Chocolate is my carb of choice...how much is OK? page

[Dragonfly]

Does it matter where I get my 60-70 gm/day?

I don't like fruit very much--makes me bloat (except for berries in season.) I don't like starchy veg much either. I have about 1 glass of wine a month. I do eat dairy, but mostly goat's kefir, butter and raw goat's cheese.

Normally, I would eat 2 sq of 70% dark chocolate per day which has 10 gm of carbs...and in the past 2 days, I've noticed I am wanting double that amount. I almost always eat my chocolate right after a meal, to slow absorption and avoid a big spike of insulin.

My chocolate is organic and has organic cane juice as the sweetener, FWIW.

Thoughts?

[Griff]

Have non-starchy veg. You are bloating because you are eating sugary/starchy carbs. Chocolate is a once-a-week thing, tops.

[ScurvyDog]

I eat a little everyday....but i also eat lots of vegies and fruit

[jasonph]

Chocolate is a once-a-week thing, tops.

Unless you get closer to 100%.
The unsweetened chocolate is a near-daily feature of my diet.

[Dragonfly]

You are bloating because you are eating sugary/starchy carbs.

Griff--You misread my post. I only bloat when I eat fruit.

I eat plenty of non-starchy vegetables--broccoli, cabbage, spinach, chard, mostly.

My understanding is sugar is sugar is sugar--so what difference does it make if I get my sugar from chocolate or from a sweet potato, as long as I eat it with plenty of fat?

[Lojasmo]

You can sub chocolate for fruit. Just eat 80-100% and take a multivitamin.

[Dragonfly]

You can sub chocolate for fruit. Just eat 80-100% and take a multivitamin.

I already supplement sufficiently, so I'm good there.
Lojasmo--Is this from your personal experience or some research? I'm curious!

[grokka]

sugar is sugar, yes, but sugar is not starch. The carbs from a sweet potato will be mostly glucose, not sucrose/fructose.
I try to get the majority of my carbs from starch, with little sugar. Also, try getting at least 85 percent chocolate, 70 percent isn't very dark.

[Lojasmo]

I already supplement sufficiently, so I'm good there.
Lojasmo--Is this from your personal experience or some research? I'm curious!

Carbs are carbs, minus lectins and such. Dark chocolate is low carb, and fats are desirable. Chocolate is high in antioxidants, so the only thing missing are micronutrients in. Fruit. No real data, nor personal experience. (though I do not eat fruit in the winter)

Just makes sense. Dark chocolate is allowed, and fruits are optional. Just don't drink a can of hershey's syrup.

[Dragonfly]

The carbs from a sweet potato will be mostly glucose, not sucrose/fructose.

True. Sweet potatoes also are good at helping regulate blood sugar, among other things! Fortunately, I actually do like sweet potatoes, just not crazy about squash, turnips, cooked carrots, etc...

Mmmm...just read that fructose can make some people bloat...guess that's me!

Just makes sense. Dark chocolate is allowed, and fruits are optional. Just don't drink a can of hershey's syrup.

No worries there! After testing, I think I actually feel best eating 3 squares instead of 2- spread out over the day-about 8 grams of sugar. Darker chocolates just don't float my boat and I am intending to eat what my body wants. My intense sugar cravings disappeared the first week, so as long as they don't come back, I will carry on...

Thanks for all the input, folks!