"Sugar Free" Chocolate Options: Simply Lite Dark Chocolate

Even though I’m against New Year’s resolutions, as I believe that January 1 is just another day, a lot of people make them. A common one is to cut back on sugar.*** Maybe this is yours, and you still want to be able to enjoy some chocolate. You certainly have lots of options available to you at most supermarkets. But which ones are worth it?

I’m here to help. Aren’t I always?

I’ll be reviewing a few “sugar free” chocolate bars this week, which I call “sugar free” because many of them have OTHER sugar-like substances. While you can read the nutrition label for yourself to decide whether or not a bar will help you meet your goals, it won’t tell you anything about the taste.

But I will tell you all about taste. And texture. Starting with the Simply Lite Dark Chocolate Bar from Trader Joe’s, which is 70% cocoa solids.

This bar weighs in at 100 calories and 8 grams of fat for a 25 gram serving, and is sweetened with maltitol. For reference, most dark chocolates have about 500-550 calories per gram, so a 25-gram serving of this bar as opposed to most dark chocolate bars will save you about 20-35 calories. Not a lot, but it’s something, assuming you can tolerate maltitol.

But what about the TASTE? This bar features a strong vanilla flavor and a coffee undertone, and the relatively mild and pleasant taste lingers for quite a while. The texture is actually exceptional for a 70% cocoa bar, and is not grainy at all. To be honest, I would eat this chocolate regardless of the nutrition facts, and it’s a pretty solid dark chocolate bar. If you have friends who are sugar sensitive, let them know about this bar, it might help them enjoy chocolate more often.

And I want everybody to enjoy chocolate as often as possible.

Did you make any New Year's Resolutions?

***NOTE: I am not a doctor or a nutritionist. If you are unsure of whether or not this product is appropriate for you, please consult with a medical professional.