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Are you a chocolate lover? Then, you may have wondered: can diabetics eat chocolate?
The answer is yes – chocolate can be part of a diabetes friendly diet!
So, importantly you’re about to discover your best diabetic chocolate options. Below we’ll cover dark chocolate, milk chocolate and some sugar free chocolate options.
Best Dark Chocolate for Diabetics
1. Lindt Dark Chocolate
If you’ve ever tried Lindt dark chocolate, it is very rich so you don’t need much to feel satisfied!
If you don’t mind eating a bit of sugar (and can control yourself), then you can’t go past Lindt chocolate bars.
Lindt are a trusted and well known brand and, as far as good chocolate goes, these happen to be a favorite of ours. The good thing is that Lindt is readily available at most supermarket chains. They have an 70% cocoa blend, 85% cocoa blend or a 90% cocoa blend.
It’s best to choose the 85 or 90% varieties, as these will have the least impact on blood sugar levels.
Lindt Dark Chocolate Nutrition Facts
| Lindt Dark Chocolate Type | Carbs | Sugar | Fat | Protein |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lindt 90% cocoa, 3 pieces | 9g | 3g | 16g | 4g |
| Lindt 85% cocoa, 3 pieces | 11g | 5g | 14g | 4g |
| Lindt 70% cocoa, 3 pieces | 13g | 12g | 14g | 2g |
Lindt Dark Chocolate Ingredients
- Ingredients, 90%: Chocolate, cocoa butter, cocoa powder, sugar.
- Ingredients, 85%: Chocolate, cocoa powder, cocoa butter, demerara sugar, bourbon, vanilla beans.
- Ingredients, 70%: Chocolate, sugar, cocoa butter, soy lecithin, bourbon, vanilla beans.
As you can see, the ingredients differ slightly, with sugar the last ingredient in the 90% variety, but second for the 70%.
Cost: $3-4 per bar – easily accessible at most stores.
Check out Lindt Dark Chocolate on Amazon
2. Sam’s Choice 90% Cocoa Swiss Dark Chocolate
Available at stores such as Walmart, this chocolate contains similar nutrition to Lindt’s 90% variety.
Per 3 squares: Carbs 9g, sugar 3g, fat 17g and protein 3g.
If you’re wondering where the fat content in chocolate comes from, it’s the result of the cocoa butter it contains. Cocoa butter is a vegetable fat extracted from the cocoa beans and added to the chocolate to give it that soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Cost: Approximately $1.98 per bar – accessible at Walmart (and potentially other outlets).
NOTE: Many 85-90% chocolate brands will contain lower amounts of carbs and sugar, so search your local store for choices.
3. Lindt LINDOR Assorted Dark Chocolate Truffles
If you want to indulge on the odd occasion, the LINDOR balls are a very decadent delight and not too rich in sugar, as long as you choose the dark chocolate variety.
For 2 decadent balls, the nutrition facts are: carbs 10g, Sugar 8.6g, fat 12.6g, protein 0.6g.
Savor every mouthful and you’ll be entirely satisfied!
Cost: $5-15 per pack, depending on size of pack.
Check out Lindt LINDOR Dark Chocolate on Amazon – bulk packs are cheaper!
Best Milk Chocolate For Diabetics
4. Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolate
When it comes to milk chocolate, Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolate is a good easy option. It provides a generous serve of 5 squares for 16g carbs, 16g sugars, 8g fat and 2g protein.
As you can see, milk chocolate is much higher in sugar and carbs, so it’s not as diabetic friendly as dark chocolate varieties. If you can limit your portions to 2 squares of milk chocolate, you can limit your carbs and sugars to 6.4g.
Cost: Approximately $2.58 per bar – easily accessible at most stores.
Sugar Free Chocolate: Top 5 Best Picks
5. ChocZero 92% Cocoa Ultimate Chocolate
If you prefer a zero sugar variety, this ChocZero provides the solution. It’s smooth and not too bitter.
Best of all, ChocZero is very low in carbs, at just 4g total carbs, 3g fiber, 1g net carbs per piece.
You should find ChocZero has very little impact on your blood sugar levels.
Cost: $19.99 for 48 bars in a 19.2 oz tin.
