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Is Dark Chocolate Keto? All You Should Know!
Chocolate cravings are real trouble, especially when following a diet. If you are wondering- Is dark chocolate keto? You are not the only one for sure.
While the keto diet demands you to carve out a lot of your favorite snacks and desserts, there are some sweet goodies that you do not have to eliminate from your diet fully. Dark chocolate is a widely popular guilty pleasure. That being said, swallowing a whole bar (we’ve all tried that in fear of sharing, no shame) is not a choice on the keto diet. However, having one small serving won’t destroy your state of ketosis either.
Dark chocolate is one such sweet and delectable treat that we crave. Also, high-quality dark chocolate is pretty healthy.
Based on the content of cocoa in your chocolate, dark chocolate can be a healthy source of antioxidants and minerals and possess a good amount of fiber. Yet, since it has carbs, you may think it can match the high fat, low carb ketogenic diet.
This article examines- is dark chocolate keto-friendly and can be relished as part of a nutritious keto diet.
Is dark chocolate keto-friendly?
Dark chocolate can undoubtedly be keto-friendly, as dark chocolate usually has low sugar content compared to many milk chocolate bars.
One of the pivotal differences between milk chocolate and dark chocolate is a higher content of cocoa, which, in part, often implies there is less sugar. You probably describe the flavor of dark chocolate as having a different bitter taste than milk or sweet ones, right?
As per Harvard’s School of Public Health, dark chocolate has anywhere between 50 to 90 percent cocoa parts, and on the other hand, milk chocolate has 10 to 50 percent. With its more elevated percentage of cocoa parts, dark chocolate is naturally much more prosperous in a plant-derived essence known as flavanols, which are supposed to help save the heart.
So dark chocolate is not only a suitable dessert to have while following the keto diet (in restraint), it is also an excellent snack to have to help boost heart health. You just have to choose dark chocolate mixtures having at least 70 percent cocoa parts to devour the most flavanols.
What is dark chocolate?
Dark chocolate is prepared by mixing sugar and fat with cocoa. Unlike chocolates prepared from milk, dark chocolate is prepared with little to no milk parts, and it has low sugar content and more cocoa solids.
Regardless, sugar is generally mixed with dark chocolate to a bit of extent to counteract the bitter taste of cocoa. Nevertheless, not all dark chocolate is made equal. Both its portion of sugar and cocoa content can differ drastically based on the brand you choose to purchase.
The ratio of cocoa in the end product defines how dark or high quality your chocolate is. As a rule of thumb, dark chocolate good in quality includes at least 70% cocoa, usually resulting in chocolate with less sugar.
High-quality dark chocolate is specially enriched with flavonoids, strong antioxidants discovered in plant foods. Dark chocolate is good in quality, has more flavonoids than many different high antioxidant meals or beverages like black tea, apples, and red wine.
Because of its rich flavonoid content, dark chocolate has been connected to numerous health benefits, like an improved function of the brain and a lower risk of heart disease.
The carb content of dark chocolate
Most candies and sweets are high in carb content and probably need to be restricted to a keto diet. However, high-quality dark chocolate is relatively lower in carb content, corresponding with different types of chocolate and sweets.
Based on the brand you choose to buy, 1 ounce (or 28 grams) of 70–80 percent dark chocolate has up to 3 grams of fiber and 13 grams of carbs, which suggests it has approximately 10 grams of total carbs.
Net carbs are figured by removing unabsorbable carbs from the whole carb content. Fiber is a kind of carb that your body does not completely digest. As such, it is not completely absorbed by the small intestine like different types of carbohydrates.
Hence, most keto specialists suggest using net carbs when estimating the daily carb allowance.
Can you enjoy dark chocolate when following a keto diet?
Based on the daily carb limit, you might be able to relish high-quality dark chocolate in restraint. A classic ketogenic diet generally entails limiting your carb intake to 5% of your everyday calorie consumption.
For example, on a 2,000-calorie diet, you should restrict your carb consumption to approximately 25 grams of carbs every day. This indicates that 1 ounce (or 28 grams) of high-quality dark chocolate will contribute to about 40% of the total everyday carb allotment.
Dark chocolate fits into your daily carb content or keto diet plans is based on how much you eat it. If you wish to relish dark chocolate when following a keto diet, try limiting other high-carb meals to make sure you do not surpass your daily carb limit.
Also, it’s essential to pick high-quality dark chocolate with as much as 70% cocoa solids.
Dark chocolate having less than 70% cocoa solids probably has a higher carb content due to sugar and might be problematic to fit in without surpassing your carb allotment.
Eventually, portion management is vital when following any diet. While 1 ounce (or 28 grams) of good quality dark chocolate can be great for a keto diet, a bigger serving will probably surpass your limit, spoiling your ketosis state.
Is Dark Chocolate Keto? The Bottom Line
Although you may find dark chocolate to be a sweet treat, it’s pretty low in carbs, corresponding with different types of candies and chocolates.
As long as you oversee your portion size, you might be able to include dark chocolate into a keto diet.
However, make sure to pick high-quality dark chocolate that has at least 70% cocoa solids to remain within the daily carb intake or range.
Now that you know- is dark chocolate keto-friendly or not, here’s a recipe of dark chocolate choco-chip cookies you can try at home to limit your chocolate cravings.
