White chocolate is not technically chocolate because it contains no cocoa solids.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has strict rules for what can be called chocolate. To be labeled white chocolate, a product must have at least 20% cocoa butter and 14% milk solids. It cannot contain any cocoa solids or chocolate liquor. Cocoa solids are the parts of the cacao bean that provide the dark color and bitter taste.Cocoa butter is the pale yellow fat pressed out of the cacao bean. It does not have the same flavor or antioxidants as the dark parts of the bean. This is why white chocolate tastes mostly like sugar, milk, and vanilla. The fat gives it a very smooth texture.Nestlé created the first mass-produced white chocolate bar called the Milkybar in 1936. The company wanted to use up extra cocoa butter left over from making milk chocolate. Cocoa butter is useful because it melts at a temperature just below that of the human body. This low melting point creates the creamy feeling when you eat it.Because it lacks cocoa solids, white chocolate does not contain theobromine or caffeine. These are the natural stimulants found in dark and milk chocolate. This makes white chocolate a different chemical experience than traditional chocolate. It remains a popular treat because of its sweetness and melting properties.