If you are on Atkins Induction, then chocolate is not on the acceptable foods list. You could be sabataging yourself, especially with a bar a day. That is a significant amount. Carbs or no carbs, some foods can trigger cravings or an insulin release. It could be triggering cravings - you mentioned you fell off the wagon on the weekend - I would suggest doing a "clean" induction to kill your cravings and reset your body. Then perhaps later you can try adding in the chocolate and see how your body and weightloss responds.

I think the acceptable foods list is a list designed to simplify the diet. The whole core concept is to reduce the carbs, get the body into ketosis and keep it in ketosis. The Carb ladder is more or less a way of reprogramming eating habits. That's my own opinion of course.


In my experience, the need to eat is from consuming high GI foods, which flood the blood with insulin, causing a low blood sugar, triggering hunger. "Cravings" is the body's way of saying it needs something it doesn't have. For me, I find the hunger/insulin see-saw is easily avoidable by eating healthy foods with a lower GI/GL. As for the cravings, I find that if I am having cravings, I need to go back and look at what I ate, see what I'm low on, and then start adding that in. www.nutritiondata.com is great for finding foods that meet specific requirements. Again, my own opinion and perception based on what I've read and my own experiences.


I could go without the chocolate and see how things go. But I don't have any cravings now. The women at work around me all have jars of candies, chips, and nuts on their desk for others. I find that when I am eating substantially, I am unphased by them being there .. doesn't even register. BUT if I eat too little food at lunch or something - I find myself eyeing them .. thinking of things I want, etc. I've gotten in the habit of identifying this behavior and go quickly grab a salad or something to quash this.

This weekend I fell off the wagon because we had guests. I wasn't worried about it because I knew we'd get right back on the wagon. I don't think the chocolate was to blame .. we had Quesadillas on Friday .. ate properly Saturday .. and then had some Cabbage rolls on Sunday because we ran out of LC food. (I have 3 kids I also need to feed - so there is not just LC food in the house)

I have tasted the 99% but find it far too bitter for my taste buds.

I prefer the 85 % one by Cote d'Or as it has a more delicate taste.

I looked up the nutrition and carb content and it states 13 g per 40 g of chocolate.

http://www.fatsecret.com/Diary.aspx?pa=fjrd&rid=326577

I love cocoa nibs...they're just little bits of cocoa bean, so no sugar or anything else. Bitter but moreishly nibbly

I find the 90% Lindt has a better taste than the 85% -- it is difficult to find in the stores though. I have a bar of both that I have avoided since induction -- but I will have a square once in awhile when I'm clearly on OWL. I have lost my taste completely for anything very sweet, so this chocolate is very satisfying to me and I don't taste the bitterness at all anymore. It is definitely an acquired taste, but if you avoid sugar and heavy artificial sweetness, you may find you really like it.

I've heard they don't sell the 99% bars in the US.

Bummer Nancy! I can't just nibble on the 99% bars, but a square or two in your chocolate cake for one recipe is awesome!

70% and up are very good for cancer prevention , you will get used to the taste of the 70%, i usually eat 1-2 squars a day and sometimes when i want a real challenge i will buy the 85% yuke LOL

where are you getting this from? here's the website and the whole bar has 13 grams of carbs. it's a european chocolate and they already substract fiber from the carbs. And even if not, it's still got 7.



http://www.lindtusa.com/product-exe...ce_99_Cocoa_Bar

For all you chocolate lovers out there--

If you can afford it and can find it, try the 85% Venci chocolate from Italy. It is fantastic. For a 100g bar (about 3.5oz), 550 cals, 50g fat, 16.5g carbs, 5.7g protein. I usually break the bar into 5 pieces and end up with a 2 inch x 3/4 inch piece. The flavor is just very slightly sweet and the chocolate is smoother than any I have ever had.

http://worldwidechocolate.com/shop_cuba_dark85.html

Carne, here's a link to what the back of the Lindt bars in Canada look like:
http://www.lindt.com/ca/swf/eng/pro...lence-99-cacao/

I think they have got it wrong - I ran the numbers through a hidden carb calculator and it came out with a difference of 3.56 carbs, so it looks as if they have double-deducted the fibre to me.

I think in general thats true. I was just thinking that Dr. Atkins might have had a reason why cocoa powder or no sugar chocolate is not on the Atkins acceptable foods list for induction. Maybe its no big deal, it just seems like when I read the book it said don't eat anything not on the list, and its not on there.


Studies have shown that some foods cause insulin release in some people, and not in others. Apparently 25% of people have an insulin response to sugar alcohols. Some have insulin response to coffee. Or to a sweet taste. In another study one person had insulin response to bitter tastes. I guess it means everyone is different. I can't eat raw celery or I get bad cravings. Weird. Maybe you can eat a chocolate bar a day and be okay. If that's true, then that's cool. But it might be something to consider if you stop losing or get cravings.

I hope it goes well for you!

dayyyyyyyyyyyyyum! k then...


:::runs to get lindtt::

Ack! I shouldn't have opened this thread. Now I've had to go make myself some coconut oil chocolates. Oh well.

Depending on what edition you have, there are some variations in this list. When Dr. A first wrote the book (in 1972), there were foods we commonly use now that wouldn't even have been on the radar screen. For example, commercial protein powders, coconut oil (specifically), flaxseed meal. For that matter, "shortening" and "margerine" WERE on the list--now notoriously discredited as evil hydrogenated fats.

Chocolate isn't on either list--obviously Dr. A wasn't a chocoholic. But this was way before sugar alcohols, many choices of artificial sweeteners, and designer chocolates.

In any case, YMMV. Now, if you'll excuse me, I think I hear a bit of chocolate calling my name.