For one to know whether a product is keto-friendly or not, the simplest thing to look at is the label of the ingredients. The ingredients in the Hershey’s Sugar-Free Chocolate that will show us whether it is keto-friendly or not include:
- Maltitol
- Chocolate Processed with Alkali-this contains little amounts of sugar that are negligible.
- Cocoa Butter
- Contains 2% or Less Vanilla extract, Soy Lecithin, and Milk-these ingredients contain some amounts of sugar that are negligible.
- Chocolate
- Cream
- Polydextrose
- Milk
- Fat
- Sodium caseinate
- Soy lecithin
- Vanillin
- Artificial flavor
Maltitol gives a red flag on this sugar-free Hershey’s chocolate. It is a sugar alcohol that is mostly utilized as a sugar replacement in low sugar products. The sugar alcohol includes lactitol, xylitol, sorbitol, mannitol, and erythritol.
Nevertheless, it is good to know that Maltitol is a cause of glycemic response also it is digested partially. Since its digested partially, it causes a spike in glucose and can kick you out of ketosis. In addition, Maltitol is very much known to be a mainspring of the problem involving glycemic index. If you consume the maltitol in any product, you might be exposed to bloating issues, diarrhea and gas.
A serving that weighs 15g of Hershey’s Sugar-Free Chocolate contains4.5 grams of fat, 70 calories, 1 gram of fiber, 9g of carbohydrates, and less than 1g of protein. From all this information, due to the high maltitol level in Hershey’s sugar-free chocolate, they are not keto-friendly.
Also, know that all Hershey’s sugar-free products majorly utilize maltitol as their primary sweetener including all their candies and syrups. Hershey’s sugar-free chocolate has High-Glycemic Sweeteners which include maltitol, dextrose, and sugar. All these sweeteners can raise the levels of your blood sugar which will make you not reach ketosis.
Apart from the Hershey’s sugar-free chocolate, there are a lot of chocolates that are recommended when you are on the keto diet and they include; Lilly’s Dark Chocolate, Choc Zero, Lindt Excellence 90 percent Cocoa Supreme, Alter Eco Deep Dark Blackout, and Endangered Species 88 percent Dark Chocolate. These chocolates are made of natural ingredients with natural sweeteners like stevia.
The Keto diet is majorly an eating plan that involves taking foods rich in healthy fats, very few carbohydrates, and enough proteins to obtain more calories from fats than from carbs. The diet exhausts the body of its sugar reserves and then utilizes energy from fats that are broken down. The body then produces ketones which the body uses for fuel leading to weight loss.
The keto diet has its benefits which include the reduction of certain types of cancer, supporting loss of weight, helping to remove acne, improving the health of the heart, promoting the functioning of the brain, and reducing seizures.
Being on the keto diet also exposes you to various risks like kidney stones, excess protein in the blood, having mineral and vitamin deficiencies, accumulation of fat in the liver, headaches, vomiting, low blood sugar, nausea, and severe fatigue.
As seen above, the keto diet alone can put you at great risk. You can imagine the risk you will be in while on the Hershey’s sugar-free chocolate keto. Most of these sugar-free chocolate ingredients prove to be risky to the body.
Dextrose which is an additive in Hershey’s sugar-free chocolate is very risky to the body as it can lead to weight gain. This is because dextrose is broken down very fast and any sugars that are not needed will be stored as fats resulting in obesity. It can also lead to heart diseases, diabetes, kidney diseases, liver diseases, and insulin resistance.
If dextrose is taken in excess, it can lead to severe depression, and increase the occurrence of acne and other skin complications. One may also experience shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, frequent urination, stomach pains, and thirst.
Maltitol should be avoided by people with diseases like diabetes because it is a carbohydrate and has a glycemic index. When taken in the chocolate, it does not digest completely which leads to a sluggish increase in insulin levels and blood sugars as compared to sucrose.
When maltitol is taken, some people get gas, diarrhea, and stomach pains. There are some alternatives to maltitol while on keto which include stevia, erythritol, and agave among other natural sweeteners.
When Polydextrose is used, it can cause stomach cramps, intestinal gas, diarrhea, and bloating. Sucralose may cause a leaky gut when it travels along the gut walls since it is difficult to digest, cause diabetes, lead to weight gain, is carcinogenic when heated, and cause an irritable bowel.
