Today is World Chocolate Day. It’s a day to celebrate chocolate cookies, chocolate cake, brownies, chocolate bars…all those things I didn’t think I’d ever eat again when I started keto. Little did I know, chocolate keto treats exist!
The History Behind Chocolate Keto Treats
Chocolate comes from the seed of the cacao tree. We have been farming it for at least 3,000 years. The first documented use of cacao seeds goes back to about 1100 B.C. It grows in Mexico, Central America and Northern South America.
When people start keto, it is assumed that you need to give up all things chocolate. The unprocessed chocolate, or cacao nibs, are actually very keto-friendly. One tablespoon of them has 70 calories, 6 grams of fat, 1 net gram of carbs, and 1 net gram of protein. The problem is that they are very bitter, so we put sugar in the chocolate to make it the sweet treat we all enjoy.
Cacao nibs have a lot of health benefits. They contain antioxidants, which help reduce cell damage in your body. They also contain a lot of fiber, which promotes healthy digestion. The issue is that the more other stuff we put in the nibs, like sugar, the less nutritional benefits there are.
Enjoying Chocolate Keto Treats
There are a few different options for chocolate keto treats we enjoy. The No Sugar Company has delicious options, such as the Keto Shellz and peanut butter cups. I love having some of these handy for those days when I run out of homemade keto desserts. The Keto Shellz are similar to Turtles – chocolate covered bites of caramel and pecans that were once my favourites. Check out our blog later on this week for our review.
Then there are the chocolate treats you can buy from local bakeries. We are fortunate to have several options in our area. The bakeries specialize in keto treats. One of my favourites is blueberry blossoms. It’s cream cheese and blueberries covered in chocolate. Think of a cherry blossom but with blueberries and sweeteners that won’t kick you out of ketosis. These bakeries deliver to stores in our area, so we make a trip most weekends to get the best selection.
Finally, you can make your own. We have recipes in our dessert book for things like chocolate fudge and brownies. My favourite is our chocolate chip cookies. They are soft and gooey – just delicious. I like to warm mine up in the microwave for a few seconds so the Lily’s chocolate chips melt as I pull the cookie apart to eat it.
Craving Chocolate Keto Treats
The one caution we have about this is that it can become a craving in and of itself. There is a reason why over 1 billion people eat chocolate every day. When we make chocolate keto-friendly by using sweeteners, we are still feeding into our sugar addictions. I have found myself taking several trips to the store for the bakery treats each month. And, even though it’s a healthier option than having chocolate sweetened with sugar, it’s still that craving for something sweet.
Celebrating World Chocolate Day
Today, we are going to celebrate with something chocolatey, as many do. But, I think after that we may put a hold on our love of chocolate for a bit. Like anything else, it can be a good thing in small amounts. If you find you’re craving more and more of it, you may need to put the brakes on for a while. I think I’ll have a blueberry blossom (or two) and then detox for a week or so. We’ll let you know how that goes!
Wendy
