Love chocolate? Discovering the high carb content of a bar of milk chocolate can be a real bummer when you’re on a Keto diet!
The problem with milk chocolate is that it’s generally loaded with high-carb dairy and sugary sweeteners that are not Keto-friendly at all—the last thing you’d want while trying to maintain your Keto macros.
Then the question remains, “Is chocolate Keto?”
Short answer: it’s complicated. Even if the sugar-loaded milk chocolate is a big no-no, if you read labels and track your macros, dark chocolate can be Keto-friendly when you take care of the serving size and additional ingredients.
In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about including chocolate on a low-carb diet without worrying about your health and weight loss goals.
Why is Chocolate Bad on Keto?
Being Keto means maintaining a low-carb diet. An average 40g chocolate bar has 20g of sugar, which may be all or most of your “allowed” carbohydrates for the day, depending on your macro totals.
If you binge on a bar of chocolate (or even a small portion), it can create an insulin response that will kick you out of ketosis and derail your health and weight loss goals. It may also lead to an energy crash later, as your body burns through the glucose and looks for more to maintain energy.
A successful Keto diet includes strict carb intake limits, maintaining macros and ensuring optimal nutrient levels in your body. Staying as low-carb as possible can be challenging at the best of times, never mind being asked to give up your favorite treats (helloooo, chocolate.)
We get it; putting down your favorite desserts and snacks is no fun. At times like these, dark chocolate might just be a lifesaver.
Is Dark Chocolate Keto?
The straight answer would be yes! You can easily include dark chocolate in your Keto meal plan. There are a few caveats to bear in mind though before you start indulging.
Let’s look at what dark chocolate is and what makes it Keto-friendly.
Dark chocolate: As the name suggests, this dark-colored chocolate is a mixture of cocoa solids, sugar, and cocoa butter. We’re all familiar with the bitter taste of dark chocolate. The main component that contributes to its flavor and color is cocoa.
The composition of dark chocolate will vary depending on the brand. A higher concentration of cocoa usually indicates a lesser amount of sugar (and other fillers like dairy or low-quality fats.)
What makes dark chocolate Keto: The high concentration of cocoa solids and lower levels of sugar make dark chocolate a better alternative to milk chocolate on a low-carb diet. Milk chocolate contains 10-50% of cocoa solids. For dark chocolate to be of good quality, more than 70% of cocoa solids are required.
What to Look for When Choosing Keto-friendly Chocolate?
Look out for chocolate with a minimum of 70% cocoa solids and be aware of how much sugar has been added.
Unsweetened chocolate: Even though you can have little sugar on your Keto diet, the slightest increase can throw you out of ketosis. A safe bet would be to leave out sugars altogether.
For sugar-free chocolate, pick brands that add minimal sweeteners and stick to natural low-carb alternatives like stevia, monk fruit, and erythritol.
6 Best Keto Chocolate Brands
When searching for the best Keto chocolate, remember to think in terms of net carbs. To calculate these, simply subtract fiber and sugar alcohols from the total carb count.
To save you some math, here are six Keto chocolate brands/products that taste great, are reasonably priced, and can be incorporated into your Keto desserts.
1. Lily’s Original Dark Chocolate: Made with 55% fair trade cocoa beans and stevia, it’s one of the best Keto-friendly chocolates, with a hint of vanilla. It is also gluten-free.
2. Alter Eco Chocolate Bomb, Hazelnut Butter: A decadent Keto-friendly chocolate treat at just 2g net carbs per bite.
3. The Good Chocolate Bar with Salted Almonds: Delicious sugar-free dark chocolate bars, perfect for treating yourself or gifting your Keto family members.
4. GoodSam Salted Caramel Chocolate Bars: Sugar-free, vegan, gluten-free, and Keto-friendly, these low-carb chocolate bars are environmentally conscious and suit many dietary needs.
5. Choczero's Keto Bark: Sugar-free and low carb, this range of chocolate bark is a perfect fit for a Keto-friendly diet.
6. Kiss My Keto Chocolate Bars: Offering four varieties of flavors, kiss my Keto chocolates include low carb sweeteners that help keep your carb intake in check.
Adding Keto Chocolate to Your Diet for Better Health
To summarize, most milk chocolate has a high quantity of added sugar, making it unsuitable for a Keto diet and certainly not a “health food.”
On the other hand, dark chocolate with a low carb ratio is a great way to satisfy your sweet tooth on Keto. Dark chocolate is also a rich source of antioxidants and minerals and may even be considered a superfood.[*]
Adding dark chocolate to your diet may also help lower the risk of heart disease, help reduce inflammation and insulin resistance, and support brain function.[*]
Finally, you can also make yourself some delicious Keto-friendly chocolate desserts at home. Why not try some of these delicious options:
Keto Peanut Butter Chocolate Mousse
Keto Chocolate Salted Caramel Truffles
Just remember the rule of low net carbs, stick to your Keto macros, and you’re good to go.
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