Daily Chocolate Intake Linked To Lower Risk Of Diabetes, Heart Disease
Daily chocolate intake linked to lower risk of diabetes, heart disease Could a doctor's visit one day result in a prescription for chocolate? According to a new study, it is possible. Researchers suggest that consuming a small amount of chocolate every day may lower the risk of diabetes and heart disease. Eating chocolate every day could lower the risk of diabetes and heart disease, say researchers. Study co-author Prof. Saverio Stranges - visiting academic of the University of Warwick Medical School, United Kingdom, and scientific director of the Department of Population Health at the Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH) - and colleagues publish their findings in the British Journal of Nutrition. Chocolate is often perceived as a treat that should only be enjoyed from time to time. Given its high fat and sugar content, this is no surprise; overconsumption can lead to health problems, such as tooth decay and obesity . However, studies are increasingly suggesting regular, moderate chocolate consumption may yield significant health benefits, particularly when it comes to dark chocolate. Dark chocolate has the highest cocoa content, which means it has the highest levels of antioxidants - specifically, flavonoids - which are molecules that can prevent some forms of cell damage . For their study, Prof. Stranges and colleagues analyzed the chocolate consumption of 1,153 people aged 18-69 who were part of the Observation of Cardiovascular Risk in Luxembourg (ORISCAV-LUX) study. Data on chocolate intake were gathered from participants' completion of a food frequency questionnaire. The team set out to investigate whether chocolate intake is associated with insulin resistance - where the body's cells do not effectively respond to insulin , raising the risk for type 2 diabetes an Continue reading >>
The Best Ways To Enjoy Dark Chocolate When You Have Diabetes
One of the most widely believed myths about living with type 2 diabetes is that all sweets are off-limits, and upon receiving a diabetes diagnosis, you may feel forced to say goodbye to all the after-dinner treats and 3 p.m. pick-me-ups you once loved. Fortunately, it’s actually true that some sweets are safe for people with diabetes — and in the case of dark chocolate, a moderate amount may even lead to some significant health benefits, including lower blood sugar. Among the possible perks of noshing on a square of the dark stuff are improved brain function, blood pressure, cholesterol, and heart health, according to the American Diabetes Association. Those benefits may seem like enough reason to race for the candy aisle, but not so fast. As with eating any food when you're managing diabetes, details are key. Follow this guide to enjoy dark chocolate safely without throwing your blood sugar out of whack. Why Dark Chocolate and Diabetes Make a Sweet Combination A plain square of high-cocoa dark chocolate is packed with good-for-you components that put that designer cupcake or gourmet chocolate-chip cookie to shame. “The antioxidants in chocolate help the body use its insulin more efficiently to help control blood sugar,” says Anna Simos, CDE, the diabetes education and prevention program manager at Stanford Health Care in Palo Alto, California. “This in turn helps lower blood sugar levels naturally and actually helps your body use your insulin. As a result, it helps decrease insulin resistance, which we see in type 2 diabetes.” According to an animal study published in the November 2017 issue of the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, it’s the compounds found in cocoa called cocoa flavanols that appear to enhance certain cells’ ability to secrete insuli Continue reading >>
The Benefits Of Chocolate For Diabetes
Ohhhhhhhhhh….Chocolate! Chocolate! How many times have you just had that sometimes nearly overwhelming urge to have some chocolate—in any form! You can have a chocolate bar, chocolate milk, chocolate cake, brownies, a chocolate ice cream sundae or a cup of hot cocoa just to list a few forms of chocolate. Oh wait—you can have dark chocolate, milk chocolate, orange, mint or raspberry-flavored chocolate or white chocolate….so much to choose from! But….should you? And if you should, just how much is enough and how much is overdoing it? Are there “healthier” forms of chocolate? Many of us sure as shootin’ hope there is! The “Dark” History of Chocolate Chocolate comes from the fruit and seeds of the cacao tree and is native to the Amazon forest. Botanically, the cacao tree is known as Theobroma cacao – this tree has three major varieties; the