I would like to buy some chocolate for a freind of mine. She’s diabetic, however, so I need to find good chocolate that’s safe for a diabetic to eat. Preferably dark chocolate. Anyone have any recommendations?
All I’ve ever tried is the Russell Stover sugar free chocolates. It’s not Godiva, but …it is sugar free. If you don’t eat sugar, the differences aren’t so glaring.
Check out the deli section in your local biggish supermarket. The one I grew up by had the best sugar-free, chocolate covered toffee. Otherwise, I really enjoy that sugar-free Pot o’ Gold sampler boxes. They definitely have that distinctive after-taste, but the texture is perfect, especially on the chocolate truffles. Hershey’s definitely has the texture down.
You can ask your friend, too, if she’s able to eat regular chocolate. I can work it into my diet as a treat, now and again. I don’t eat dark chocolate, but I seem to remember that it has fewer carbs than milk chocolate. Most good sugar-free chocolates aren’t totally sugar-free. I found this page of reviews of low-carb chocolates while I was trying to find dark chocolate nutrition info. I gave up on that; this seemed more valuable.
Check with your friend.
Otherwise you’ll have to know things like whether they’re type I or type II, whether they’re using diet alone to manage their disease, or whether they’re on metformin alone, metformin with sulfonylureas, metformin with a glitazone, a glitazone with sulfonylureas, metformin with a glitazone and insulin (long or short acting or both?), whether they’re counting carbs or just eating anything they want and dosing with extra insulin, etc etc etc.
Asking is best.
Michel Cluizel, a French chocolatier, is famous for their 99% cocoa-content chocolate. Others claim to be 99% or 100%, but they fudge the numbers by counting cocoa butter. MC’s 99% is 99% chocolate liquor. That leaves only 1% for other things. And it tastes like dish detergent–it is not for the weak of heart. chocosphere.com sells it in the US, otherwise you can order from lafontaineauchocolat.com , MC’s official website.
Domori has a variety of chocolate ranging from 70% to 100%.
Fifty/50 makes some good bars. They can be kinda hard to find. Stater Bros grocery stores carries them.
Trader Joes has some sugar free white chocolate bars that are great. They keep them up by the register.
Well, speaking from experience (I have a boat load of choclate loving diabetic family members).
Most dark and milk chocolate that is sugar free is sweetened with malitol. Malitol can give many people the runs if eaten in any quantity at all, just as a heads up.
My Great Aunt was particularly annoyed. (which is understandable, really).
In my experience, I’ve found that I can eat small amounts of good dark chocolate (i.e. ones with mainly cocoa, and not too much sugar) without too many ill effects. However, these aren’t to everyone’s taste as they can be somewhat bitter, so I’d ask your friend. FTR, I’m a type II diabetic, and my diabetes is well controlled now, hence why I can eat chocolate. In the past, even a small amount would screw up my system, so, YMMV.
I buy their 85% bars. Really good.
She’s type II, using metformin alone. No insulin shots, and she can eat some sugar in limited amounts if she’s careful.
The Michel Cluizel bars look like a good bet. Thanks for the suggestions, everyone.
I would make sure your friend even wants it.
I’ve been diabetic for 15 years and a lot of well meaning people have bought me sugar free chocolate and not one of them have been worth eating.
Then I get accused of not appreciating what they did for me.
There are some very good sugar free hard candies that might make a better substitute.