Steve, carob is great, at the beginning of my yogic lifestyle cocoa was not part of my diet, so I used carob powder when I could, since it was not so common in Italy and far more expensive than cocoa.
Cocoa doe snot contain caffein, rather theobromine which has a different effect, milder, longer term, not so addictive as coffee :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TheobromineTheobromine and caffeine are similar in that they are related alkaloids. Theobromine is weaker in both its inhibition of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases and its antagonism of adenosine receptors.[38] Therefore, theobromine has a lesser impact on the human central nervous system than caffeine. Theobromine stimulates the heart to a greater degree.[39] While theobromine is not as addictive, it has been cited as possibly causing addiction to chocolate.[40] Theobromine has also been identified as one of the compounds contributing to chocolate's reputed role as an aphrodisiac.[41]
Form the caffein wiki voice though it turns out though that dark chocolate, in substantial quantities, may equal the caffeine of about two espresso coffees:
Chocolate derived from cocoa beans contains a small amount of caffeine. The weak stimulant effect of chocolate may be due to a combination of theobromine and theophylline, as well as caffeine.[171] A typical 28-gram serving of a milk chocolate bar has about as much caffeine as a cup of decaffeinated coffee. By weight, dark chocolate has one to two times the amount caffeine as coffee: 80–160 mg per 100 g.[159]
