Easter food and diabetes

From diabetes.org.uk

There’s a myth that you can't eat chocolate if you have diabetes. But you can eat chocolate, just in moderation and not too often.  

Try not to eat a lot in one go as it affects your blood sugar levels. If you snack on chocolate regularly it may start to increase your cholesterol levels and make it more difficult to manage your weight. 

When you have diabetes it’s important to make healthier food choices  and be smart with the snacks you choose. This means swapping things like crisps, biscuits, ice cream and chocolate for unsweetened yoghurts, unsalted nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables.  

This will help to manage your diabetes and reduce your risk of long-term complications. 

Chocolate and your health 

Chocolate is a treat food and sits outside of the Eatwell Guide because it's high in energy, sugar and saturated fat, even in small portion sizes. If we eat these foods frequently and in large amounts this could lead to unintentional weight gain making it more difficult to manage our blood sugar, blood cholesterol and blood pressure.    

If your personal health goal is towards achieving or maintaining a healthier weight, it’s important to check in on how much and how often we’re eating high fat, high sugar foods like chocolate. 

The added sugar in chocolate counts as ‘free sugars’ which we all need to keep an eye on whether we are at risk of diabetes, live with diabetes or don't live with diabetes. On average chocolate contains 50g sugar per 100g.  

We should all limit our free sugar intake to 30g a day for adults and children over the age of 11, equal to 7 cubes or 7 teaspoons of sugar. This is especially important for people living with diabetes, who are at higher risk of dental problems. 

Chocolate typically contains cocoa butter and additional fats or oils like palm oil and shea butter. These ingredients are high in saturated fats, linked to raised cholesterol and heart disease. You can check how much chocolate treats can add up to by checking your food labels.

Enjoying chocolate as a special treat

As a nation we really enjoy our chocolate, perhaps more occasionally than as a special rare treat. Chocolate tends to be put in a prime position in shops and put on special offer, which increases our temptation even more.  

To enjoy chocolate in moderation, try to rethink your portion sizes. it’s not an everyday food but can be a nice way to celebrate.  

Celebrating with others and sharing the treat will help you from eating more than you planned.  

Sometimes we reach for treat foods like chocolate when we feel low or need comforting, it’s important to think about what may be driving this feeling. 

Take a look at our articles on emotional eating, and other ways to bond with family members.

That said, celebrations such as Easter and Christmas only come once a year, so don’t worry about the odd one or two high blood sugar levels as these will not affect your long-term health and diabetes management.

Can I eat ‘diabetic’ chocolate? 

We do not recommend 'diabetic' chocolate. Diabetic chocolate is just as high in saturated fat and calories as ordinary chocolate, it can still raise blood sugar levels and is often more expensive than regular chocolate. 
To say food is a diabetic food is against the law. This is because there isn’t any evidence that these foods offer you a special benefit over eating healthily. These foods can also sometimes have a laxative effect. 

Can I treat a hypo with chocolate?

Chocolate is not good for treating hypos because the fat slows down the absorption of sugar, so they don't work quickly enough. Here's a reminder on which treatments will work best if you have a hypo.

Children and chocolate 

Birthday parties and festive celebrations such as Easter and Christmas are a fun time for children. Having diabetes doesn’t stop them from being part of the fun. 

The same government healthy eating guidelines apply, that all children limit their daily free sugar intake to:

• 19g, equal to 5 cubes or 5tsp of sugar, for children aged 4 to 7 
• 24g, equal to 6 cubes or 6tsp of sugar, for children aged 7 to 10 

Remember if you or your child carb counts, check the chocolate label so that you can calculate how many carbs have been eaten and adjust insulin doses accordingly.

How to enjoy chocolate as part of a healthy, balanced diet 

• Instead of 'diabetic' chocolate, try choosing good-quality dark chocolate (70% cocoa is best). It has a stronger taste than milk chocolate, so you are likely to eat a bit less. 
• Decide how much you are going to eat and put the rest of the chocolate away, out of reach. This should help prevent you from having 'just one more piece' and eating more than you planned to. 
• Read the labels for carb content to help adjust your insulin levels. 
• Try making your own hot chocolate at home. Mix cocoa powder and hot water with a little sweetener to reduce the sugar of your hot chocolate or choose low sugar and calorie versions from supermarkets.
• Think about other non-food gifts that can be enjoyed just as much as chocolate. 

