Good News: Dark Chocolate Is Actually Healthy and Can Lower Your Risk of Developing Type 2 Diabetes, Study Finds
A new study suggests a small amount of the sweet treat can be beneficial in lowering blood pressure and risk of certain diseases
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Dark chocolateA little dark chocolate can go a long way!
A new study suggests that dark chocolate may have benefits in preventing the development of Type 2 diabetes, NPR reported.
The study, published in The British Medical Journal, found that participants that ate five or more servings of dark chocolate in a week showed a significantly lower risk of developing the disease — 21% less than their counterparts that consumed similar amounts of milk chocolate.
Furthermore, those who ate milk chocolate in the study gained weight — which tends to contribute to the risk of developing diabetes — whereas dark chocolate consumers didn't.
Dark chocolate has been viewed as healthy and beneficial. The compounds in cocoa are linked to good heart health, a 2015 study published in Heart concluded. According to a separate 2005 story, it is also a great food to improve sensitivity to insulin and decrease blood pressure in healthy individuals.
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These health benefits are largely due to flavanols — bioactive compounds found in plants that trigger nitrous oxide production, which then dilates blood vessels and thus decreases blood pressure. One type of flavanol — epicatchins — are of particular interest to scientists due to its antioxidant benefits.
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Despite mounting evidence of dark chocolate's health benefits, the scientists behind the new study recommend taking their findings with a grain of salt.
Those in the study who showed positive responses to dark chocolate consumption may have had preexisting healthy habits that could also work to prevent Type 2 diabetes. Additionally, moderation is key — individuals in the study were eating roughly one ounce a day.
Read the original article on People
