Is dark chocolate keto?

Dark chocolate is one of the most eaten snacks or food all over the world. It is a favorite among people of all ages especially teenagers and kids.

Dark chocolate is tasty as well as very nutritious full of antioxidants, minerals, and fibers.

However, we should always keep in mind that regular milk chocolate is high in carbs and not a good option for keto.

What is dark chocolate?

Good news for the keto followers out there, dark chocolate comprises mainly of cocoa, fat, and sugar. The sugar is added to counter the bitterness of cocoa.

The percentage of cocoa varies from chocolate to chocolate. Higher the content of cocoa, the richer is the chocolate and its bitterness. This is because unlike milk chocolate, dark chocolate does not contain milk solids.

High or rich dark chocolates contain approximately 70% of cocoa. This makes it a little less sugary and perfectly well suited for keto.

The presence of a higher percentage of cocoa also means it contains a higher amount of flavonoids and other antioxidants than tea, wine, and even apples. This makes cocoa, as well as dark chocolate highly beneficial to people, suffering from heart problems.

Can dark chocolate be keto-compatible?

The main aim of a keto diet is to have as low carb as possible in the diet. The body, as a result, chooses fats instead of carbohydrates as the primary source of energy. Fats are converted to ketones to fill in the required energy gap created due to the absence of carbohydrates.

A standard keto-diet recommends you to have not more than 20 gms of carbs per day. However, if you are engaged in any physical activity, you can have a little more i.e. 50gms of carb per day.

Now, to consider a food keto-friendly, the first and foremost condition is its carb content. The lower the carb content, the more keto-friendlier it is.

What now seems to be the concern is the number of carbs present in dark chocolate. Well, for starters the quantity of carbs present in the chocolate is inversely proportional to the percentage of cocoa present in the chocolate. The higher the percentage of cocoa, the lower is the carb content.

Hence, the amount of carbohydrate present in dark chocolate varies from brand to brand. Generally, 1 ounce(28 grams) contains about 13 grams of carb of which there is 10gm of net carb and the rest 3gms of fiber.

In case people not knowing what net carbs are, they are the number of absorbable fats present along with fiber ( a type of carbohydrate that the body doesn’t fully digest).

So, coming to the point, dark chocolate can be consumed while practicing keto-diet.

However, the catch is we have to restrict other sources of carb intake and make sure we have high-quality dark chocolate rich in cocoa.

Another good thing about dark chocolate is the presence of a good amount of fat in it.

Nutritional profile

Dark chocolate is made up of mainly cocoa which is also known as a superfruit due to its high quantity of antioxidants and flavanols.

The nutritional content of one chocolate bar (101 grams) is as follows:

The calories present in dark chocolate is 605.

Carbohydrate: 46.3gms

Proteins: 7.9gms

Fats: 43.1gms

Calcium: 73.7mg

Iron: 12.0mg

Magnesium: 230mg

Phosphorous: 311mg

Potassium: 722mg

Sodium: 20.2mg

Copper: 1.8mg

Dark chocolate also contains minerals like Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Thiamine, Riboflavin.

Health benefits of dark chocolate

Cocoa is rich in plant compounds like flavonols and polyphenols. These are known have great antioxidative properties.

Antioxidative properties tend to prevent the damage caused by free radicals in the cells. A bar of rich dark chocolate is beneficial to us in many ways. Some of the health benefits are:

Consuming dark chocolate daily improves heart health. The flavanols present in the chocolate helps in regulating blood pressure and keeping it in check. They are also said to lower the bad cholesterol level .

People suffering from inflammation is sometimes prescribed to have dark chocolate due to its anti-inflammatory effects. Inflammation may the body’s response to a foreign particle in the body however, with time it can cause serious problems.

Dark chocolate also is known for regulating blood sugar/ glucose levels. Studies have shown that people consuming chocolate daily is not prone to Type 2 diabetes. They are also seen free from insulin resistance which increases the sugar level in the blood as insulin is not produced.

A high content of flavanols present in cocoa makes dark chocolate a remedy for people suffering from nerve problems. Flavanols increase the neuroplasticity in the brain and nerve cells.

Takeaway

Chocolates have always been a very favorite food for people of all ages. Especially children and teens who have a sweet tooth. Dark chocolate is a type of chocolate that is mainly prepared by mixing cocoa with sugar and dietary fats. Due to the high content of cocoa and the absence of milk solids in it unlike other milk chocolate make it taste bitter but have great health benefits.

The carb content in dark chocolates is within the prescribed range of keto-diet. This makes it compatible with the keto -diet. also, the presence of a good amount of fats makes it perfect. Though it is keto-friendly, one should always check the other sources of carbs before considering dark chocolate during keto.

Dark chocolates are rich in flavonols and polyphenols which are plant compounds having antioxidative properties. The health benefits listed above tells us about the health benefits of dark chocolates. It is actually advised that you have dark chocolates once in a while if not always during keto.

Also read are beet keto?