Nearly half of Americans consume at least a few ounces of chocolate each week, but diabetics or people who limit their sugar intake may find this sweet treat out of reach due to its high sugar content. Sugar-free chocolates, sweetened with artificial sugar substitutes, make it possible to introduce chocolate into almost any diet.
Calories
A five-piece serving -- approximately 40 g -- of one popular brand of sugar-free chocolate contains 160 calories. This amount may vary from brand to brand. The Diet Channel notes that a good snack contains 100 to 200 calories, which puts sugar-free chocolate into the correct range for snacking. To boost the nutritional value, melt a small amount of sugar-free chocolate and dip strawberries into it. You'll get the same sweet taste of chocolate with the nutrition value in fresh fruit.
Macronutrients
Sugar-free chocolate is rich in carbohydrates, containing approximately 24 g per 40 g serving, or 18.4 percent of the 130 g recommended for daily consumption. Do not overeat carbohydrates, however, as too many carbs in your meal plan can cause weight gain. You will also get 1 g of protein per serving, as well as 13 g of fat. Monitor your fat intake -- your meal plan should contain 20 to 35 percent of your daily calories.
Minerals
Snacking on sugar-free chocolate gives you a boost of calcium. Each 40 g serving provides 30 percent of the daily recommended intake. Calcium benefits your bones, and maintains the proper function of your nerves, muscles and heart. This chocolate also has 6 percent of the iron you require each day. Iron is part of the red blood cells in your body and helps in the creation of energy. The iron in sugar-free chocolate can be stored in your bone marrow, liver, muscles and spleen, so no amount goes to waste.
Benefits
Consuming sugar-free chocolate decreases your risk of tooth decay and weight gain. The American Heart Association suggests limiting sugar in your diet to 6 to 9 tsp. per day to avoid these conditions. However, that's not the only reason to consider eating sugar-free chocolate -- it may also help decrease symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome. Research published in the November 2010 issue of the "Nutrition Journal" correlates the consumption of high cocoa-liquor chocolate with improved medical status due to the flavonoid content of the chocolate. Be sure to look for dark varieties of sugar-free chocolate to get the highest levels of flavonoids.
References
- PR Newswire: Barry Callebaut Survey Finds Americans Love Milk Chocolate But Are Experimenting With Other Varieties
- MyFitnessPal: Hershey's Sugar Free - Minatures-Chocolate Bars
- The Diet Channel: Calories: What's An Ideal Daily Intake?
- Diabetes Health: Why Eating Too Many Carbs Makes You Fat
- Institute of Medicine: Dietary Reference Intakes
- MayoClinic.com: Healthy Diet: End the Guesswork With These Nutrition Guidelines
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