Ingredients: Dark chocolate (unsweetened chocolate, cocoa butter), cocoa powder, Non-GMO resistant dextrin, sunflower lecithin, monk fruit extract, Madagascar vanilla beans.
There are lots of flavor varieties available such as almond, cookies & cream, peppermint, caramel and more.
Check out ChocZero Dark Chocolate on Amazon
6. Lily’s Dark Chocolate Bars
Lily’s Sweets has a variety of chocolate blends to choose from, dark chocolate, dark chocolate almond, milk chocolate, milk chocolate almond and more.
These are sweetened with stevia and erythritol and have lots of good reviews on Amazon. They do contain a few more ingredients but some of their flavors might be worth exploring.
Dark Chocolate Almond Ingredients: Unsweetened chocolate, dry roasted almonds, chicory root fiber, dextrin, erthriytol, cocoa butter, milk fat, sunflower lecithin, stevia extract, vanilla extract.
Nutrition, 1/3 bar: Fat: 11 g Carbs: 15 g Fiber: 8 g Net carbs: 7 g Protein: 3 g
Cost: Approximately $27 for 6 pack of flavored bars.
Check Out Lily’s Sweets on Amazon Here
7. Quest Nutrition Protein Bars, Chocolate Peanut Butter
Not exactly chocolate but with thousands of customer reviews show these quest bars are very satisfying and they are diabetic friendly.
These are high protein so can be eaten as both a sweet satisfier and a meal or snack.
Nutrition 1 bar: Fat: 9g Carbs: 22g Fiber: 11g Sugars: 1g Net carbs: 11g Protein: 20g
Ingredients: protein blend (milk protein isolate, whey protein isolate), peanuts, polydextrose (prebiotic fiber), water, erythritol, unsweetened chocolate, glycerin. contains less than 2% of the following: cocoa butter, sodium caseinate, natural flavors, sea salt, stevia sweetener, lecithin (sunflower and/or soy lecithin), almonds, sucralose.
Cost: A pack of 12 bars is approximately $24.
Check out Quest Bars on Amazon Here
The 2 Best Diabetic Chocolate Picks
Well, if it were our choice it is one of two picks:
- ChocZero Sugar Free Dark Chocolate
- Lindt Dark Chocolate – either the 85% or 90% cocoa
We hope this comparison helps you choose a diabetic chocolate you absolutely love and enjoy!
Research on Chocolate and Diabetes
Chocolate is made from the seeds of the cacao plant. Once harvested, the cacao seeds are processed into what we know as cocoa powder – the major component of chocolate.
In nature, cocoa is rich with bioactive compounds called flavonoids that are anti-inflammatory and antioxidant.
Most of the flavonoids are cooked out of products during processing, which means most milk chocolate bars are void of these compounds by the time they hit the shelves.
Luckily, dark chocolate does contain active flavonoids. And according to research, these flavonoids have some great health benefits.
Cocoa Flavonoids Boost Diabetic Health
A study found that diabetic participants who consumed 25g of dark chocolate every day for 8 weeks had reduced fasting blood glucose and A1C levels, along with reduced inflammatory molecules and significant decreases in both systolic (-5.93 mmHg) and diastolic blood pressure (-6.4 mmHg) by the end of the study.
The effects of cocoa flavonoids may be especially significant for people with type 2 diabetes because of their ability to improve insulin sensitivity.
In one study, hypertensive glucose intolerant participants consumed 100g of flavanol-rich dark chocolate for 15 days. The results showed they had decreased insulin resistance, increased insulin sensitivity, and better pancreatic beta–cell function, compared to those who ate flavanol-free white chocolate.
Cocoa Flavonoids Improve Heart Health
Additionally, both the flavonoids and the small amounts of caffeine present in pure cocoa may have a positive effect on cardiovascular health.
One study found that cocoa can improve vasodilatation and blood flow, which is good for heart health and body wide circulation. And in general, a greater intake of flavonoids has been associated with a more optimal body composition, decreased fat mass, and an overall anti-obesity effect.
However… just remember that the benefits come from the flavonoid-rich cocoa itself.
So if you’re going to eat chocolate, always choose dark chocolate for the health benefits – the higher the cocoa percentage, the more potential benefits you’ll gain!
What About White Chocolate?