Sodium caseinatecan cause allergies, especially those people who are allergic to casein, and if you are a vegan or following a vegan diet, then avoid taking Sodium caseinate. If you are allergic to casein but go ahead to take it, you will experience vomiting, unbearable stomach pain, rashes, wheezing and problems breathing.
Casein is the main milk protein and it is used in processing bread, ice cream, cheese, cured meats, and several personal care and cosmetic products.
IS HERSHEY’S SUGAR-FREE CHOCOLATE SYRUP KETO-FRIENDLY?
The Hershey’s Sugar-Free Chocolate Syrup should be not consumed while on the keto diet. This is because, the syrup is a processed food with high levels of carbs and contains some unhealthy ingredients which include sodium benzoate, sucralose, and acesulfame K.
Hershey’s sugar-free chocolate syrup cannot be keto-friendly because;
-
It is high in net carbs:
This syrup is high in carbs about 6.67 grams net carbs per serving of 100 grams. You should maintain the intake of carbs to around 20 grams -30 grams daily to stay in ketosis.
You must find out the daily net carb you need by the use of the keto macros calculator. After that, use the serving calculator to get a size of serving that fits your budget of net carb.
-
It has artificial sweeteners:
Hershey’s Sugar-Free Chocolate Syrup is composed of artificial sweeteners like sucralose, and acesulfame K. Despite these sweeteners being carb-free, they may cause health problems when taken regularly.
-
Contains Sodium Benzoate:
This is a food additive added to the syrup and it is a controversial additive that is not supposed to add to a keto diet. It is important to avoid food additives as they can affect health. Sodium benzoate should not be consumed as it increases the risk of getting oxidative stress, and inflammation and exposes you to obesity, and allergies.
It also has the potential to convert to benzene which can be carcinogenic.
Related post: IS IT OKAY TO EAT CHOCOLATE WHILE ON A CALORIE DEFICIT?
Ingredients found in the Hershey’s sugar-free chocolate syrup include;
- Cocoa Processed with Alkali (Adds a Negligible Amount of Fat),
- Biotin
- Erythritol
- Contains 2% Less natural and artificial flavor and sodium acid sulfate
- Xanthan Gum
- Niacinamide
- Potassium Sorbate is utilized for freshness
- Sodium Benzoate is used for freshness
- Acesulfame Potassium
- Sucralose
- Zinc Sulfate
- Vitamin E Acetate
- Salt
- Glycerin
Hershey’s sugar-free chocolate syrup is;
- Recommended for ice cream, milk, coffee, and desserts among others.
- Has a rich chocolate flavor that is sugar-free with sweeteners.
- It is gluten-free and kosher syrup.
- It is a great option for use at parties for guests who prefer treats without sugar.
- It makes life sweater at home with chocolate decorations and baking supplies.
To use Hershey’s sugar-free chocolate syrup;
- Ensure that you refrigerate it after using it.
- When making chocolate milk, put 2 to 3 tablespoons of the syrup into 8 ounces of cold milk.
- When preparing desserts, pour them on top of cakes, ice cream, and other cooked desserts.
- When making the hot sugar-free chocolate, stir together 2 tablespoons of the sugar-free chocolate syrup into 8 ounces of milk then heat it to the right temperatures.
This syrup is very good for any occasion. It contains the following in a tablespoon: Calories 5, 0 grams of fats, 0 grams of saturated fats, 0 grams of Trans fats, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 30 milligrams of sodium, 5 grams of carbohydrate, less than 1 gram of fiber, 0 grams of sugar and 0 grams of protein.
SUMMARY
One needs to know that not all chocolate syrups that are sugar-free are keto-friendly. If you need to take a sugar-free chocolate syrup, then go for those with no sugar alcohol as an ingredient. Also, check on the syrup for any allergies that can be caused by it to prevent any problems that may arise after.
Hershey’s Sugar-Free Chocolate Syrup should not be utilized when on a keto diet. This is because Hershey’s syrup utilizes preservatives, and some artificial ingredients like sodium benzoate, sucralose, and acesulfame, all of these are not keto-friendly and will take you out of ketosis.
Therefore, one needs to know the ingredients used to make the chocolate before eating it while on keto. This will enable you to remain in ketosis. Nevertheless, there are some keto-friendly syrups one can use while on a keto diet like the choc zero syrup sweetened with Monk fruit extract.
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