Forastero, the Trinitario and the Criollo. The Forastero is the most commonly used variety while the rarest and most prized for its aroma and its delicate taste is the Criollo variety. Christopher Columbus is credited with being the first European to come in contact with the cacao bean—he and his crew found—and stole, apparently—a canoe filled with various food items, including baskets of cacao beans. The cacao beans were actually used as local currency, but their chocolate quality was missed for another twenty years until Hernando Cortez brought 3 chests of cacao beans, this time stolen from the Aztecs, back to the court of the Spanish king—and the popularity of cacao and chocolate took off![1] The history of chocolate though, actually appears to be much older, going back to at least the Mayan civilization and possibly the Olmec civilization that predates the Mayan civilization. The traditional chocolate be Continue reading >>
The Dieter’s (and Diabetic Person's) Guide To Buying Chocolate
How can you get your daily chocolate fix -- and eat less sugar or calories, too? That's a million-dollar question that several companies are banking on people asking. Over the past few years, the sugar-free and portion-controlled chocolate market has exploded. There are all sorts of sugar-free versions of favorite chocolate bars. And you can now buy individually wrapped chocolate bars or sticks in 60- to 100-calorie portions, along with the ever-popular kisses. To help you decide among all the options out there, we taste-tested a number of sugar-free chocolate products (and some portion-controlled ones, too). But first, let's talk about how having a little chocolate every day could actually be good for you. Can Chocolate Really Be Good For You? Yes, it's true -- chocolate does appear to have some health benefits. Though more research needs to be done, studies have indicated that cocoa and darker types of chocolate may help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, decrease blood pressure, and relax blood vessels. Many of the health benefits of chocolate seem to stem from the antioxidant flavanols (a type of flavonoid), which are also found in other plant foods including tea, grapes, grapefruit, and wine. The cocoa bean happens to be extraordinarily rich in them. The flavanol content of chocolate depends on the flavanol content of the cacao plant used, and the way the cocoa was turned into chocolate. But here are three general rules of thumb: Cocoa powder and baking chocolate contain more flavonoids than dark chocolate. Dark chocolate has more flavonoids than milk chocolate. White chocolate has none. Of course, there's a catch to all this -- you don't want to cancel out all these potential health benefits of dark chocolate and cocoa by eating too many calories or too mu Continue reading >>
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Dark Chocolate And Diabetes: The Benefits Of This Tasty Snack
Hardly a day goes by without a media source advising us to "Eat a tomato each day for better skin," "have a glass of red wine each night with dinner" — or some other dietary directive. Perhaps you've heard about the potential health benefits of dark chocolate and diabetes. But is it true? Chocolate fans, rejoice! Yes, in fact, this snack could lower your diabetes risk according to Endocrine Abstracts. Daily consumption of dark chocolate is associated with positive effects on insulin sensitivity and blood sugar — two key factors in developing diabetes. But before you jump and start incorporating chocolate into meals, make sure you know the facts. The Link Between Dark Chocolate and Diabetes The secret of how dark chocolate works against diabetes lies within the sweet snack's makeup. Dark chocolate contains polyphenols, which are naturally occurring compounds that have antioxidant properties (which protect the body from damage caused by harmful molecules). Polyphenols in dark chocolate may improve insulin sensitivity, or how well insulin works in the body. This, in turn, may help control blood sugar, according to research published in Endocrine Abstracts. Such improved insulin sensitivity may delay, or even prevent, the onset of diabetes. A study published by the journal Appetite found that people who eat chocolate, including dark chocolate, at least once a week had a lower prevalence of diabetes and were at lower risk for diabetes four to five years later. The analysis of 908 nondiabetic people and 45 people with diabetes discovered that people who ate such chocolate less than once weekly were at twice the risk of diabetes versus those who ate it more than one day per week. But what if you already have diabetes? Well, there may be some benefits of dark chocolate cons Continue reading >>
