Best no-sugar chocolates?

[SpaghettiWestern]

Can anyone please recomend a brand of No Sugar chocolates. I want something good to give to a diabetic friend.

i know rocky mountain chocolates makes some good ones but i am not near one at the moment. i am in the philadelphia area.

She likes chocolate covered english toffee and chocolate covered dark carmels or coconut pieces. i have tried the Ashers brand and they are ok.... if anyone else has any suggestions for stores... or online shops that sell good stuff.... please let me know.

thanks

[Shel_B]

I've not tried 'em, but they may be worth a try.

http://www.harryanddavid.com/h/gift-baskets-tower-boxes/sugar-gluten-free-gifts/26500?ref=google_pla&offer=bud&cm_mmc=nontm-_-google_pla-_-PLA-_-26500X&gclid=CKGcnsb_0rkCFed_QgodaxgAGQ

[SpaghettiWestern]

I've not tried 'em, but they may be worth a try.

http://www.harryanddavid.com/h/gift-baskets-tower-boxes/sugar-gluten-free-gifts/26500?ref=google_pla&offer=bud&cm_mmc=nontm-_-google_pla-_-PLA-_-26500X&gclid=CKGcnsb_0rkCFed_QgodaxgAGQ

Hey Shel ..... those look great ! thanks

[la.april]

You should check out Dante Confections. It is Stevia chocolate with a decent taste

[SpaghettiWestern]

You should check out Dante Confections. It is Stevia chocolate with a decent taste

Hey thanks..... i just checked out the site.... this looks like really good stuff !

[Franci]

My preferred 100% chocolate: Francois Pralus, I love it!

[rlibkind]

If your friend says she likes diabetic chocolates without sugar by all means get them for her.

But unless you know she enjoys these, do not assume she will.

Many people without diabetes think that diabetics must absolutely avoid sugar. This is not true. What diabetics need to pay attention to is the total number of carbohydrates that they consume. Sugar is just one carbohydrate. Carbohydrates are also contained in fruit, bread and most other foods you can think of (the major exceptions being fats and pure protein foods).

I would rather pass up on the non-sugar version. None are satisfactory. Instead I limit my consumption of high quality regular chocolate rather than avoid them.

Of course , if I need a laxative , the non-sugar chocolates work great, since that's a side-effect of the sugar alcohols used to manufacture them.

Obviously each individual diabetic has to make his or her own choice. But there's no law that says diabetics must avoid sugar.

Again, if you know as fact that your friend enjoys non-sugar chocolates, get them. But if you're just making an assumption, don't.

[rlibkind]

For all my spewing above, it sounds like the stevia types might be worth a try. Still, half of one of the stevia bar has 6 grams of carbohydrates; one Godiva truffle has 10. Not a huge difference. Your choice.

[GlorifiedRice]

Ashers from Souderton, Pa

http://www.ashers.com/sugar-free/

They have even more at their store call and get some shipped

[SpaghettiWestern]

my friend LOVES the diabetic chocolates and knows all about what they can do to the system. i dont know all about her diet but i do know that she does eat plenty of nuts and some fruits. i am sure shes aware of the carb issue with foods. i dont think she would like the idea of real chocolate with sugar.

i know she does eat some sugar but as a rule.... she seems to like to stay away from it,

anyway... thanks for your posts.... i really appreciate all the suggestions

[mgaretz]

Trader Joes

[Deryn]

A neighbour in Nova Scotia asked me to pick up some no-sugar (diabetic 'safe') chocolates while I am down in the States. I did browse local stores and didn't come up with anything and now have left it too late to buy online I think (especially with the heat lately).

 

I will be passing by a TJs on my way back north in the next few days - do they still stock a decent no-sugar chocolate bar (preferably stevia sweetened)?  (Perhaps I should ask this in the TJ's thread? Sorry if it is in the wrong place.)

 

If not, then does anyone else have any suggestions for a store along/not far off my route (most likely I-81 to Scranton PA then across to I-95 well east of Hartford CT).

 

Reading online I think I would prefer to buy her stevia sweetened than a malitol sweetened bar (since I forgot to ask her if she has a problem with sugar alcohols, this may be a safer choice). I would also bet, though I neglected to enquire, that she prefers a milk-chocolate (otherwise, wouldn't a regular bitter or semi-sweet chocolate be a choice some diabetics might make?)

 

Note: If I were diabetic, I think I would avoid all 'diabetic' products myself and just be more cautious about what I eat, etc. but this was a specific request and it is not my place to suggest that, particularly since I am not the one having to deal with the condition.

