Lowest Carb Chocolate
Chocolate helps your low carb diet – if you play by the rules.
The idea of eating low carb chocolate to lose weight seems impossible, right? The idea is real. And science backs it up.
- Weight loss chocolate studies
- How to eat chocolate on low carb
- Choosing the lowest carb (safe) chocolate
What Chocolate is the Lowest Carb?
Dark chocolate is very low carb and healthy. The higher percentage of cocoa, the lower the net carbs – generally speaking.
Obviously, we need to check each label to determine the carbs. Starting by checking the labels of the higher cocoa versions – it will shorten your search time.
Chocolate for Weight Loss
Impressive research shows eating dark low carb chocolate promotes health and increases weight loss. These are two solid reasons to enjoy chocolate without the guilt of blowing your low carb plan.
It’s surprising, but eating healthy dark, low carb chocolate frequently is linked to weight loss.
Certain chocolates are rich in fat – a favorable metabolic effect for low carbers.
After eating low carb chocolate, fewer calories end up as fat deposited in the body, translating into weight loss. These weight loss effects have been the subject of two well-known studies.
Chocolate Weight Loss Studies
Why is eating chocolate associated with weight loss?
Dr. Beatrice Golomb, associate professor of medicine at UC San Diego suspects it has something to do with cocoa’s epicatechins, an antioxidant that increases muscle mass and weight loss.
Healthy Dark Chocolate Study
Golomb’s chocolate study focused on 975 San Diego men and women, aged 20 to 85. Half the participants ate low carb dark chocolate, half did not. Both groups engaged in the same amount of exercise.
The dark chocolate eaters consumed more calories overall, but had a lower body mass index (BMI) than the chocolate-avoiders.
The study does not prove why eating low carb chocolate has this effect, but the weight loss results are a sweet surprise.
Chocolate Cocoa Study
In early 2012, The American Chemical Society devoted a panel to research the health benefits of chocolate and cocoa.
The research results proclaim dark chocolate the overall favorite, concluding:
- Dark chocolate helps weight loss and reduces cholesterol.
- Dark chocolate helps the elderly score higher on cognitive tests (University of Illinois, 2008).
- Dark chocolate has more cell-shielding antioxidants than the juice of “super fruits” (University of Oxford, 2009).
Rules for Eating Chocolate
For health benefits and weight loss, dark chocolate enjoyed in moderation on a low carb diet is possible, but there are rules.
Know Your Limit
- Set a “chocolate limit” and eat only a realistic amount: a few square inches.
- Count your carbs and your calories. Be strict, honest and accurate.
- When eating low carb chocolate, eat a maximum of 10 net carbs per hour to avoid insulin spikes.
Watch for Cravings
- If your cravings for sweets increase, reconsider your decision to eat chocolate.
Choosing a Low Carb Chocolate
When it comes to chocolate, darker versions are usually healthier. Dark chocolate is made with a much higher ratio of chocolate solids – and very little added sugar.
Check the Label Carefully
- Choose a dark chocolate that hasn’t come in contact with any gluten-containing grains.
- Double check the label for net carbs and hidden carbs.
- Select dark chocolate produced organically by people working under fair conditions.
Choose the Darkest Chocolates
- Choose dark bars made from at least 70% cocoa solids.
- Choose dark chips made from at least 55% cocoa solids.
- Snack on organic raw cacao nibs instead of chips.
Dark Chocolate Chips
Lily’s premium dark chocolate Baking Chips are your low carb solution for recipes. Lily’s dark chocolate chips melt and blend easily.
Stevia-sweetened, all-natural, non-GMO ingredients. Fair trade and gluten-free certified cocoa.
Organic Raw Cacao Nibs
Organic Raw Cacao Nibs are “nature’s chocolate chips” boast a strong, raw dark chocolate flavor.
Snack on these sweet dark chocolate nibs or use them in recipes instead of sugary milk chocolate chips.
Raw cacao nibs are one of the most plentiful sources of antioxidants and magnesium. Raw cacao is high in fiber, iron and essential minerals.
Organic, kosher, non-GMO, certified gluten-free and vegan.
Organic Cacao Powder
Cacao powder offers a sugar-free, rich taste and bold chocolate flavor.
Viva Labs Cacao Powder is made from Criollo cacao beans – the highest quality cacao without bitterness.
Viva Labs Cacao Powder is unprocessed, retaining important nutrients like magnesium, calcium, iron, fiber and protein.
Antioxidants in cacao provide cellular defense against the effects of free radicals, improving the look of skin and promoting cellular repair and rejuvenation.
Lift your mood, elevate energy and burn more fat. Add cacao to your favorite cup of buttered keto coffee or ice cream.
A Darker Side of Chocolate
Dark chocolate still has some sugar, which is a toxin. The sugar in chocolate is a known trigger for unhealthy cravings or binges.
Many chocolates still contain small amounts of soy lecithin, an unhealthy emulsifying agent.
Some chocolates could be cross-contaminated with gluten grains.
More Excuses to Eat Chocolate
Enjoying low carb chocolate satisfies cravings for sweet foods while providing health benefits.
- Chocolate has antioxidants and helps repair free radical damage.
- Dark chocolate is a good source of iron, magnesium, copper and manganese.
- Dark chocolate is low or very low in sugar.
- Cocoa butter is healthy and low in polyunsaturated fat.
- Eating chocolate on your low carb cheat day speeds fat loss.
Almost Zero Carb Meal Plan
Enter deep ketosis, break your stall, recover from your cheat day, or reset your diet in three days using this aggressive technique, first made famous by Dr. Robert Atkins over 40 years ago.
Science-Backed and Powerful
The Almost Zero Carb Meal Plan is a powerful tool, allowing metabolically-resistant dieters to reach deep nutritional ketosis quickly.
What happens when you follow the plan? Incredibly rapid fat loss.
Ditch the Nervous Carb Counting
Choose from 150+ easy recipes and food combos (with special macros and almost no carbs), plus a special Holiday Recipe section!
- Break your toughest diet stall.
- Lose fat quickly for a special event.
- Recover from an accidental cheat.
- Avoid plateau completely: Use once a month.
- Reach a deeper state of ketosis over the weekend.
- Finally access and burn stubborn, stored fat.
- Restart or reset your low carb or keto diet.
- Add healthy fats effortlessly.
- Decrease hunger naturally.
- Sharpen your sense of portion control.
If You’re Doing Everything (but Nothing’s Working)…
Take three days off. Create a personalized plan that works, with a decadent variety of workhorse recipes you’ll keep eating long after reaching your goal.
Go Almost Zero and start burning fat with your next meal. Fit in those jeans again. In three days.
Category: Strategy