Your top chocolate tips 

Our supporters share their top tips for eating chocolate, whether you live with diabetes or not.

Noel: 

“If you crave chocolate, buy a quality bar with a high cocoa content, break it into squares and store it in your fridge or freezer. Then when you really want an occasional treat, help yourself to a square. Because it’s cold, it takes longer to melt in your mouth.” 

Ella:

"Do remember to count the carbs – most packages have info on the back."

Rachel:

"Don't wrap your child up in cotton wool – let them carry on as normal and just have eyes in the back of your head for signs of a high or low as the little monsters don't always tell you if they're too busy having fun." 

Our favourite Chocolate recipes  

• Microwave mug: Chocolate, banana and almond cups 
• Chocolate, almond and berry cake
• Chocolate brownies
• Chocolate orange soufflé
• 
  

https://www.diabetes.org.uk/living-with-diabetes/eating/chocolate-and-diabetes?utm_campaign=2419927_General%20Enewsletter%20March%202025&utm_medium=email&utm_source=dot_digital&dm_i=79RZ,1FV87,1PBE5R,50QMA,1 

Dark Chocolate Reduces Risk of Diabetes? Don’t Count on It

From mcgill.ca

By Joe Schwarcz PhD

Not-so-sweet news: Consuming dark chocolate to reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes is misguided 

Valentine’s Day is rolling around and we can expect a flood of articles about chocolate. Some will trot out the tired old trope about phenylethylamine in chocolate stimulating amorous adventures by enhancing the release of dopamine, the “feel good chemical” in the brain. Don’t bank on it! While chocolate does contain phenylethylamine, it is metabolized before it can reach the brain.

We can also expect endless articles about the health benefits of chocolate ranging from lowering blood pressure and neutralizing damage-causing free radicals to clearing plaque from arteries and preventing memory decline. The scientific publications cited in these articles are often funded by the chocolate industry, are peppered with words like “may” and “could,” and end with the phrase “more research is needed.”

Chocolate is not unique in this regard. Scarcely does a day go by without a study that suggests consuming some food or supplement to boost our health or urges us to avoid a food or ingredient that undermines it. This is usually followed by a bevy of media headlines that make more of the results than is warranted.

Such is the case for a study recently published in the British Medical Journal with the rather innocuous title “Chocolate intake and risk of Type 2 diabetes: prospective cohort studies.” This precipitated numerous headlines along the lines of “Sweet news: Dark chocolate reduces Type 2 diabetes risk.” Some headline writers do try to derail criticism with the usual weasel-qualifying words as in “How Sweet! A daily dose of dark chocolate may cut your risk of diabetes.” Of course, “may not” could apply just as well.

The study in question is typical of many similar ones carried out these days that involve the “mining” of data collected from prospective cohort studies. Such studies ask a large number of participants to fill out detailed food frequency questionnaires and then report over a period of years any health issue they encounter. The goal is to detect any association between some component of the diet and disease, but such observational studies can never prove a cause-and-effect relationship. They can, however, serve as a springboard for further studies.

In the case here, the results of three large cohort studies involving a total of 111,654 participants of whom 18,862 were eventually diagnosed with diabetes were pooled and the data “mined” for a link between diet and disease. After torturing the data until it yielded some result, the researchers concluded that while milk chocolate had no effect on diabetes, five or more servings of dark chocolate a week, compared with no consumption, reduced the risk of developing diabetes by 21 per cent!

That sounds pretty significant and makes one want to reach for that daily dose of dark chocolate. But before jumping to that conclusion, a little further investigation is warranted. First of all, there is the usual concern about food frequency questionnaires. Memory about what has been consumed is unreliable, and people are notoriously inept at estimating amounts. In this study, participants were asked to report their average frequency of consumption of one ounce of chocolate in the past year, choosing from nine levels ranging from “never, or less than once per month” to “more than six per day.” How reliably can one remember one’s chocolate consumption over a year? How do you factor in chocolate that was consumed by eating chocolate cake, gulping M&Ms, drinking hot cocoa or plucking a couple of pieces from that box of chocolates?

