Low-carb diets like the Atkins and South Beach diets restrict the amount of carbohydrates you consume each day in an effort to lose weight. Some low-carb diets severely restrict your intake of carbohydrates to as low as just 130 g per day. On these types of low-carb diets, you might limit or eliminate your consumption of chocolate altogether or consume only sugar-free chocolates and chocolate desserts and those labeled as "low-carb." You can also use chocolate as a "carbohydrate exchange" in your daily diet.
Chocolate
Sugar and sweets are usually excluded or severely limited in low-carb diets, and this includes chocolate. Although various low-carb diets sometimes allow you to add in a certain amount of carbohydrates in the later phases of the diet, some restrict sweets to only those labeled as low-carb or sugar-free. For example, the Atkins diet eliminates sugar and sweets containing sugars like regular chocolates throughout all phases of the diet. Some low-carb diets, however, may allow you to use chocolate as an exchange carbohydrate.
Exchange Value
The carbohydrate exchange value for chocolate depends on the type of chocolate. For example, five pieces of chocolate kisses would have an exchange value of one carbohydrate -- and one fat. If you're eating a chocolate candy bar that contains peanuts, the exchange value would be one-and-one-half carbohydrates for two "fun-size" bars or 1 oz. Just 2 tbsp. of chocolate syrup equals two carbohydrate exchanges, while two chocolate chip cookies each measuring about 2 ¼ in. across would have an exchange value of one carbohydrate. A small unfrosted chocolate brownie that measures about 1 ¼ inches square and 7/8-inch thick is also one carbohydrate exchange. One envelope of regular hot chocolate is one carbohydrate exchange as well.
Carb Count
You can understand the carbohydrate-exchange system for low-carb diets by using a simple conversion system, which is based on units of 15 g of carbohydrates. One carbohydrate exchange equals about 15 g of carbohydrates, but the exchange value usually uses a range of carb grams because most foods don't contain an exact 15 g of carbohydrates or a multiple of 15 g. If the food contains less than 5 g of carbohydrates, the exchange value is zero. Foods containing 6 to 10 g of carbohydrates are one-half a carbohydrate exchange, while those with 11 to 20 g of carbohydrates have an exchange value of one carb. One carbohydrate exchange with 11 to 20 g of carbs would include one envelope of hot chocolate, five chocolate kisses or a small chocolate brownie. Two "fun-size" chocolate candy bars with an exchange value of one-and-one-half carbs would contain 21 to 25 g of carbohydrates. If the food contains 26 to 35 g of carbohydrates, the exchange value would equal two carb choices, like the exchange for 2 tbsp. of chocolate syrup.
Considerations
Low-carb chocolates or chocolate desserts often still contain high amounts of fat and calories. Therefore, you should consume low-carb or sugar-free candies and chocolates with caution. In particular, these types of sweets are usually high in saturated fat and cholesterol. So although the chocolates are low in carbohydrates and often made with artificial sweeteners to eliminate the sugar content, they are still not healthy foods. In many cases, you may still need to count a carbohydrate exchange value for sugar-free or low-carb sweets. For example, one envelope of sugar-free or light hot chocolate mix still has a carbohydrate exchange value of one, just like the regular hot chocolate.
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