Top 5 Diabetic Chocolate Picks
Are you a chocolate lover? And more importantly are you a diabetic on the lookout for your best chocolate options? I tend to make my own chocolate (and we have quite a few recipes for that), but I know most people aren't as motivated as me and prefer to buy something prepackaged. So to save you time and energy I went on a search for some ‘healthy' diabetic chocolate brands, ones I thought stood out of the crowd. When I did my search I was looking for ones low in carbs and preferably sugar free and made with stevia (my preferred natural sweetener). So I came up with a few good contenders for you to choose from and have gathered all the info below so you can make your own comparisons. 1. Dante's Confection This brand is a very popular top seller on Amazon, and I like it because it only contains 3 ingredients! Any ‘product' that has 5 or less ingredients, with ingredients we can recognize, gets the T2DT seal of approval It's also low in carbs and is excellent value for money. Another reason this one is the chocolate of choice is because it is the lowest in total carbs as well. Ingredients: Organic Fair-Trade Cocoa, Stevia, Natural Vanilla. Nutrition – Serving size: 45 g (1 bar) Calories: 260 Fat: 24 g Carbs: 12 g Fiber: 7 g Sugars: 0 g Net carbs: 5 g Protein: 7 g Cost: $16.99 for 4 x 45 g (1.5 oz) bars and many people say that eating just half a bar is all you need to feel satisfied. Check Out Dante's Confection on Amazon Here 2. Lily's Sweets Lily's Sweets has a variety of chocolate blends to choose from, dark chocolate, dark chocolate almond, milk chocolate, milk chocolate almond and more. These are sweetened with stevia and erythritol and have lots of good reviews on Amazon. They do contain a few more ingredients but some of their flavors might be worth exploring. Continue reading >>
Chocolate As Diabetes Medicine
I used to say chocolate tasted great, but if you thought it was a health food, you were kidding yourself. But research shows that chocolate helps manage diabetes, prevents heart disease, and improves mood. Is this too good to be true? Next week, I’ll get back to toxic chemicals. This week, I felt like something tastier. According to nutritionist Amy Campbell, chocolate is made from cacao (cocoa) beans. The insides of the roasted beans, or the “nibs,” are crushed into a paste. So right there is a good start. We’ve written before about the diabetes benefits of beans, so chocolate has a good pedigree for health. Most of chocolate’s healing power seems to come from “flavonoids,” biological chemicals that Campbell says “are thought to help lower cholesterol and lower the risk of blood clots.” Other studies show chocolate can relax blood vessels; lower blood pressure, LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, and blood glucose; and improve insulin function. Unfortunately, pure chocolate is bitter. You have to add sugar to make it taste good. And pure chocolate is powdery and dry. You have to add an emulsifier, like fat, to give it an enjoyable texture. So authorities have long called chocolate harmful and told people, especially people with diabetes, to avoid it. Is there a way to get the benefits, minimize the harmful sugars and fats, and still have something you want to eat? The healing flavonoids and flavonols are in the dark part of the chocolate. About.com guide Elizabeth LaBau defines “dark chocolate” as “chocolate without milk solids added…The cocoa content of commercial dark chocolate bars can range from 30%… to 70%… or even above 80% for extremely dark bars. Common terms used to distinguish the cocoa content of dark chocolate bars [from bitterest to Continue reading >>
Diabetes And Dark Chocolate
Share: Mouthwatering dark chocolate; could it be true that there are health benefits to eating it? Should someone with diabetes avoid the sheer pleasure of dark chocolate? Are there any precautions to take? What is the real story surrounding dark chocolate and diabetes? Last but not least DiabetesCare.net has a list of 5 recipes that include dark chocolate for your utter enjoyment. The health benefits of eating chocolate: Research scientists are studying good bacteria found in the digestive tract of people that normally eat cocoa. Preliminary findings are pointing in the direction that this bacteria is helping to ferment antioxidants and fiber found in cocoa. These bacteria are thought to help create compounds that are anti-inflammatory and help with our cardiovascular health. In one study of healthy individuals, it was found that by eating a small square (8 