And the questions don’t stop there. There isn’t only one type of dark chocolate. Cocoa content of bars can range from 60 per cent to 90 per cent, meaning significant differences in chemical composition. Lindt even has a 100-per-cent cacao bar that has no sugar at all. I think one would remember how many times that was consumed over a year. For me, it was once. I can even predict my consumption over the next year. None.

Then we come to the different cultivars of the cacao trees that produce the pods containing the cocoa beans from which chocolate is produced. Depending on the cultivar, the chemical composition of the beans can vary. Once the pods are harvested and the beans are extracted, they are allowed to ferment. This means that the naturally occurring yeasts found all around us break down the sugars in the pulp surrounding the beans to produce ethanol. This is first converted by bacteria into lactic acid, which in turn yields acetic acid upon the action of other bacteria.

Aided by the heat produced during fermentation, the acetic acid breaks down the walls of the cacao bean’s cells and then degrades the proteins released into amino acids and peptides. Through a series of reactions these are converted into several families of polyphenols that are generally believed to be the beneficial components of chocolate. Given all these variables, the chemistry of different dark chocolates can be very different. Consuming a dark chocolate bar with 90-per-cent cocoa that comes from cacao trees grown in Ghana can have quite a different effect on the body than a 60-per-cent dark chocolate bar with cocoa originating from trees grown in Brazil.

Obviously, there is much uncertainty when it comes to amount and type of dark chocolate consumed. To this we can add another degree of uncertainty when we look at the claim of 21-per-cent reduction of diabetes in participants who consumed more than five servings of dark chocolate a week. Reporting results in percentages is always problematic because even a large per-cent change can be quite meaningless. Buying two lottery tickets instead of one increases your chance of winning by 100 per cent, but the chance is still trivial. So, what does a 21-per-cent reduction mean in this case?

I will spare you the tortuous scrutinizing of the data collected by the researchers from which we can glean that if 1,000 people who eat no chocolate were to start eating five servings of dark chocolate a week for a year, one of them would be saved from being diagnosed with diabetes during that year. Even this calculation is prone to significant uncertainty because out of 4,771 people who were diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, only 132 consumed more than five servings of dark chocolate a week. That’s a very small number on which to base statistics. Furthermore, as we have seen, we really don’t know what a “serving of dark chocolate” means in terms of the chemical components provided to the body.

There is also the question of lifestyle differences between dark-chocolate consumers and non-consumers. The researchers did make a valiant attempt to correct for this, but that is a challenging task. Estimating levels of physical activity from questionnaires is difficult, as is determining if the results were due to what was not eaten rather than what was. Maybe the five servings of dark chocolate replaced ice cream for dessert and it is the avoidance of the ice cream that resulted in the small benefit.

The bottom line here is that the many hours of research and the supporting funding yielded results that may be of some academic interest but have little practical significance. Media suggestions that adding five servings of dark chocolate a week to the diet with hopes of reducing the risk of Type 2 diabetes are misguided. Maybe if the chocolate is substituted for a sweet dessert. Or maybe not.

https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/critical-thinking-health-and-nutrition-did-you-know/dark-chocolate-reduces-risk-diabetes-dont-count-it

More Than Half of People with Type 2 Diabetes Are Deficient in This Vitamin, New Study Suggests

From eatingwell.com

Plus, two other nutrients that people with diabetes tend to be deficient in

More than 38 million Americans have diabetes, and between 90% and 95% of them have type 2 diabetes. While most are adults over the age of 45, an increasing number of children and teens are also developing the condition. The good news is that most type 2 diabetes cases can be prevented, as some lifestyle behaviours contribute to developing the condition. 

For example, studies have shown that diet plays a role in diabetes prevention and that diets high in added sugar, saturated fats, ultra-processed foods, sodium and excessive calories are associated with an increased risk of diabetes.

