You may be wondering, is chocolate a keto food? Or, can you eat chocolate on the Keto Diet? Well, it depends. First, some background on the Keto Diet.
Why I Went on the Keto Diet
I went on the Keto Diet in 2014 and have found it gives me more energy than a high-carb diet. I think more clearly and I feel great eating keto. I love low-carb high-fat living. For me, it’s the way to go. My diet consists of a good amount of fat and protein along with a small amount of carbohydrates that I get primarily from vegetables. For some fun ideas on replacing high-carb grains in your diet with low-carb vegetables, see my Healthy Low-Carb Swaps for Noodles post.
Multiple Sclerosis and the Keto Diet
I was diagnosed with MS in 2006. I’ve found that the Keto Diet has been helpful in stabilizing the symptoms of multiple sclerosis. Studies show that a Ketogenic Diet can increase the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), an anti-inflammatory protein that promotes the growth of nerves.1
What is the Keto Diet?
You may be wondering, what is the Keto Diet? The classic Ketogenic Diet has three to four times as much fat as protein and carbohydrates combined according to the Charlie Foundation. A modified Keto Diet contains ratios of 2:1 and 1:1. What does this mean? In terms of macro-nutrients, a 2:1 keto meal would have around 60 grams of fat, 20 grams of protein, and 10 grams of carbs.
When I went through the hassle of weighing all of my food and following a very strict Keto Diet, I used a 1.5:1 ratio of fat to protein + carbohydrates. I no longer weigh everything I consume because I enjoy eating a bit more intuitively and don’t like counting macro-nutrients.
The Charlie Foundation
After much research on the Ketogenic Diet, I fine-tuned my knowledge of it under the tutelage of the amazing folks at the Charlie Foundation, a non-profit that promotes the use of the Ketogenic Diet in the clinical setting as a non-pharmacological treatment for epilepsy.
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Can You Eat Chocolate on Keto?
Every now and then I want a treat. That’s where chocolate comes in! My favorite Keto Diet treat is Green & Black’s 85% Chocolate Bar. This is not a sponsored post. I’ve simply fallen in love with this organic chocolate product. Why? Because it’s a healthy low-carb dessert that tastes fantastic and is made of organic chocolate, without soy!
So, can you eat chocolate on keto? Well, Green & Black’s 85% Chocolate Bar contains more fat than protein and carbohydrates combined. Technically, it is a 1.1: 1 Ketogenic Diet food.
Is Dark Chocolate Healthy?
Dark chocolate is made of cacao, one of the most antioxidant rich foods on the planet. Cacao contains a high level of polyphenols which combat oxidative stress in the body. When consuming chocolate, regardless of the diet you follow, it’s important to eat dark chocolate. Why? Because dark chocolate contains more cacao and less sugar than milk chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate. I use anywhere from 70% to 100% dark chocolate in my recipes. The higher the percentage of cacao the better!
Can You Eat Sugar on the Keto Diet?
Some of you may also be wondering, can you eat sugar on a Keto Diet? The answer to that is yes. But everyone is different, and like the Paleo Diet, there are many ways to follow the Keto Diet. The most important thing? Customize your diet and do what’s best for you.
Here are some of my incredible Keto Chocolate Dessert Recipes that use different types of chocolate!
Sinclair says
Sugar is probably the most dangerous food anyone can eat. Better to look for dark chocolate with no sugar. Very hard to come by.
Elana says
Sinclair, dark chocolate with no sugar is called baker’s chocolate and available everywhere :-)
Janys says
What about the toxic minerals like cadmium and lead in chocolate products……..isn’t that foolish to consume that if you have leaky gut, recovery from cancer and trying to build up immune system?
Elana says
Jans, thanks for your comment! I only eat organic chocolate and I have my heavy metal levels tested every 3 months and they are within, actually, well under the normal levels :-)
Evi Tobing says
I found 80 percent choco chips for baking .. is it oke ?
Elana says
Evi, that would really depend on what type of Keto Diet you are on a 1:1, 2:1, as well as what would pair it with, but generally speaking 80% chocolate would be a great keto food :-)
robert says
You keep asking the same questions and not answering it… for example ,
“So, is chocolate a keto food? Well, Green & Black’s 85% Chocolate Bar contains more fat than protein and carbohydrates combined. Technically, it is a 1.1: 1 Ketogenic Diet food.”
^—So is chocolate a keto food?
And earlier same thing you said,
Is Chocolate Allowed On The Ketogenic Diet?
Every now and then I want a treat. That’s where chocolate comes in! My favorite Keto Diet treat is Green & Black’s 85% Chocolate Bar. This is not a sponsored post. I’ve simply fallen in love with this organic chocolate product. Why? Because it’s a healthy low-carb dessert that tastes fantastic and is made of organic chocolate, without soy!””-End quote
So you say this isnt an advertisement how ever you NEVER ONCE answered your own questions that you used to bait us all here. All you did was talk about some special kind of chocolate leaving the mass majority of chocolates un mentioned.. Well thanks for absolutely nothing . Although you did waste my time so thanks for that.