[Shel_B]

A neighbour in Nova Scotia asked me to pick up some no-sugar (diabetic 'safe') chocolates while I am down in the States. I did browse local stores and didn't come up with anything and now have left it too late to buy online I think (especially with the heat lately).

 

I will be passing by a TJs on my way back north in the next few days - do they still stock a decent no-sugar chocolate bar (preferably stevia sweetened)?  (Perhaps I should ask this in the TJ's thread? Sorry if it is in the wrong place.)

 

Note: If I were diabetic, I think I would avoid all 'diabetic' products myself and just be more cautious about what I eat, etc.

 

This is available in all the TJ's in my area, and at a far lower price than Amazon.  It's not bad, and I think they have a dark chocolate as well.  I don't buy it, but have tried it.  I tend to agree with you about not buying diabetic products ....

Edited June 21, 2015 by Shel_B (log)

[gfron1]

My experience is to avoid the -itols all together. I'm wracking my brain because I've had too many chocolates over the years, but I think either Pacari or Domori or Amedei (I think the latter) had a 75% that has no sugar - just naturally sweetened, so no -itols.

[Smithy]

My mother and I used to enjoy the malitol-sweetened chocolates at a favorite shop out her way. As a rule I dislike any alternative sweeteners, but I thought these were very good. Is there a health issue with malitol, or is it simply a matter of taste?

Edit: sorry, I just reread the topic and learned about one possible health issue. I'll ask 2 different questions instead: how common is the laxative effect? (We did not experience it.) Are there more potential health issues?

[Kerry Beal]

I think that almost everyone will experience the laxation effect of maltitol if enough is taken in!  It's everything in moderation IMHO.

[Deryn]

I react to some (particularly Xylitol and Maltitol) sugar alcohols (even in fairly small amounts it seems) and it is not pleasant at all - so I am a bit shy of them, even in chewing gum. Mind you, I have not noticed the same effect when these same sugar alcohols are present naturally, in fruit for instance.

 

There are other options for sweetening chocolates - agave being another, besides stevia. I am not a personal fan of agave either, but these are not for me. The ones I found online however seem to be more specialty products like the stevia ones, and again ordering is probably just not in the cards right now.

 

Thanks for the TJs chocolate bar link (Amazon link but I was able to read about it there), Shel. I will probably go that route much as it doesn't appeal to me to give her maltitol - but maybe that is what she is used to anyway since other types seem harder to get.

[GlorifiedRice]

Try Bean-O for Sugar Alcohols!

[Deryn]

Thanks, GlorifiedRice. That suggestion is worth a try - sounds plausible.

[GlorifiedRice]

Well Im partial to Quest protein bars, and those have Erythritol in them and if I have one everyday I get pains, but I tried the Bean-O and I was fine after that.

 

Look on Amazon for Erythritol Chocolates, some people find Erythritol to be less gassy and painful than other sugar alcohols. Theres even a NUTELLA with Erythritol

[Deryn]

Found some Choco-Rite (both dark and milk, made with erythritol) today at Walgreens - in the diabetic testing area. Not exactly boxed in such a way as to seem like a nice 'gift' (sort of clinical packaging) so I will stop by TJs for sure along the road somewhere. Has anyone tried these? 

[Kerry Beal]

Discovered about 20 kg of cocoa mass (read unsweetened chocolate) in a dark corner of my chocolate room. Picked up some Stievia at Trader Joes. Will take some north and do a little experimenting.

[GlorifiedRice]

Discovered about 20 kg of cocoa mass (read unsweetened chocolate) in a dark corner of my chocolate room. Picked up some Stievia at Trader Joes. Will take some north and do a little experimenting.

I once melted some pure cocoa butter and added granulated Splenda and let it harden.

OMG it was nasty. Weird chemical flavor. Made me nauseated after eating some.

[Kerry Beal]

Will be purely experimental! Maybe I can find some volunteers up there to be my guinea pigs.

Edited June 23, 2015 by Kerry Beal (log)

[Deryn]

Thanks, Kerry. I look forward to hearing about the results of your experiment. (p.s. I was hoping something about this quest would intrigue you but since this is the 'ready to eat' forum I didn't want to ask you here.) 

 

Stephan, since I am not diabetic I certainly don't judge those who are who like or believe commercial low/no sugar chocolates are better for them but 70% or higher regular chocolate would probably be what I would choose if I was a choco-addict and a diabetic too. Or I might choose to use unsweetened cocoa and just make brownies with a sugar substitute to satisfy choco-cravings.