocolate and separates it from other forms of candy differ from country to country. They are based on the percentage of chocolate liquor in the product.

Minimum Percentages of Cocoa Liquor

High quality chocolate contains only cocoa liquor, cocoa butter, sugar and sometimes vanilla. Mass produced chocolate contains much less cocoa (sometimes as low as 7 percent) and additives such as milk, soy lecithin, corn syrup, flavorings, dyes, and large amounts of sugar. There is a greater likelihood that people with allergies or intolerance to these common additives will react to chocolate. The ingredient label will indicate whether the chocolate contains additives. The price will also indicate the level of chocolate quality. Generally higher price means higher quality and lower chance of additives.

Food allergies are a group of closely related responses that involve an allergic reaction to a specific food (e.g., cocoa or other chocolate ingredient). An allergic response to a food or food ingredient involves the immune system’s inaccurate response to a food protein. The body perceives the protein to be harmful, and produces immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies to defend against the “invader.”

These IgE antibodies attach to the body’s mast cells, a type of white blood cell that contains chemicals called histamines and leukotrienes. When the IgE antibodies come in contact with the offending food molecule, these chemicals are released, causing the symptoms most people associate with allergies, including itchiness, rashes, hives, swelling, nausea, diarrhea and shortness of breath. More severe reactions to food may result in potentially life–threatening anaphylactic shock.