Many studies and guidelines on diabetes and diet focus primarily on macronutrients—carbs, fats and protein. But researchers in India wanted to know if there was a link between micronutrients—vitamins and minerals—and diabetes. Here’s what they found in their systematic review and analysis from January 2025, published in BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health.

How Was This Study Conducted?

After searching for previously published studies on diabetes and micronutrients and weeding out the ones that didn’t meet their criteria, researchers ended up with 132 studies with a total of 52,501 participants for this review and meta-analysis. Participants were men and women of multiple ethnicities at least 18 years old with type 2 diabetes, with or without complications. 

The studies included information on participants’ micronutrient status—including if they were deficient in specific vitamins and minerals based on their bloodwork. All the studies were published between 1998 and 2023 and were from many different countries, giving these researchers a global perspective.

                                                        Photo: Photography / Jennifer Causey, Styling / Ali Ramee / Audrey Davis

What Did This Study Find?

There were several findings from this review and meta-analysis:

• Over 45% of the type 2 diabetes population had multiple micronutrient deficiencies 
• 40% of the participants with diabetic complications had micronutrient deficiencies
• Women were more likely to be affected by micronutrient deficiencies than men
• Vitamin D deficiency was the most common deficiency with a prevalence of over 60% among people with type 2 diabetes 
• Magnesium ranked second as the most common deficiency with about 42% of people with type 2 diabetes deficient in magnesium
• In a subgroup of people with diabetes taking metformin, a common diabetes medication, vitamin B12 deficiency was present in almost 29% of participants

Here’s where the chicken-and-egg scenario comes in. Researchers can’t say whether the micronutrients may have played a role in these people developing diabetes, or if diabetes might have caused the micronutrient deficiencies. They can only conclude that there is some sort of correlation between type 2 diabetes and micronutrient deficiencies, including vitamins D and B12 and magnesium. 

How Does This Apply to Real Life?

You don’t have to have diabetes to be deficient in any of these nutrients. All three—vitamin D, vitamin B12 and magnesium—are commonly deficient in the general population as well. There are estimates that about 25% of Americans are vitamin D deficient with an additional 40% having below-optimal blood levels of the sunshine vitamin. Between 40% and 80% of people in developed countries are deficient in vitamin B12. Plus, about half of us aren’t getting enough magnesium.

Because these deficiencies are common in both the general population and those with type 2 diabetes, one might hypothesise that the deficiency may have come first. Regardless, it’s important to eat a balanced variety of foods to cover your nutrient needs, whether you have diabetes or not.

Vitamin B12 is found in animal products, like meat, fish and dairy. Fortified cereals, plant-based milks and nutritional yeast are plant-based sources of vitamin B12. 

Our bodies manufacture vitamin D from sunlight exposure, but many things can influence this process. For example, you need to expose enough of your body—head, arms and legs—which is difficult to do in colder months. A few foods do contain vitamin D. Egg yolks, mushrooms, cod liver oil, beef liver and fatty fish, like salmon, tuna and swordfish, all naturally contain vitamin D. You’ll also find some foods fortified with it, including cow’s milk, cheese, yogurt, soy milk, orange juice and cereal.

Magnesium, too, is in a wide variety of foods. Regularly eating nuts, seeds, nut and seed butter, soy, legumes, fruits and veggies can help ensure you’re getting enough magnesium. 

Even dark chocolate provides magnesium. We recently reported that researchers connected regularly eating a small amount of dark chocolate—but not milk or white chocolate—to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes. For that study, they hypothesized that dark chocolate’s antioxidants may have offered protection. Magnesium may have played a role, too. Add nuts to your dark chocolate for another magnesium boost.

If your diet is more centred on ultra-processed and high-added-sugar foods and beverages, there’s a good chance you’re not getting a sufficient amount of some of the micronutrients. But for many, completely overhauling your diet all at once is too overwhelming. 

