Simple Low Calorie & Low FODMAP Hot Chocolate

I love hot chocolate. I think it is one of the best parts about winter. Sadly, regular hot chocolate you buy at the store or at Starbucks is likely to be high in FODMAPs (lactose in particular). Luckily for us, it is pretty easy to make your own at home! This week I am posting FOUR hot chocolate recipes. I thought I would start off with a simple low calorie low FODMAP hot chocolate. If you are like me, and want to be drinking hot chocolate almost every week when it’s cold out, this recipe is perfect!

So many people buy hot chocolate mixes at the grocery store, or go to coffee shops, without realizing how easy it is to make your own hot chocolate. This recipe is great for someone who is making their own hot chocolate for the first time.

There are three essential ingredients for this recipe: milk, cocoa and sweetener.

You can use your preferred low FODMAP milk. If you know you are okay with lactose, you can use normal cows milk. I have tried this recipe with lactose-free cows milk and soy milk. If you use soy milk, make sure to use one made with soy protein, not soy beans, to keep the FODMAPs low.  Almond milk is another option, but I have not personally tried it yet in this recipe. I usually drink cows or soy milk because they are higher in protein. Coconut milk is only low FODMAP at 1/2 cup.

I am so grateful that small amounts of cocoa powder is low FODMAP. Cocoa powder is low at 2 heaped teaspoons (8 g). At larger servings, it is high in fructans and galacto-oligosaccharides. This recipe only needs 2 levelled (not heaped) teaspoons.

Sweetener is of course essential to a tasty hot chocolate. I used 2 teaspoons of white sugar in this recipe to add some sweetness while keeping the overall sugar level down. One cup of this hot chocolate made with 1% milk and white sugar has less than 145 calories. If you wanted to lower the calories further, you could use skim milk or a low FODMAP artificial sweetener, such as Splenda/sucralose or stevia. Make sure to check the ingredients list of all artificial sweeteners, since some have added sugar alcohols (in particular some stevia blends). It’s best to consume artificial sweeteners in moderation, even if they are low FODMAP.

You may be thinking that 125 calories is super low, or you may be thinking that it is quite high. It is all about perspective. To give you a comparison, a grande sized peppermint hot chocolate (note: high in lactose) at Starbucks has 500 calories (whole milk and with whipped cream), along with 61 g of sugar (approx. 15 teaspoons). See the Starbucks Canada holiday drink nutrition facts here.

Now that I’ve scared you with those incredible nutrition facts, I hope you enjoy my low calorie low FODMAP hot chocolate recipe!

Simple Low Calorie Low FODMAP Hot Chocolate

A simple and low calorie low FODMAP hot chocolate. Low FODMAP, gluten-free, and vegan option.

5 from 2 votes

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Course Beverage

Servings 1 cup

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 cup milk (lactose-free cows milk or soy protein soy milk)
• 2 tsp white sugar
• 2 tsp cocoa powder

Instructions

 

• Pour 2 tablespoons of the milk into a saucepan. Heat on low and mix in sugar and cocoa. Stir until there are no lumps of cocoa.
• Pour in the rest of the milk. Heat on medium-low until the hot chocolate is heated to your preferred temperature. Pour into a mug and enjoy!

Notes

• There are multiple milk options. I prefer lactose-free cows milk. If you use soy milk, make sure to use one made with soy protein, not soy beans, to keep the FODMAPs low.  Almond milk is another option. Coconut milk is only low FODMAP at 1/2 cup.
• Cocoa powder is only low FODMAP at 2 heaped teaspoons per serving.
• If you use an artificial sweetener instead of sugar, make sure to check the ingredients lists, since some have added sugar alcohols (in particular some stevia blends). It's best to consume artificial sweeteners in moderation, even if they are low FODMAP.

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I love this simple low calorie low FODMAP hot chocolate recipe, but I do sometimes get bored of plain old hot chocolate. I will be posting three more hot chocolate recipes this week, so stay tuned! Make sure to subscribe to my email newsletter or follow me on social media to stay updated.

What are some of your favourite winter drinks?

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