grams) of dark chocolate (70% cocoa chocolate) every day for a months’ time an improvement in vascular function over their own baseline as well as the control group was shown. This small amount can potentially help to decrease the risk of heart disease. The research was done on pure, unsweetened cocoa powder and it is advised that even the darkest chocolate must be consumed in moderation to avoid excess calories and weight gain. At this time scientists can not recommend an ideal amount of cocoa powder to eat. (1) For people with type 2 diabetes, daily dark chocolate consumption of 20 grams per day (that was rich with polyphenols) helped increase the sensitivity to insulin. This is important for blood glucose control. Increasing insulin sensitivity may also help delay the onset of type 2 diabetes in people with pre-diabetes. (1) A review of literature in 2012 found that eating dark chocolate every day reduced blood Continue reading >>
Chocolate Helps Diabetes - Thank You
I admit I am addicted to chocolate. With my CGM, I have noticed that cheap, candy-bar type chocolate really influences my sugars rapidly, while dark, higher quality chocolate does not nearly as much, and much slower. So my chocolate of choice is dark chocolate covered almonds or cashews. But the test for me is that the chocolate is not the waxy coated cheap stuff, but the smooth surface. Aldi's has a good brand, and at a great price. But I do wait until my CGM says it is okay, and have 4-5 of them. I don't love the super dark chocolate, but the Dove dark chocolate is super yummy! I think it does raise blood sugar a bit more than the extra dark kinds though. Undiagnosed as of yet, pending genetic testing Postprandials range from 120-235 depending on the meal. dark chocolate (for health/nutrition reasons) is generally defined as over 70% cocoa. for me 85 - 86% is the "sweet" spot, tastewise Ghirardelli 86 is my favorite and it's affordable D.D. Family T2 since 2005, Control via LCHF/Exercise, No Meds If you want to adjust your taste buds to be more accepting of dark chocolate, you may want to try the following: Buy one bar of your favorite chocolate, and one bar of dark chocolate. Then whenever you want to eat some chocolate, break off half the normal size of your favorite chocolate, and a similar size of the dark chocolate, and eat the two combined. You'll still be able to taste the same sweetness of the regular chocolate, but you'll also experience the dark chocolate. Over time, select higher and higher cacao percentages for the dark chocolate, and/or increase the ratio of dark chocolate to regular chocolate. Yes, cocoa, all good. But the sugar in chocolate? (I don't need to say anything, right? I realised what a big feel-good role stevia-sweetened chocolate has in my Continue reading >>
Diabetes And Chocolate
Tweet A diabetic eating chocolate may raise eyebrows amongst some people but within reason, chocolate needn’t be completely cut out of your diet. In most cases, chocolate will cause blood sugar levels to rise and in light of this it’s best to limit chocolate consumption to small amounts and to avoid eating when blood sugars are already higher than the recommended blood glucose levels. Is eating chocolate good or bad for you? Chocolate contains a number of beneficial nutrients, some of which called flavonoids are thought to guard against heart disease. However, it should be noted that larger quantities of chocolate can be disadvantageous to health in other ways. If a larger amount of chocolate is consumed, it will raise blood sugars which increases the risk of complications, of which cardiovascular problems is one. Secondly, the calorific content of chocolate is relatively high and therefore overconsumption of chocolate could lead to weight gain which also raises the risk of heart problems. How much chocolate should I eat? For most people with diabetes, chocolate is best restricted to a few squares to prevent too much of an increase in sugar levels. For people with diabetes without weight problems, chocolate can be appropriate to have before exercising. For more strenuous activity, however, even shorter acting carbohydrate may be required. Which chocolate is best for me? Chocolate with higher amounts of cocoa solids are best, as the sugar and fat content will often be lower as a result. For high cocoa solids content, dark chocolate is usually a good pick. Is diabetic chocolate better for my sugar levels? Generally speaking, diabetic chocolate is made by replacing some or all of the sugar content with an alternative source of sweetener, such as the polyols (sugar alco Continue reading >>
Can Chocolate Fight Diabetes, Too?