Elana says
Robert, thanks for your comment. I would politely beg to differ in that I stated above that 85% chocolate is a 1:1 keto diet food, thus answering the question at hand. If you are on a 1:1 keto diet it would be ideal! I think the issue may be that the keto diet is not a one size fits all diet and we all need different ratios of macronutrients depending on our weight, exercise habits, and goals, i.e., gaining weight, losing weight, brain support, etc. Technically, any food is allowed on the Keto Diet. For example, although I would not eat it, white sugar is permitted as long as it is balanced out by enough fat, say from butter –the carbs and fat from this combo would need to be in the proper ratios to fit the patient’s macronutrient goals. Here is a post that will go into more detail on how the Keto Diet works for you:
https://elanaspantry.com/whats-the-difference-between-the-keto-and-paleo-diets/
I hope this helps and sorry that my explanation may have caused you some frustration! The Keto Diet can seem very complicated and intimidating at first, but if you stick with it, it’s completely intuitive.
Have a wonderful day!
Elana
Michele Anthony says
I understood and appreciated your answer Elana, thank you very much. On my way to the store to purchase some now. Cheers
Elana says
Thanks Michele! I’m so happy to help❣️
Amy DeWitt says
Elana, you are far too nice. Robert, you need to read with a more thorough eye before making coarse, rude comments.
Elana says
Thanks Amy!
Karine McNeely says
Robert needs to tone it down a notch. Posting a rude comment won’t serve you well.
Thank you Elana for all of your information.
Elana says
Karine, it’s my pleasure! You’re welcome :-)
Annie says
ilove dark chocolate chips with walnuts as my evening snack;is this ok on the keto diet
Elana says
Annie, in fact, everything is allowed on the Keto Diet as long as carbs are balanced with fat :-)
Michael says
I love Green & Black’s 85% with a cup of peppermint tea… Divine and it feels so decadent. Just a few squares is totally satiating.
Elana says
Michael, same here!
J says
Is 72% dark chocolate ok for the keto diet?
Elana says
J, it’s not a classic keto food, but if you added enough fat when you ate it then it could be considered keto. The 4th paragraph of this post elaborates on this further :-)
Terissa says
I have found that when I eat a high percentage dark choc, over 70%, my heart pounds. Has happened with several reputable brands of choc bars. Has this happened to anyone else ?
Elana, Do you only eat 1 square a day of the Green&Blacks bar, or can you consume several . . . . or the whole thing ?!
Thank you.
Elana says
Terissa, thanks for your comment and sorry to hear that dark chocolate makes your heart pound. I eat a couple squares of chocolate every day or so :-)
Lorraine says
This is due to the caffeine.
Elana says
Lorraine, thanks for your comment and that is a very good point!
Elizabeth says
Hi Elana,
I love all of your recipes and have been following your blog for quite some time! Thank you for being such a wonderful resource for healthy eating of all kinds!
I have a quick question about your experience or stance on keto and female hormones. I just started keto a week ago and have tested my blood levels and am in very slight ketosis. I am feeling great, very clear headed and energetic. But, I have done just a bit of research, and am concerned about the changes that keto can induce in women regarding leptin levels, ovulation, and menstruation (halting those processes or making them irregular – which I seem to be experiencing now).
Do you have any feedback on that based on your experience with keto or any resources or thoughts you could share with me about it? I’m just trying to get as much info as I can and I consider you to be a very trustworthy source!
Thanks so much!
Elana says
Elizabeth, thanks for your comment! For me it’s really important to go in and out of ketosis by adding in foods like extra green vegetables and even green juice. I don’t stay in ketosis all of the time :-)
Pam says
Elana, once again I am so grateful for you and all that you share and do and I had just the other day wished that you had more info on Keto since I can understand you better than others out there that I try to read… and you share from your heart and experience which I appreciate so much and I felt an immediate connection to you when I first found you a few months ago. Thank you for sharing the grams that you have each meal, this is what I was needing to help me understand. Big help THANK YOU! % just confuse me right now due to extreme anxiety and I am finding that I need to do Keto rather than LCHF or Paleo, I became more anxious and more physical pain. The little bit of trying to do Keto has helped me the past 2 weeks but I just haven’t had the ratios right I feel. Anxiety and panic has surfaced due to a recent trauma and several years of stress and I have listened to and applied your many suggestions about our home thank you, my question here is, well, first thank you for stating that you get out of Keto often as this was another question. Elana, how often do you do it? Weekly or a few times a week or biweekly? This is a concern of mine also and so happy to see you say this. And we have loved everything that I have baked or made of yours, and I have referred so many to you :) Thank you so much for sharing your heart with us all.
