Remaining carbohydrate restricted can support glycemic control, broader metabolic health and craving management. These guides offer practical substitutions for familiar foods and drinks to help you sustain that eating pattern. Weight loss is not a required goal or a guaranteed result.
Replacement foods are tools for adherence and flexibility, not weight-loss tools in themselves. Some options satisfy a craving; others may leave you wanting more. Check the ingredients and total carbohydrates in the portion you eat, then notice your glucose response, hunger and cravings. Choose the options that work for you.
Chocolate products vary widely in cacao content, sweeteners and added ingredients. Use the options below as a starting point, then check the specific bar, baking chip or serving you plan to eat.
In this guide
| Option | Type |
|---|---|
| Lily’s and Coco Polo Bliss | Chocolate |
| Montezuma’s dark chocolate | Chocolate |
| Bake Believe baking chips | Chocolate |
| ChocZero | Chocolate |
| Quest bars and candies | Chocolate |
| Homemade chocolate bites | Recipe |
Browse all replacement guides.
Chocolate bars and baking chips
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Lily’s Chocolate and Coco Polo Bliss: bars and chips for baking. Available at many markets or online. Avoid the ones with rice and higher carb fruits mixed in
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Montezuma, Dark Chocolate 90% and Dark Chocolate 100%: available on Amazon and at many Trader Joe’s stores
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Bake Believe: chocolate chips, can be found at many stores, including Walmart
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Choc Zero: many people like these because some of their varieties come in individual servings
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Quest Bars and Candies: readily available at many markets, convenience stores and drugstores like CVS and Walgreens. Many chocolate varieties including peanut butter cups.
There are many well-known candy companies making sugar-free versions of their products. Watch out for ingredients like maltodextrin and maltitol, which have a big impact on blood sugar and often cause stomach upset.
Homemade chocolate bites
Ingredients
- 100% cacao
- Sweetener of your choice, such as monk fruit or stevia
- Mixed nuts of your choice, optional
Method
- Melt the cacao over low heat.
- Add a small amount of sweetener to taste and mix.
- Stir in the nuts, if using, until coated.
- Drop spoonfuls onto a tray lined with wax paper.
- Refrigerate for 60 minutes.
