Combining chocolate with waffles, whether you do it by adding cocoa powder, chocolate chips or melted chocolate to the batter, produces a crisp and decadent breakfast treat that brings to mind an indulgent dessert. Indulgence doesn't come with a low carb count, however, but there are ways you can reduce the net carbs in your waffle recipe.
Nutrition Facts
Traditional chocolate waffles have a relatively high carbohydrate count that creeps up even higher when you add accompaniments such as powdered sugar, fruit sauce and maple syrup. An "Eating Well" recipe for chocolate waffles that calls for all-purpose white flour and unsweetened cocoa powder has 42 g carbohydrates per serving. A "Cooking Light" recipe uses semisweet mini chocolate chips instead of cocoa powder but still clocks in at 45 g carbohydrates per serving. Adding marscapone cheese and cherries, as a "Sunset" recipe suggests, inflates the carb count per serving to a whopping 78 grams.
Ingredients
Part of the issue with creating a low-carb chocolate waffle is finding a low-carb source of chocolate. Unsweetened cocoa powder may be your best bet, since it contains about half the carb count of solid chocolate. According to the USDA, 1/4 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder has about 12.5 g carbohydrates, while 1/4 cup of semisweet chips have 27 grams. Flour is another significant source of carbs, with about 95 grams in 1 cup.
Lower-Carb Waffles
One way to reduce the carb count of your chocolate waffles is to use an alternate type of flour, such as oat flour. Be aware, however, that gluten-free types of flour may not cook up or meld with the batter in the same way that wheat flour does. Another idea is to use a batter that is thinner and has a greater number of protein-rich ingredients. For example, you could whip up several eggs and blend them to form a batter with vanilla, cream or milk, baking powder, sugar and small amounts of dry ingredients such as chocolate protein powder, oat flour and ground flaxseed or wheat germ.
Considerations
If you aren't following a low-carbohydrate diet and are simply seeking balance in your normal eating plan, it may not be a problem to have high-carb chocolate waffles for breakfast. Carbohydrates are a main source of fuel for your body, according to the Weight Control Information Network; reducing carbs in favor of protein may increase your risk of heart disease, nausea, weakness or fatigue. Discuss any specific health concerns and potential dietary changes with your doctor.
References
- MyRecipes.com; Chocolate Waffles; "Eating Well"; March 1998
- MyRecipes.com; Chocolate Chip Waffles; "Cooking Light"; Robin Vitetta-Miller; January 2003
- MyRecipes.com; Chocolate Waffles with Poached Cherries; "Sunset"; June 2004
- USDA.gov: Nutrient Data Laboratory
- Weight Control Information Network; Weight-Loss and Nutrition Myths; March 2009
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