Dark chocolate is a tasty and sweet treat. Good dark chocolate is also very good for you.
Dark chocolate can be a good source of vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber, depending on how much cocoa it contains.
You may wonder, though, if it can work with the very low-carb, high-fat ketogenic diet since it has carbs.
This piece looks into whether you can eat dark chocolate while on a healthy keto diet.
What is dark chocolate?
The process of making dark chocolate entails combining cocoa with fat and sugar.
Dark chocolate has less sugar and more cocoa than milk chocolate. Milk solids make up little to none of its composition.
On the other hand, dark chocolate typically contains some sugar to counteract the bitterness of the cocoa.
Still, not every dark chocolate is the same. Its sugar and cocoa percentages can be very different from one brand to the next.
How dark or good the chocolate is depends on how much cocoa is in the final result.
Dark chocolate that is of good quality usually contains at least 70% cocoa, which means it has less sugar.
Many plant foods contain flavonoids, which are powerful vitamins. There are a lot of good-quality dark chocolates.
In fact, good dark chocolate has more flavonoids than many other foods that are high in antioxidants, like apples, black tea, and red wine.
Good dark chocolate, due to its high flavonoid content, has been associated with numerous health benefits such as a reduced risk of heart disease and improved brain function.
Carb content of dark chocolate.
On a keto diet, you should probably consume fewer candy and sweets that are high in carbohydrates.
High-quality dark chocolate, on the other hand, has fewer carbs than most other types of chocolate and candy.
Up to 13 grams of carbs and 3 grams of fiber are in 1 ounce (28 grams) of 70–85% dark chocolate, depending on the brand. This signifies that it possesses roughly 10 grams of net carbs. To find net carbs, take the total carb amount and subtract the carbs that the body can’t absorb.
Fiber is a kind of food that your body doesn’t break down all the way. Unlike some other carbohydrates, your small intestine does not fully absorb fiber. Because of this, most keto experts say to use net carbs to figure out your daily carb limit.
Is dark chocolate keto-friendly??
If you don’t go over your daily sugar limit, you might be able to enjoy good dark chocolate in small amounts.
Limiting your sugar intake to just 5% of your daily calories is a normal part of a ketogenic diet. On a 2,000-calorie plan, for example, you would only be able to eat about 25 grams of carbs per day.
By this calculation, 1 ounce (28 grams) of good dark chocolate would give you about 40% of your daily carb intake. If dark chocolate is okay for you on a keto diet, it depends on what else you eat that day.
If you want to eat dark chocolate while on a keto diet, you might need to reduce other high-carb foods to make sure you don’t go over your daily carb limit. It’s also important to pick dark chocolate that is of good quality and has at least 70% cocoa solids.
Dark chocolate that is less than 70% cocoa contains more carbs and may be difficult to eat without exceeding your sugar limit.
Portion control is very important in the end. You can eat up to 1 ounce (28 grams) of high-quality dark chocolate while on a keto diet, but a bigger amount is probably too much for you.
The bottom line
Dark chocolate is sweet, but compared to other kinds of chocolate and candy, it doesn’t have a lot of carbs.
You might be able to eat dark chocolate while on a keto diet. To stay within your daily sugar range, make sure you pick high-quality dark chocolate that has at least 70% cocoa.
Q1: How does dark chocolate fit into a keto diet?
A1: While dark chocolate does contain carbs, high-quality dark chocolate has fewer carbs than most other types of chocolate and candy. One ounce (28 grams) of 70–85% dark chocolate may contain up to 13 grams of carbs and 3 grams of fiber, resulting in roughly 10 grams of net carbs.
Q2: Are there any downsides to eating dark chocolate on a keto diet?
A2: Although you can enjoy dark chocolate in moderation on a keto diet, consuming large amounts may lead to weight gain and digestive discomfort in some individuals. Practice portion control and listen to your body’s cues to avoid overindulgence.
