Thread: What is the exact composition of cocoa butter?

Cocoa butter is mostly lipids, but a very small amount of it, around three percent, is not fat. I have a new severe allergy to cocoa and am trying to find out whether or not I can still eat white chocolate. This stems from my allergies to most nuts as the cocoa bean is botanically similar to the kola nut. White chocolate has no cocoa solids, which is what I react to, but does have a lot of cocoa butter. I'm not sure exactly what cocoa has in common with the kola nut, and if those shared details are at all present in the fat of the bean.

Originally Posted by Theresa

Cocoa butter is mostly lipids, but a very small amount of it, around three percent, is not fat. I have a new severe allergy to cocoa and am trying to find out whether or not I can still eat white chocolate. This stems from my allergies to most nuts as the cocoa bean is botanically similar to the kola nut. White chocolate has no cocoa solids, which is what I react to, but does have a lot of cocoa butter. I'm not sure exactly what cocoa has in common with the kola nut, and if those shared details are at all present in the fat of the bean.

If you are concerned about a food allergy, you should consult your GP. An internet forum is not the place to ask questions relating to your health, let alone (potentially) your safety.

I’m not worried about my allergy, after all I know why I have it. I mention it to best explain what sort of answer I am seeking. Rest assured that I would not discuss my health here, which I agree would be inappropriate. My question is purely based on curiousity like most of the others on this board and is not intended to be disconcerting. As this is an inquiry about the constituents of a plant and not my medical safety, it could be answered much more easily and efficiently by someone with a strong botanical background than by a doctor.

Since I am the original poster on this thread, I would like to bring it to a close as I now know the answer. The small amount of cocoa butter that is not whole fat is isolated fatty acids. Luckily, I can have white chocolate after all. Cocoa solids and cocoa butter are completely separate and different from each other, so this handles the topic for anyone else with the same question.