Hello Dear One!
Does this sound like an utter oxymoron??
Hopefully you’re familiar with the low carb diet that prioritizes fat and ALSO supports the mode of fat burning.
In Fat Burning Mastery we also follow a low(er) carb diet (with strategic and frequent carb feasts), but are not as strict as a ketogenic diet.
When you think chocolate you probably also think SUGAR!
(Which may or may not be present depending on the makeup of the chocolate.)
There are a few brands that are considered ketogenic because they use alternatives to traditional sugar – namely stevia, but also sadly erythritol.
Stevia is made from a plant, has zero carbs AND calories and is generally inoffensive for most people’s constitution.
Erythritol on the other hand is ROUGH on the gut. And rough to the tune of bad gas and EXPLOSIVE diarrhea. Jesus.
This is not the rule for ALL people, but it is definitely the rule for most. I encourage people to steer clear of it for such reasons.
This type of chocolate DOES have advantages as it has less calories and NO sugar. Plus the net carbs are quite low as there is a lot of FIBER in this chocolate.
All this sounds like a semi ok deal depending on how we react to the risky erythritol? Perhaps??
Perhaps and perhaps not.
The biggest reveal I’d like to make here is that DARK CHOCOLATE is ALSO considered ketogenic!
The darker the chocolate (higher the percentage of cacao) the lower the carbohydrates, BUT the higher the calories.
The lower the cacao (while still keeping it above 50%) the higher the carbs, but the lower the calories.
Milk chocolate IS less great, as it has both more calories AND carbs.
Some examples of my findings with Ghiradelli chocolate:
– Dark Chocolate – 100% cacao – 1 oz
– 160 calories
– 10 g carbs.
– 4 g fiber
– 0 g sugar
– 16 g fat.
– 4 g protein
– Dark Chocolate – 85% cacao – 1 oz
– 153 calories
– 10 g carbs
– 3 g fiber
– 3 g sugar
– 15 g fat
– 3 g protein
– Dark Chocolate – 60% cacao – 1 oz.
– 140 calories.
– 16 g carbs
– 2 g fiber
– 10 g sugar
– 10 g fat
– 1 g protein
– Milk Chocolate – 10% cacao – 1 oz
– 160 calories
– 17 g carbs
– 1 g fiber
– 16 g sugar
– 6 g fat.
– 2 g protein
AND LILY’S KETO CHOCOLATE – 55% cacao – 1 oz
– 100 calories
– 16 g carbs
– 6 g fiber
– 1 g sugar
– 10 g fat
– 2 g protein
So the “keto” chocolate’s profile is absolutely debatably better, but not at the expensive of MEGA gut discomfort.
If it works for you great, and if not, simply have another brand of chocolate.
LASTLY the biggest point I’d like to make in this story is SIZE MATTERS.
Because the “keto” chocolate has a slightly better nutritional profile it doesn’t mean that you should go for broke with it. Calories from chocolate can add up quickly REGARDLESS if it is keto friendly or not.
So the rule of thumb with this option? HAVE A SMALL AMOUNT.
Eat an ounce (2 squares usually by Ghiradelli’s standards). Crush it up. Put it in something else more robust, and possibly sweetened with stevia. Make a little go a long way, because chocolate undeniably has the ability to do just that.
So that’s it!
There IS a difference, but truth be told – a smaller amount is better regardless of what you’re choosing and what your objective is.
AND if you’d also like to deliberately have chocolate with abandon at times WHILE helping yourself to lose weight in the process – please learn about the 5 parts of Fat Loss, or the Fat Burning Mastery program.
Or if you happen to be in need of assistance with coaching or training please check out this list of programs.
To getting you clearer on how the body works, and how to make it work for you.
xox, M