There is a myth circulating about diabetics and chocolates. Some diabetics believe that they should never eat chocolate because it will completely ruin their blood sugar control. Others claim that diabetics can eat as much regular chocolate as they want, as long as they manage the high blood sugar levels with insulin, oral medications, or exercise. The truth lies somewhere in-between.

Experts in the field of nutrition state that diabetics can eat chocolate. They hold that chocolate can be part of a healthy diabetic-friendly diet as long as the following is taken into account:

Read labels.

The one mantra all diabetics should adopt when it comes to buying chocolates is: Read labels. Buy chocolate with the least amount of simple sugars, saturated fat, and additives. Note the total number of carbohydrates, rather than just the sugar content, and calculate the net carbs for insulin dosage. Finally, if watching your weight, look at the total number of calories and add them into your daily intake calculation.

Eat Small Amounts.

If you eat chocolate, only eat a small amount to avoid spikes in your blood sugars. Choose chocolates that are low in net carbs and medicate before or exercise after eating the chocolate to help negate the resulting blood sugar increases.

Select quality over quantity.

The key to eating chocolate is to select quality. Chocolates of lower quality tend to contain high levels of simple sugars and additives and are packed with calories.

Choose dark over milk (or white) chocolate.

There is ample evidence that dark chocolate not only curbs the craving for sugar but it contains high levels of antioxidants which can protect your body from damage. Dark chocolate tends to be low in simple sugars while milk chocolate has higher levels of both saturated fat and simple sugars.

Enjoy the moment.

Chocolate is a food that should be enjoyed. Savoring the moment allows the richness of the flavors and the delicate aroma to fill the senses. Eat only a small piece at a time and eat it slowly to indulge ln the moment.

Eat when you are focused.

Indulging in chocolates means enjoying it when you are not distracted, such as when watching TV or on the phone. Learn to appreciate the taste of chocolate and create a time for it so that you will look forward to the occasion.

Mix with other foods.

To really enjoy chocolate, combine it with complementary foods like nuts, cheese, or fresh fruit. The flavor of both the chocolate and the other foods will be enhanced by combining them. Just be aware that some foods – like fruit – may raise blood sugar levels.

Do not deprive yourself.

The key to healthy eating is to avoid depriving yourself of foods you love and this also applies to chocolate. By completely avoiding chocolate, you create an intense craving for chocolate and – as you’re bound to lose your willpower eventually — this only leads to overeating. So if you have the desire to each chocolate, do so, in small amounts while enjoying the moment.

Think of chocolate as a treat.

To enjoy chocolate as a diabetic, think of it as a treat. Do not eat too much, monitor your blood sugars, and don’t eat it on an empty stomach (your blood sugars may spike).

Ross Chocolates

Ross No Sugar Added Chocolate is safe for diabetics to eat at any time, although we still recommend it be savored and enjoyed slowly because it is truly delicious chocolate!

Ross is a great alternative to regular, sugar- or sucrose-sweetened chocolate because it contains no added sugar. Both our dark and milk flavors are safe for those looking for sugar-free treats because they are sweetened with stevia and are lower in carbs than regularly sweetened milk and dark chocolates. Although no sugar is added to Ross Chocolates, net carbs should still be calculated to cover any blood sugar increases that may occur due to other ingredients in our chocolate (for example, the milk in milk chocolate flavors, the coco in each bar, etc.).

Ross Chocolates are a great eating and baking alternative to regular chocolate and are made with love, not sugar.

Check out our recipes at here