Elana says
Pam, thanks for your comment! I’m so happy that the way I’m explaining things is helpful to you. Right now, while I stick to my LCHF protocol, I’m really focusing on getting outdoors as much as I can and getting my body in the sun as much as possible. I’ve always been very outdoorsy, but am now using the sun, sky, and earth therapeutically and it is beyond calming. I’ve moved my daily yoga from our basement to our backyard. If you are feeling anxiety I would recommend eliminating every appliance that runs on microwave radiation from your house in order to reduce harmful EMF’s. I list numerous sources here:
https://elanaspantry.com/are-cell-phones-dangerous/
And also recommend getting in touch with “native” healthy EMF’s and getting your bare feet on the earth in the sunshine as much as you can. When I lie down on the grass in our backyard I feel totally relaxed almost unlike anything I’ve felt before. While diet is important and what I mostly write about here, it is only one of many lifestyle strategies that I use overall.
I hope you’ll keep me posted and thanks again for your fantastic comment!
Elana
Pam says
Thank you Elana for replying and all that you said. It completely resonates with me, I love what you wrote and I agree with you, I have for decades been a barefoot in the grass to ground girl as well as talking to and touching my plants. Also water is very good for clearing energy. I use that daily too. I am extremely energy sensitive, chemical sensitive too. I try to get more sun but with triple digits here for the past month it gets a bit tough. But I do my best… I think I have read all your blogs and we right away discovered a few things that had large transformers on them and hadn’t even given it a second thought until your EMF blog and FB post. Needless to say they are gone! It made a huge difference too! We bought the clocks you linked to for the bedside and got rid of our cable DVR since we rarely watch TV anyway, we stream mostly. There have been other changes as well. Thank you for the awareness!
I still though would very much like a bit more clarity on the question that I asked :) How often do you go in and out of ketosis like you mentioned? Weekly?
And the ratios that you gave…grams per meal, 60 fat 20 protein 10 carbs is this still what you do daily (or close to it s you do it intuitively) ? You mentioned to me “Right now while I stick to my LCHF protocol” which is so important to me in addition to the other healing modalities.
I ask you this as you have had such an impact on me and been so much help as I have had to navigate this way of eating and the one way of eating that I have been following is just mainly low carb high fat and very popular but I have several problems with most of the supplements and I just can’t seem to understand the all the fat you want, you can’t eat too much concept. I agree with you and actually you were the first one to say that among the few FB health ones I read…we are all so very different and our bodies tell us. Customize for us. I am trying to and I feel that this post is very key in helping me.
Thank you again, and I so enjoyed your reply and the way you incorporate nature into your healing. There is nothing like it for sure… even just looking at the stars at night and feeling their energy.
All the best to you Elana and thank you so much.
Elana says
Pam, thanks for your reply. I’m so happy to help with providing information on EMF’s and thrilled to hear that it has made a difference for you! The ratios I gave for a keto meal are an example, they are not necessarily what I eat it varies everyday. I go in and out of ketosis as needed and don’t have any rules around it, it all depends on how I feel and what is going on in my life. We are all biochemical individuals and we are all changing each day :-)
Christine says
Elana,
I have intense migraines, which triggered very similarly as seizures etc. I’ve been gluten, dairy & soy-free for the past two years but am on pretty heavy meds still. After multiple tries to go holistic..I’ve now started seeing this great doctor who is a chiropractor & just assesses the whole picture. He immediately has me on a detox & says that I will be on a keto paleo diet for the rest of my life. I didn’t even panic when he told me, because immediately your blog came to mind as he spoke about neuro & keto, and knew I had a resource!
I just wanted to say thanks for being a resource and a real leader to me in this.
He says I’ll have to give up chocolate for two years, to stop all flare ups….but as soon as I can have it again, your recipes are first on the list!
Elana says
Christine, thanks for sharing your health journey with me. I’m so sorry to hear about all that you’ve been going through. It sounds like you’ve found a very good health practitioner which is wonderful. I hope you’ll stop back by and keep me posted on your progress :-)
kitty says
Thank you very much for this information. I am trying to follow a Keto diet, but I do fall short sometimes.
I love every one of your recipes that I have tried and enjoy your cookbook.
Blessings.
Elana says
Kitty, I really appreciate your blessings! I’m so happy to hear that you love every one of my recipes that you’ve tried and that you are enjoying my cookbook :-)
kamily. says
Hello I want to start on the Keri diet I’m 13 what should I bring to middle school for lunch I would love some suggestions or any food really I would really like to try some of your recipes
;3
Elana says
Kamily, thanks for your comment! Have you seen my Keto Diet Recipes page:
https://elanaspantry.com/diets/keto/
You might find some inspiration there!
Elana