You don't have to like Willy Wonka to wish you had your own chocolate factory. Americans consume about 1.5 million metric tons of chocolate confectionery products each year, and they spend nearly $10 billion to do so. Perhaps that's not enough. Chocolate manufacturers seem increasingly to be aiming at a new market: health foods. Some new and soon-to-be-released chocolate products tout the fact that they are rich in flavonoids or in cocoa, which usually contains those potentially heart-healthy plant compounds. A new study in Italy suggests that consuming flavonoid-rich dark chocolate instead of flavonoid-free white chocolate could not only lower blood pressure and cholesterol—benefits suggested by some prior studies—but also improve the body's processing of sugar. That, in theory, could guard against diabetes. Is dark chocolate emerging as a health food? No, researchers maintain. "I'm not suggesting that dark chocolate is now some therapeutic medicine," says Jeffrey B. Blumberg of Tufts University, who collaborated on the Italian study. Nevertheless, he says, the new finding suggests that specific flavonoids have beneficial effects on several measures of health. "Perhaps," says Claudio Ferri, the leader of the new study, "a little bit of cocoa per day can be useful." But he's quick to add that most chocolate products are loaded with calories, so adding them to what a person already eats daily would add pounds. "The potential benefits will be surely bypassed and exceeded by excessive weight gain," says Ferri, an internist at the University of L'Aquila. Dark chocolates, especially those made with minimal processing, may be better for you than alternative indulgences (see Chocolate-Science News and Chocolate Hearts). They tend to contain more flavonoids, and somewhat le Continue reading >>
Can Diabetics Eat Chocolate?
If you have diabetes, you can eat anything -- although possibly not in the quantities you'd like. That includes chocolate. Some types of chocolate, such as dark chocolate, might even have health benefits, in moderation. Portion control is the key to enjoying foods like chocolate if you have diabetes, the American Diabetes Association reports. Dark chocolate is rich in polyphenols, plant substances that act as antioxidants and that might also help prevent heart disease and lower blood glucose levels. Types of Chocolate All chocolate is not created equal in terms of health benefits. When it comes to foods high in simple sugars, less is better if you have diabetes. Dark chocolate contains more cocoa and less sugar than milk chocolate, so you can eat a little more of it if you're controlling your calories or sugar intake. With dark chocolate, the higher the cocoa percentage, the better it is for you. Look for dark chocolate with at least 70 percent cocoa, registered dietitian Mitzi Dulan recommends. White chocolate contains no cocoa and is higher in calories and saturated fat than dark or milk chocolate. Potential Benefits According to a study that appeared in the January, 2015 issue of ARYA Atherosclerosis, high-cocoa polyphenol-rich chocolate lowers blood pressure and insulin resistance in patients with diabetes and high blood pressure. Insulin resistance restricts the uptake of glucose into cells, which causes blood glucose levels to rise. People who ate white chocolate did not experience a decrease in blood pressure or insulin resistance. In a British study published in the November 2010 issue of Diabetic Medicine, diabetics who consumed chocolate high in cocoa for 16 weeks experienced a decrease in total cholesterol and an increase in high-density lipoprotein, the so-c Continue reading >>
Dark Chocolate And Type 2 Diabetes
Demystifying dark chocolate The allure of chocolate Why do you eat chocolate? If you ask this question the answer you receive may astonish you. The reasons are wide-ranging. People eat chocolate when they are happy or sad. They eat chocolate to celebrate and also to alleviate loneliness. Parents can attest that nothing beats chocolate as a bargaining chip. Simply put, it makes us feel good! It makes us smile and we momentarily forget our worries. Thinking about chocolate brings to mind a delicious, sweet flavour that never fails to appease. Not many can resist this tempting delicacy and many people do proudly attest to being chocoholics. What