Free Chocolate
For many people, the allure of chocolate is tempered by their body’s reaction to its principal ingredients. Thankfully, chocolate manufacturers have stepped up to the plate with varieties of specific ingredient free chocolate. Milk free chocolate is an option for those who are lactose intolerant, thus allowing the sufferer to enjoy the rich delicious flavor of chocolate without worrying about its effects.
Gluten free chocolate is available for those suffering from celiac disease or wheat intolerance. You can even find a wide variety of these chocolates in entertaining and fun-to-eat shapes for those young children who require a gluten-free diet.
Some of the most popular ingredients in chocolate are nuts of all types. However, for many, this presents a major health risk due to life-threatening allergies to nuts. Even chocolates that do not have nuts as an ingredient are often manufactured in factories that produce other nut-filled chocolates thereby risking contamination. Due to legislation however, all food products must carry a label indicating whether they may contain nuts or residues of nuts. Large numbers of manufacturers and chocolate retailers produce and sell nut free chocolate so finding them should be no problem.
Pure chocolate is by nature sugar free chocolate but most people do not enjoy the bitter savory taste of raw chocolate. The addition of sugar (and milk) creates the sweet creamy treat that is today’s staple form of chocolate. Unfortunately, this key ingredient is dangerous to diabetics due to their bodies’ inability to process the high concentrations of sugar in sweet chocolate.
Sugar free chocolates mainly use a sugar alcohol called maltitol, which includes sorbitol, xylitol, mannitol, and isomalt. Only a portion of the Maltitol is digested and absorbed and even then very slowly. It is important to note that sugar free chocolate must be consumed in small quantities (no more than 50 grams of sorbitol or 20 grams of mannitol per day) otherwise diarrhea may result. Remember as well that sugar free chocolate candy is not necessarily healthier in general, since the high concentration of cocoa butter, which is high in fat, is no lower than in normal chocolate.
In order to reduce the intake of maltitol, consider going for sugar free dark chocolate, as it will have a much lower need for sweeteners and a much more intense although slightly more bitter taste. Plus, the darker the chocolate the healthier it will be for your body due to the greater quantity of antioxidants.
With so many varieties of ingredient free chocolates, there is something available for almost anyone, even those with dietary restrictions!