Instead, pick one or two items you eat every day or almost every day and swap it with a whole food or something with less sugar, sodium or saturated fat. For example, if you drink soda every day, swap one of your daily sodas with water. If you need bubbles, sparkling water will work, too. Add fruit slices or a splash of 100% fruit juice to your glass if you need more flavour. Once you’ve made that one swap a habit, do more—swap another soda—and continue doing this until you’ve said adios to your sugary drink habit. 

Or if you eat fast food several times a week, choose one of those meals to swap with a meal you’ve prepared at home. If you’re in the habit of reaching for something with a lot of added sugar or caffeine for your afternoon pick-me-up, try having something nourishing instead, like a handful of nuts and a piece of dark chocolate or a string cheese and a piece of fruit. And, perhaps most importantly, make sure you’re hydrating. 

The Bottom Line

This study found that a high percentage of people with type 2 diabetes tend to be deficient in three micronutrients: vitamins D and B12 and magnesium. These are also commonly deficient nutrients in the general population. You are more likely to get the recommended daily intake of these micronutrients by eating a variety of foods.

If you worry that you may be low in these nutrients, a registered dietitian and your healthcare practitioner can help you with bloodwork to test your nutrient levels and develop individualized strategies for incorporating foods that are friendlier to your body and brain. And remember—small steps now will lead to big changes in the long run.

https://www.eatingwell.com/diabetes-vitamin-deficiency-study-8784014 

Best snacks for diabetics that taste great and help manage blood sugar

From msn.com/en-gb/health/nutrition

According to Diabetes UK, 4.4m people live with diabetes in the UK. The true figure is likely even higher as the organisation predicts 1.2m more could have undiagnosed Type 2 diabetes but don't know it.

The World Health Organisation explains that the condition is a chronic metabolic disease that means sufferers have high levels of blood sugar or blood glucose. Over time and if left unmanaged, it can cause serious issues to essential organs like the heart, eyes, nerves and kidneys.

There are two types of diabetes: the first is 1, a rare type with about 8 per cent of sufferers having this condition. Type 2 is the most common version of diabetes (90 per cent have this kind) and can be reversible for a small percentage through exercise and making healthier diet choices.

Most of us know the healthier food choices we should be making but busy lifestyles mean that we’re often reaching for something quick and convenient. If you’re managing diabetes, this can be a reckless gamble with your health, so it warrants extra consideration.

Award-winning author and chef Theo Michaels is working with SmarterNaturally, a UK company that has created a unique super-strain of broccoli (called ‘GRextra’) with patented health-boosting properties. In turn, this has been made into a 'SuperSoup' (a portion of which is the same as eating 1kg of raw broccoli) aimed at supporting diabetic diets, as well as those with high cholesterol.

We spoke to him about making the best diabetes-friendly snack options.

What should diabetics think about when choosing a snack?

Snacks high in fibre and protein are great for making you feel full for longer which helps to avoid over-eating. 

Diabetic-friendly products are always worth looking out for such as Smarter Naturally soup which is specifically designed for diabetics. Equally, avoid snacks that are high in simple carbohydrates and sugar; these will spike your blood sugar and inevitably lead to a sugar crash, then a craving for more sugar – a vicious cycle to avoid.

Are snack options the same for Type 1 and Type 2?

Whether you are Type 1 or Type 2 the considerations for snacks tend to be the same; for Type 1 the caveat is having a sugary snack or sweet tucked away in case blood sugar levels drop dramatically.

But in general, aim for snacks that are dense in useful nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, proteins, and healthy fats. Avoid anything sugary.

What's off-limits?

Even with diabetes, you can still enjoy sweet things – but be sensible. My dad, who has Type 2, still enjoys his desserts but is conscious of watching his sugar levels and will eat less carbs at dinner if he knows there is a pudding he likes later! Rather than eating a whole slice of dessert, he’ll just have a slither.

To play it safe, avoid sugary sweets or anything highly processed (sweet or savoury) as they can be very high in sugar and saturated fats. Ice creams can vary a lot so pay attention to the ingredients list first; avoiding any that are very high in sugar.

Equally crisps with simple carbohydrates can spike blood sugar levels. Salted popcorn is a great alternative.

