The skinny on sugar-free chocolate

I've always been a big chocolate fan fanatic. I love my chocolate -- I just don't love the havoc it wreaks on my waistline. So while I've never tried sugar-free chocolate, it sounds perfect: that same chocolaty goodness, without all the calories? I must be dreaming.

Okay, I probably am. Sugar-free chocolate may not be all it's cracked up to be. Case in point: sugar free doesn't mean fat free and fat has calories too. So while you are saving calories, you might not be saving as much as you think. Another downfall? Sugar alcohols used to sweeten the chocolate can have a laxative effect. Yikes! Also: taste is sometimes (but not always) lacking.

So the verdict seems that sugar-free, like regular chocolate, should be consumed in moderation. What do you think?