Life

The 3 Best Sugar-Free Dark Chocolates

by Andrea Hannah
fotolia/Drobot Dean

Dark chocolate boasts many added health benefits when compared to your standard milk chocolate bar: It's packed with antioxidants, additional nutrients, and is rich in fiber. But, the best sugar-free dark chocolate takes those health benefits one step further by eliminating artificial sugars, making it a great choice for health-conscious chocolate lovers as well as anyone with diabetes.

One thing to consider when you're shopping for sugar-free dark chocolate is the percentage of cacao in your chocolate. True dark chocolate products contain anywhere from 70 to 100 percent cacao, and the higher that number is, the richer and more bitter the chocolate will taste. Luckily, most sugar-free dark chocolates are sweetened with stevia and other sugar alternatives that help offset the bitterness of a high percentage of cacao.

Hard and fast rule in your search: The darker chocolate appears, the higher the percentage of cocoa in the chocolate (and the lower the additional sugars and milks). So, when looking for sugar-free chocolate, keep an eye out for the darkest option you can find.

Whether you're on the lookout for chocolate bars, powders, or baking chips, here's a list of some of the best sugar-free dark chocolate on the market to help you get your fix.

1

The Overall Best Sugar-Free Chocolate, All Things Considered

Made with 100 percent cacao, this chocolate bar is completely free of soy, gluten, dairy, and sugar — there's not even a touch of a sweetener. The bar itself weighs about 3 ounces, which reviewers mention lasts quite a while considering one or two bites of this rich chocolate bar is enough to satiate even the strongest chocolate cravings. In this pack, you'll get two chocolate bars for $12, which is a bit pricier than a generic store-bought option. But, most reviewers agree that after tasting this bar, they'll never go back to eating other chocolate. One reviewer raves, "I've gone to the absolute dark side — this is a quality chocolate, smooth, creamy and delicious."

2

Runner Up: These Mini Bars With Less Than A Gram Of Sugar

Each two-bite mini chocolate bar in this package is made with 86 percent cacao and has less than a gram of natural sugar per serving. With notes of dried plums and cherries, these bite-sized chocolates are just sweet enough to feel like a treat without overdoing it on the sugar. For just $15, you get four packs, each with 12 squares in them. One reviewer writes, "I've found eating 1/2 a square satisfies me. I allow 1/4 of a square to melt in my mouth at a time. If you really like dark chocolate, I recommend these smooth, dark, not overly sweet chocolates as a special treat." The only downside to these bars is they aren't dairy-free, so if you're trying to watch your dairy intake, opt for a different chocolate on this list.

3

Best For Baking: These Dark Chocolate Chips Sweetened With Stevia

These non-GMO, 100 percent vegan dark chocolate chips melt easily in the oven (or, let's be real, your mouth) and are the perfect way to sweeten up just about any desert. Reviewers love this brand of chips for both taste and health benefits, with one person raving that these are these are the best chips they've ever found. They write, "The taste is beyond amazing especially for anyone who love[s] dark chocolate like I do. I started on a ketogenic diet for health reasons and was afraid that I would never be able to enjoy chocolate again unless I did it myself (time consuming). I'm so happy that there is a brand of chocolate chips I could buy that tastes fantastic." For $30, you'll get four packs of these unsweetened chips, which each hold 9 ounces of chocolate.

4

Bonus: These Sugar-Free Chocolate Protein Bars

Made with a unique whey protein blend, this fudge-flavored protein bar boasts 20 grams of high-quality protein and virtually zero sugar. Reviewers love the soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture of this bar, with one fan writing: "This is the only low sugar, high (and high-quality) protein, and gluten free protein bar that I've found. To top it off, it tastes very good, and this particular flavor is pleasantly chewy, rather than dry like many protein bars." You'll get 10 bars for $22, making it an affordable buy if you're looking to cut back on sugar and boost your protein intake as well.

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