Can diabetics snack on chocolate?

Yes! Good quality dark chocolate is delicious, rich and only takes a few small bites to leave your sweet tooth satisfied. It usually has lower sugar content and comes packed with antioxidants.

Milk chocolate on the other hand has a much higher sugar content and should be avoided. There is an argument that white chocolate shouldn’t be classified as chocolate altogether and is very high in sugar.

What's an easy homemade snack idea for diabetics?

I’d be outed by the Greek community if I didn’t mention Greek yoghurt (low in sugar, great for gut health) topped with nuts or seeds and a small drizzle of honey or blend a few berries together for a homemade fruity sauce.

Power balls are great and incredibly versatile; a simple process of mixing peanut butter, a little honey, rolled oats, nuts, seeds and rolled into balls and stored in the fridge. The combinations are endless; dried fruits, dark chocolate shavings, dates, and more.

Smarter Naturally soup is also versatile. By adding a variety of toppings or checking out their delicious range of meals made using the soup.

Finally, good old-fashioned boiled eggs; packed with protein, healthy fats and incredibly easy!

Is it better to choose sweet or savoury snacks?

You can get diabetic-friendly sweet snacks but in general, I lean towards savoury being a safer bet. Read the ingredients list as things will vary in sugar, fat and other content.

What shop-bought snacks are best for those with diabetes?

Snack bars can be a great choice – just check they are low in sugar, contain lots of fibre and if possible, include protein. Talking of snack bars, SmarterNaturally is about to launch super-broccoli bars which are specifically designed as diabetic friendly and contain ingredients which actively work to lower blood sugar levels and support diabetic health.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/health/nutrition/best-snacks-for-diabetics-that-taste-great-and-help-manage-blood-sugar/ar-BB1qQaLO?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=HCTS&cvid=73a80c3a24054dca82e462030a4105b1&ei=12

Scientists Find Eating Dark Chocolate May Lower Your Risk for Type 2 Diabetes

From prevention.com

Experts explain how different kinds of chocolate affect your risk 

• Eating more of one type of chocolate may lower the risk for type 2 diabetes, new research finds.
• Dark chocolate, specifically, was found to be associated with a 21% lower risk of type 2 diabetes.
• Experts explain how different kinds of chocolate affect your risk.

There are health benefits to chocolate—and new research proves it. A new study found that eating more dark chocolate may lower your risk of type 2 diabetes—but other types of the sweet treat may raise it.

A study published in BMJ collected data from over 100,000 healthy adults. Over an average period of 25 years, these participants completed a food frequency survey every four years, which included how much chocolate they ate and their intake of dark and milk chocolate.

Throughout the study, 18,862 people developed type 2 diabetes. Of these participants, 4,771 people documented the types of chocolate they consumed.

Researchers found that people who ate at least five ounces of any type of chocolate per week had a 10% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes in comparison to those who never, or rarely, consumed chocolate.

When it came to different types of chocolate, eating dark chocolate, in particular, seemed to be associated with a 21% lower risk of type 2 diabetes, compared to those who rarely (or didn’t) eat it. For every additional serving of dark chocolate that people ate, they lowered their risk of type 2 diabetes by 3%.

On the other hand, researchers found that eating milk chocolate was associated with long-term weight gain, which is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes.

While these results are fascinating, there are still some unanswered questions. Keep in mind that this study is observational, which makes it impossible to determine whether dark chocolate is causing the lowering of type 2 diabetes risk alone. Also, most of the data was collected from white adults older than 50 at baseline, which may limit the ability to generalize the findings to other populations. Lastly, the levels of chocolate consumption were relatively low among the study participants compared with the national average, which may have hindered researchers’ ability to assess the association between type 2 diabetes risk and higher intake of chocolate.

So, how might dark chocolate lower type 2 diabetes risk? Eating the cocoa-filled treat may be linked to a lower risk of developing diabetes, but it’s important to remember that more research is needed to determine if there is a causal relationship, says Akhil Shenoy, M.D., endocrinologist and medical advisor at Aeroflow Diabetes. “Still, the association was telling as it was dose-dependent—the more the dark chocolate consumption, the less the risk of developing diabetes—and was consistent with findings from other studies,” he notes.

