Significance

• The amount of caffeine in coffee and hot chocolate will vary depending upon the brand. A generic brand eight-ounce cup of coffee contains between 95 and 200 milligrams of caffeine. An eight-ounce cup of hot chocolate registers around nine milligrams.

Considerations

• Too much caffeine can cause headaches, heart palpitations, insomnia, restlessness, and anxiety. Caffeine can be bothersome to some people and not have an effect on others.

Function

• Caffeine can help a person stay awake, alert, and energetic. Caffeine consumption greater than 500 to 600 milligrams a day is not recommended. Large, grande, strong brewed cups of coffee can easily reach that level. Hot chocolate does even come close to a caffeine count that is considered questionable.

Features

• A cup of black coffee has no calories. A cup of pure hot chocolate rings up about 112 calories per cup. For the calorie counters, sugar-free hot chocolate mixes cut the calorie count in half, coming in with about 54 calories per cup.

Effects

• A cup of hot chocolate made with milk, and containing sugar, is loaded with energy-producing carbohydrates, sugar and milk protein. The nutritional values of black coffee are nil, with the caffeine content supplying the nutritionally empty boost of energy and alertness.

Potential

• For some people, taste wins out in choosing between hot chocolate and coffee. Coffee is most definitely a daily constitution for a great number of people, consumed morning, noon, night and in between. Hot chocolate is often a treat, an indulgence, and a delight.