Chia Seeds vs. Bittersweet Chocolate

Nutrition comparison of Chia Seeds and Bittersweet Chocolate


Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?

We compared the nutritional contents of chia seeds versus bittersweet chocolate (100g each) below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].

For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in chia seeds and bittersweet chocolate:

  • Both bittersweet chocolate and chia seeds are high in calcium, calories, dietary fiber, iron, potassium and protein.
  • Chia seed has more thiamin and niacin, however, bittersweet chocolate contains more pantothenic acid and Vitamin B6.
Detailed nutritional comparison of chia seeds and bittersweet chocolate is analyzed below. You can also visualize the nutritional comparison for a custom portion or serving size and see how the nutrition compares.

USDA sources for nutritional information: Chia Seeds (Seeds, chia seeds, dried) and Bittersweet Chocolate (Baking chocolate, unsweetened, squares) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.


Image of Chia Seeds src
Image of Bittersweet Chocolate src

Calories and Carbs

calories

Both bittersweet chocolate and chia seeds are high in calories. Bittersweet chocolate has 32% more calories than chia seed - bittersweet chocolate has 642 calories per 100 grams and chia seed has 486 calories.

For macronutrient ratios, chia seeds is heavier in protein, heavier in carbs and lighter in fat compared to bittersweet chocolate per calorie. Chia seeds has a macronutrient ratio of 13:33:54 and for bittersweet chocolate, 9:18:73 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.

Macro Ratios from Calories:

Chia Seeds Bittersweet Chocolate
Protein 13% 9%
Carbohydrates 33% 18%
Fat 54% 73%
Alcohol ~ ~

carbohydrates

Chia seed is high in carbohydrates and bittersweet chocolate has 33% less carbohydrates than chia seed - bittersweet chocolate has 28.4g of total carbs per 100 grams and chia seed has 42.1g of carbohydrates.

dietary fiber

Both bittersweet chocolate and chia seeds are high in dietary fiber. Chia seed has 107% more dietary fiber than bittersweet chocolate - bittersweet chocolate has 16.6g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and chia seed has 34.4g of dietary fiber.

sugar

Bittersweet chocolate and chia seeds contain similar amounts of sugar - bittersweet chocolate has 0.91g of sugar per 100 grams and chia seed does not contain significant amounts.

Protein

protein

Both bittersweet chocolate and chia seeds are high in protein. Chia seed has 16% more protein than bittersweet chocolate - bittersweet chocolate has 14.3g of protein per 100 grams and chia seed has 16.5g of protein.

Fat

saturated fat

Bittersweet chocolate is high in saturated fat and chia seed has 90% less saturated fat than bittersweet chocolate - bittersweet chocolate has 32.3g of saturated fat per 100 grams and chia seed has 3.3g of saturated fat.

trans fat

Both chia seeds and bittersweet chocolate are low in trans fat - chia seed has 0.14g of trans fat per 100 grams and bittersweet chocolate does not contain significant amounts.

cholesterol

Both bittersweet chocolate and chia seeds are low in cholesterol - bittersweet chocolate has 2mg of cholesterol per 100 grams and chia seed does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamins

Vitamin C

Chia seed has more Vitamin C than bittersweet chocolate - chia seed has 1.6mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and bittersweet chocolate does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamin A

Chia seed has more Vitamin A than bittersweet chocolate - chia seed has 16.2ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and bittersweet chocolate does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamin E

Bittersweet chocolate and chia seeds contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - bittersweet chocolate has 0.4mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and chia seed has 0.5mg of Vitamin E.

Vitamin K

Bittersweet chocolate has more Vitamin K than chia seed - bittersweet chocolate has 9.7ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and chia seed does not contain significant amounts.

The B Vitamins

Chia seed has more thiamin and niacin, however, bittersweet chocolate contains more pantothenic acid and Vitamin B6. Both chia seeds and bittersweet chocolate contain significant amounts of riboflavin and folate.

Chia Seeds Bittersweet Chocolate
Thiamin 0.62 MG 0.147 MG
Riboflavin 0.17 MG 0.1 MG
Niacin 8.83 MG 1.355 MG
Pantothenic acid ~ 0.168 MG
Vitamin B6 ~ 0.027 MG
Folate 49 UG 28 UG

Minerals

calcium

Both bittersweet chocolate and chia seeds are high in calcium. Chia seed has 525% more calcium than bittersweet chocolate - bittersweet chocolate has 101mg of calcium per 100 grams and chia seed has 631mg of calcium.

iron

Both bittersweet chocolate and chia seeds are high in iron. Bittersweet chocolate has 125% more iron than chia seed - bittersweet chocolate has 17.4mg of iron per 100 grams and chia seed has 7.7mg of iron.

potassium

Both bittersweet chocolate and chia seeds are high in potassium. Bittersweet chocolate has 104% more potassium than chia seed - bittersweet chocolate has 830mg of potassium per 100 grams and chia seed has 407mg of potassium.

Omega-3 and Omega-6

omega 3s

For omega-3 fatty acids, chia seed has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than bittersweet chocolate per 100 grams.

Chia Seeds Bittersweet Chocolate
alpha linoleic acid 17.83 G 0.117 G
Total 17.83 G 0.117 G

omega 6s

Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, chia seed has more linoleic acid than bittersweet chocolate per 100 grams.

Chia Seeds Bittersweet Chocolate
other omega 6 0.093 G 0.553 G
linoleic acid 5.835 G 1.435 G
Total 5.928 G 1.988 G



Customize your serving size


The comparison below is by weight, but sometimes 100g isn't that intuitive of a measurement for food. View a custom portion comparison (e.g. cups, oz, package).

You can try adding or subtracting the amount of either Chia Seeds or Bittersweet Chocolate .

Note: The specific food items compared are: Chia Seeds (Seeds, chia seeds, dried) and Bittersweet Chocolate (Baking chocolate, unsweetened, squares) .

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FAQ

Does bittersweet chocolate or chia seeds contain more calories in 100 grams?
Both bittersweet chocolate and chia seeds are high in calories. Bittersweet chocolate has 30% more calories than chia seed - bittersweet chocolate has 642 calories in 100g and chia seed has 486 calories.

Does bittersweet chocolate or chia seeds have more carbohydrates?
By weight, chia seed is high in carbohydrates and bittersweet chocolate has 30% fewer carbohydrates than chia seed - bittersweet chocolate has 28.4g of carbs for 100g and chia seed has 42.1g of carbohydrates.

Does bittersweet chocolate or chia seeds contain more calcium?
Both bittersweet chocolate and chia seeds are high in calcium. Chia seed has 530% more calcium than bittersweet chocolate - bittersweet chocolate has 101mg of calcium in 100 grams and chia seed has 631mg of calcium.

Does bittersweet chocolate or chia seeds contain more iron?
Both bittersweet chocolate and chia seeds are high in iron. Bittersweet chocolate has 130% more iron than chia seed - bittersweet chocolate has 17.4mg of iron in 100 grams and chia seed has 7.7mg of iron.

Does bittersweet chocolate or chia seeds contain more potassium?
Both bittersweet chocolate and chia seeds are high in potassium. Bittersweet chocolate has 100% more potassium than chia seed - bittersweet chocolate has 830mg of potassium in 100 grams and chia seed has 407mg of potassium.