Dark chocolate is a rich source of flavanols which are natural antioxidants, disease-fighting compounds found in fruits and vegetables, says Sophie Lauver, M.S., R.D., L.D.N., registered dietitian at Aeroflow Diabetes. “These flavanols can also be anti-inflammatory and help to increase blood flow.” Studies show that cocoa may help with slowing carbohydrate absorption, improving insulin sensitivity, preserving insulin-producing cells in our pancreas, and improving lipid levels, which may prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes, she explains.

When compared to milk chocolate, dark chocolate contains more cocoa, more flavanols, and less sugar and fat, explains Lauver. “It is a more concentrated source of the healthy parts of chocolate with fewer of the ingredients and nutrients that are known to increase diabetes, obesity, and overall chronic disease risk,” she says.

The bottom line

Dark chocolate can be a part of a nutritious diet and a higher consumption of it has been associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, says Lauver. “People may feel like a healthy diet or a way of eating that can prevent disease may be unrealistic or unexciting but fun foods such as dark chocolate can be included without sacrificing our health—and maybe even improving it,” she says. However, keep in mind that unlike dark chocolate, milk chocolate intake may be associated with an increase in weight gain, she notes.

Despite dark chocolate’s known health benefits, it can still be a concentrated source of calories when consumed in excess, Lauver points out. “Higher concentrations of dark chocolate are most beneficial for health but may be less palatable as cocoa percentages increase. I recommend searching for a dark chocolate that’s 70% cocoa or higher, with more being better,” she advises.

When it comes to lowering your risk for type 2 diabetes, make sure you are eating a wide array of whole plant foods, says Lauver. “We should minimize our intake of fat (especially unhealthy fat), sodium, and added sugars,” she says. We also need to move our bodies regularly and stay active, manage stress, stay hydrated, and decrease our reliance on ultra-processed foods and eating outside the home, she suggests.

https://www.prevention.com/health/a63186905/dark-chocolate-lowers-type-2-diabetes-risk-study/

Eating Dark Chocolate Is Associated with Lower Risk of Diabetes Type 2 in Large Study

From goodnewsnetwork.org

In a US study of 192,000 participants, five servings of dark chocolate a week was associated with a lower risk of developing type-2 diabetes.

This was in direct contrast to milk chocolate consumption, which was not associated with any protective effect, and rather was linked to higher weight gain.

The study included 34 years of data and over 18,000 incidents of type-2 diabetes, pointing to how dark chocolate, particularly the kind with 70% cacao or more, can be part of a healthy diet.

Everyone should first understand that the study is the most fertile soil for a phenomenon in science literature known as the ‘healthy user bias.’ Put simply, people who care about looking after themselves are more likely to select dark chocolate, because of its lower sugar content, than milk chocolate, just as those people who are less bothered about monitoring their overall sugar intake won’t be bothered about which chocolate is available.

Furthermore, the 192,000 participants were nurses and health practitioners, and are therefore those most likely to be aware of the risks of added sugar in food.

                                                                                   Curated Lifestyle for Unsplash +

Even though the authors of the study, published in the British Medical Journal, report to have adjusted the results for diet, personal, and lifestyle factors, the healthy user bias can manifest in other ways; and the diets of the individuals were gathered from food frequency questionnaires which are notorious for participants entering what they imagine or want to perceive themselves as eating, rather than what they actually ate.

These are not only challenges related to this study on chocolate, but almost all dietary literature because people don’t have the time or desire to lock themselves in a metabolic ward to perform a randomized controlled trial that would yield the gold standard of medical data.

With these caveats printed, there was still a 21% associated risk reduction in developing type-2 diabetes, the most rampant metabolic disorder in the US and around the world, when consuming dark chocolate rather than milk chocolate.

One potential strength of the study was that 5 or more servings of dark chocolate per week was actually associated with a 10% lower risk of developing type-2 diabetes when compared with those who ate no chocolate at all.