differentiates it from the competition? Chocolate comes in not only many flavours and shapes but its makeup determines whether a chocolate will be termed to be a white chocolate, a milk chocolate, powered cocoa or a dark chocolate. Each has a distinct aroma and taste. But the most profound difference lies in their differing nutritive values. The distinction is established by the presence or absence of cocoa solids which are all of the ingredients from a cocoa bean, including cocoa powder, cocoa butter, chocolate liquor and even ground cacao nib. White chocolate has the dubious honour of possessing the least nutritive value of the four mentioned types. It is made from cocoa butter from which cocoa solids have been removed. Cocoa butter is added to milk and sugar to make white chocolate. Bio-flavonoids which contribute to any healthy nutrition are found in cocoa solids. A lower quantity of cocoa solids and addition of milk and a large quantity of sugar hampers the overall nutritional profile of the white chocolate. For milk chocolates, the addition of fat through milk or cream as well as calories derived from sweeteners make its nutr Continue reading >>
The Health Benefits Of Dark Chocolate
Now, I know you may be thinking that sugar-laden chocolate is the last thing people with diabetes should be eating. But, while it’s true that chocolate has fat and calories, the health benefits of dark chocolate cannot be denied. Dark Chocolate Beneficial to Diabetics Surprisingly, Italian researchers discovered that health benefits of dark chocolate include significantly improved markers of insulin sensitivity, decreasing fasting insulin and glucose levels, as well as insulin and glucose responses to the glucose tolerance test. High-quality dark chocolate is sold in health-food, specialty and grocery stores. Look for bars that contain 70 percent cocoa or more. Don’t be put off by the fat content, and expect it to have some sugar. Unsweetened dark chocolate is extremely bitter and, even sweetened, it is for some an acquired taste, so shop around for a brand you like. Enjoy the Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate—in Moderation Most of all, eat dark chocolate in moderation. A square or two of dark chocolate every other day or so is enough to satisfy your sweet tooth and is fine to include in a diabetic diet. To keep caloric intake steady, eat it in place of, rather than in addition to, other foods or snacks. More Dr. Whitaker Advice on Diabetes Continue reading >>
My Love Of Chocolate And My Diabetes
One of my favorite things to eat is chocolate. As a diabetic, I set out to find if eating chocolate was a treat I needed to give up. Not only did I look into it, but I was very surprised at what I found. In fact, I ended up creating my own line of sugar-free chocolate. There are over 350 million people suffering from diabetes. One of the most frequently asked questions regarding diabetes and diet is whether diabetics must give up chocolate and other candy treats for good. The good news, however, is that those suffering from diabetes can enjoy an occasional chocolate treat if they exercise restraint and moderation. And with many new products on the market that are sugar-free, it makes it that much easier to have a treat every now and then. One of the reasons that an occasional chocolate bar is okay for diabetics is the fact that the sugar in chocolate is absorbed more slowly than that found in many other foods, such as white bread and even mashed potatoes. This means that the body has a bit more time to deal with the rise in blood sugar caused by chocolate. It is important to keep in mind, however, that too much chocolate can lead to excess weight gain that could complicate one’s diabetes. Many diabetics wonder about the special chocolates made with diabetics in mind. Like any other type of food, these diabetic chocolates can be either good or bad, depending on how they are consumed. When eaten as part of an overall healthy diet, diabetic chocolate can be an awesome treat, but when consumed in excess, it can be just as fattening and dangerous as any other sweet treat. While diabetic chocolate is designed to not raise blood glucose levels, it still has plenty of calories – you want to keep that in mind when consuming. It is important not to think of this special choco Continue reading >>