White chocolate – doesn’t contain enough cocoa powder to be classified as a true “chocolate.” White chocolate is made from cocoa butter, sugar, milk solids, and fatty emulsifiers. And it is an extremely sweet treat!
White chocolate tends to have the most sugar and because it doesn’t provide any health benefits, we generally recommend avoiding it – choose a dark chocolate instead!
Tips for Choosing The Best Diabetic Chocolate
When selecting the best diabetic chocolate, it’s essential to focus on options that provide the pleasure of chocolate without significantly impacting blood sugar levels.
Cocoa Content: Look for dark chocolate with a high cocoa content, ideally 70% or higher. Higher cocoa content means less sugar and more of the beneficial antioxidants known as flavonoids, which can improve insulin sensitivity and provide cardiovascular benefits.
Sugar vs Sugar Free: It is fine to have a small amount of sugar on occasion and the higher the cocoa, generally the lower the ‘added’ sugar. When it comes to sweeteners, avoid aspartame or artificial sweeteners and choose chocolate that use more naturally-derived options like stevia, monk fruit extract, and the sugar alcohols xylitol and erythritol.
Always check the label: Look for chocolate with the lowest carbs and sugar – that’s always going to be your best option.
Portion control: Chocolate can be a carb and sugar bomb, which won’t be helpful in your pursuit to manage blood sugar and A1c. Be sure to keep a cap on portions!
Conclusion: Chocolate and Diabetes
The rich indulgent mouth feel of chocolate is something you either love or truly adore. And with prediabetes and type 2 diabetes, you can still happily enjoy chocolate by choosing the healthier options listed above..
Happy chocolate eating!
Hi Is it okay to have low carbs chocolate every day with black caffe no suger in it or to add one cacao squer to my caffe istad if suger
Yes Tima, that should be fine. Just keep in mind that coffee can influence blood sugar in some people, though mostly it tends to be fine – enjoy!
Thank you for this information!
I have been diagnosed with diabetes, but have lost weight and really watch my diet and exercise daily. My last A1C test was low and Sugar levels have gone down because of weight loss and exercise .But I am still on a diet , exercise and keeping my A1C low together with medication .
I am on the process of trying new product for diabetics when the labels indicates no sugar.Can you advice
What about Bella Boca Belgian Chocolate [ No sugar] is that ok for diabetics.
I’m not familiar with that chocolate so it depends on the ingredients. If it uses artificial sweeteners then the quality is not great. The carb count is 19 grams total, 13 grams net. The key is not to overdo it with chocolate of any kind.
Thank you for this information!
My favourite is Lindt 85%. I am very happy with one square, every other day and that does not seem to affect my BS levels ?
Jedha ….what about Ghirardelli 72% cacao? Ingredients are: Unsweetened chocolate, sugar,cocoa butter,vanilla,soy lecithin an emulsifier.
Total carbs 5 g for one square. They come individually wrapped. There is 13 to a bag.
Well you’d have to stop at one! Generally a low carb diet steers clear of sugar in all forms, which is why stevia is our choice of sweetener – it does not influence blood sugar or A1c in most people.
Let me start off by saying your website is wonderful. I think it is the most informative and enlightening Diabetes site on the Internet. I have been diagnosed with pre-diabetes, but have lost weight and really watch my diet and exercise daily. Last doctor’s visit was told both my Ac1 and Sugar levels have gone down because of weight loss and exercise and am not considered pre-diabetic. Is “remission” a suitable term?
With that out of the way, I have purchased chocolate from Trader Joe’s, imported from Belgium. It is 72% cacao but it does contain some sugar. The package states a serving is 3 squares for 19 gr. of carbs. (Don’t know if that is total carbs). I eat one square and am satisfied, approx. 6 gr.. The large bar is, I believe, over 16 oz. and just $5.00. The ingredients are all readable and familiar. Please check this out and let me know if I am making the right choice.
Thank you,
Susan
Thank you Susan for that very nice compliment about our site 🙂
Congratulations on your ‘remission’ that is FANTASTIC!!
It sounds like that chocolate is fine as long as you stick to 1 square. 6 g is around 1.5 teaspoons of sugar, which is fine but you certainly wouldn’t want to eat the 19 g in one serving 🙂 There are quite a few good chocolates like this, generally the ones higher in cacao are the ones to go for. Thanks for your comments and talk soon 🙂