It could be because they are selecting other options such as vanilla ice cream, but it’s a possible indication that the finding is something more than corollary.

Another potential strength of the study was that it identified a dose-dependent response to dark chocolate’s protective effect. In the study, every additional weekly serving was associated with a 3% greater risk reduction in developing type-2 diabetes.

While this could again be down to the healthy user bias, in the sense that every additional day of the week consuming dark chocolate means one less consuming a more sugary dessert, it may also point to the influence of an organic compound present in chocolate that isn’t found in processed deserts: flavanols.

Flavanols are a plant chemical that acts as an antioxidant. Readers who frequent the supplement aisle at the pharmacy may have seen a bottle marked ‘Quercetin’. Derived from the Latin word for oak, quercetin is a flavanol, and is sometimes taken to ease inflammation of the prostate, reduce blood pressure, and tame upper respiratory tract infections.

Some studies have suggested it may have a potential for improving heart health, though more research would be needed to know for sure. Going off of first principles, quercetin is found in vibrantly-colored fruits and vegetables, like bell peppers, onions, tomatoes, and dark leafy greens like kale and cabbage, and probably contributes in many small ways to proper physiological functioning, or we wouldn’t have evolved palates to enjoy these foods.

More research is definitely needed to explore this association, but consumers and individuals can use it regardless as a good guide for selecting foods, particularly deserts: more dark chocolate, less milk chocolate.

https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/eating-dark-chocolate-is-associated-with-lower-risk-of-diabetes-type-2-in-large-study/ 

One Type of Chocolate Could Reduce Type 2 Diabetes Risk by 21%

From sciencealert.com

Most of us will have a preference for chocolate in terms of the taste and texture. According to a new study, those who choose dark over milk might find a hidden benefit in a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes. 

Researchers from the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health in Massachusetts led a study on the health and eating habits of 111,654 nurses, who in a series of surveys conducted in the 1970s and 1980s logged which types of chocolate they ate.

The biggest takeaway, based on an average 25-year follow-up: eating five or more servings of dark chocolate a week was linked to a 21 percent drop in the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, compared with rarely or never eating chocolate.

That's after excluding individuals with exceedingly high or low calories intake, and accounting for several key lifestyle and dietary factors in the records of those who remained. What's more, dark chocolate seemed to help them keep weight off too.

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Curiously, no such relationship was found between milk chocolate and type 2 diabetes, which was instead linked with an increase in body mass.

"Increased consumption of dark, but not milk, chocolate was associated with lower risk of type 2 diabetes," write the researchers in their published paper.

"Increased consumption of milk, but not dark, chocolate was associated with long term weight gain."

Now before you swap out one type of chocolate for another in your cupboards, it's worth emphasizing that the data here doesn't show direct cause and effect. Some risk factors were controlled for, but many more may be having an impact. 

Despite the limitations of the study though, the association between dark chocolate and reduced type 2 diabetes risk is strong enough to warrant further investigation, including the potential mechanisms at work.

Dark chocolate is high in flavanols – compounds also found in fruit and vegetables – which are thought to have numerous health benefits. Flavanols have previously been linked with reducing type 2 diabetes risk, so could well be significant here.

"Milk and white chocolate intake might not lead to the same metabolic health benefits owing to their higher added sugar content – an established dietary risk factor for cardiometabolic diseases," write the researchers.

Records from 2019 show around 463 million people affected by diabetes in general, a number that is expected to reach 700 million over the next two decades. The condition means constant monitoring of diet and blood sugar levels is required, and it can lead to more serious medical complications.

Despite those daunting numbers, new discoveries are being made regularly about how type 2 diabetes risk can be reduced, from getting more sleep to improving our diets. Knowing dark chocolate could be a healthier option might help individuals tailor their diets to benefit their needs.

"Further randomized controlled trials are needed to replicate these findings and further explore the mechanisms," write the researchers.

The research has been published in the BMJ.

https://www.sciencealert.com/one-type-of-chocolate-could-reduce-type-2-diabetes-risk-by-21