Chocolate is one of those treats you can never miss out on. The indulgent and creamy texture has our hearts, and they are absolute comfort food. Not just that, dark chocolate and cocoa are also excellent sources of antioxidants which are a must for your body.
But what if you are on a keto diet– what should you do? Should you cut down your chocolate intake completely? Luckily, the answer is no. You can enjoy chocolate while on a ketogenic diet. But there are certain factors to keep in mind.
Read on as we explore the ins and outs of eating chocolate on a keto diet.
Types of chocolates
Chocolates come in wide varieties. While you might have tried them all, it is less likely that you know what their constituents are. To help you with the same, let’s delve into the most common varieties:
Milk chocolate
Milk chocolate contains about 10%-40%cacao, which is intensely mixed with milk (condensed milk/milk solids) and sugar. In terms of taste, it is sweeter than other varieties. Bittersweet or dark varieties with the chocolate taste being less pronounced. It is also lighter in appearance.
White chocolate
There is no chocolate liquor or similar cocoa products in white chocolate. It only has cocoa butter, which tastes much like smooth vanilla.
The composition is 20% cocoa butter, 55% sugar (maximum), and 15% milk solids.
Dark chocolate
Dark chocolates consist of sugar, cocoa butter, chocolate liquor, lecithin, and vanilla for flavor. You will not find any milk solids in dark chocolate. In terms of composition, the cocoa content can be as high as 80%.
What type of chocolate can I eat on Keto?
When on keto, given that your body is in a state of ketosis wherein you don't burn glucose but fat to produce energy– your chocolate must correspond to the same nutrient value. This means that it is best to go for chocolates low in carbohydrates and sugar.
Finding such a constituency is difficult as most chocolates get their sweetness from sugar and milk, and both these ingredients can raise your blood glucose level and pull you out of the ketosis state.
So, what chocolate can you eat?
Well, dark chocolate is usually keto-friendly!
However, you must choose dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa solids or more. Additionally, consuming an entire bar in one go on Keto either should not be done either.
Dark chocolate is much higher in cocoa solid quantities compared to milk chocolate. Cocoa mass or cocoa solids are created after blending cocoa powder and the fat extract from cocoa beans, i.e., cocoa butter.
Moreover, dark chocolate contains flavanols that decrease heart issues by lowering blood pressure and ensuring your arteries are healthy. It also reduces insulin resistance and inflammation in the body.
Why not eat white chocolate on the keto diet?
Keto equates to being on a low-carb diet. On average, a 40 grams chocolate bar would have 20 grams sugar. This is almost all or the majority of your allowed carbohydrates in the day on a keto diet, with values up or down based on your specific macro totals.
Eating white or milk chocolate hence kicks your body out of ketosis and hampers your weight loss journey. Additionally, your energy levels can crash later on, which can cause your body to burn through your glucose to maintain energy levels.
So, a winning keto diet means you have a strict carb intake limit, ensuring proper macros and nutrient levels in the body, which translates into no milk or white chocolates.
Will a piece of chocolate kick me out of ketosis?
Before we dive into answering this question, let’s first understand the process of ketosis.
To elaborate on the same, ketosis is a metabolic state of your body that uses fat rather than glucose for energy requirements. This will only happen when there is a carb intake of fewer than 50 grams of carbohydrate daily.
Additionally, when the liver breaks down fats into glycerol and fatty acid– ketones are produced. These fatty acids are utilized by cells for fuel generations, whereas glycerol is released into the bloodstream.
In short, in a healthy individual, ketone levels peak after 2 days of beginning a keto diet.
This means that a small piece of chocolate will not kick you out of ketosis. However, any more than that, it could take about 4 hours to get back into a ketosis state.
So, if you plan on having a cheat day for the entire day, you will be kicked out of ketosis for sure, but if you compensate. For instance, you can consume a piece of chocolate in the morning and exercise later in the day to reduce the effects.
What are the symptoms of going overboard with the chocolate carbs on Keto?
There are a range of symptoms that you may experience if you go overboard with chocolate carbs on a keto diet. Crossing the daily carb allowance on a keto diet leads to brain fog, fatigue, and headaches.
Such symptoms will generally be only for about 24 hours.
What other sweets can you have on the keto diet?
There are other intricately formulated sweets that you can have on a keto diet. These are:
- Flourless cake
- Lemon curd
- Coconut flour cookies
- Lean sweet shakes
- Keto chocolates
- Vegan mouses
Wrapping Up
It is best to steer clear of milk and white chocolate if you want to emerge victorious with the keto diet! These chocolates have high sugar levels, which is harmful to a ketosis state and your overall health.
Going for dark chocolate, however, can satisfy your sweet tooth while maintaining your keto plan. Additionally, the antioxidants and vitamins from this treat make it a solid, healthy sweet option.
