Tasty Snack Slashes Diabetes Risk
It’s easy to think that eating healthy means giving up everything you love.
And while skipping the treats can be tough any time of year, it’s especially challenging during the holidays.
However, in reality, there are plenty of ways to make your taste buds—and your cells—happy at the same time.
In fact, there’s one delicious treat in particular that not only tastes great, but that could even help reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes.
Did you know that chocolate is great for your health? It’s true!
However, there’s one specific kind of chocolate that “takes the cake” when it comes to its health benefits.
In a recent study, researchers evaluated the health data of 192,000 people who answered questions about diet, weight, and physical activity over 30 years.
The researchers found that the volunteers who ate at least five ounces of dark chocolate per week had a 21 percent lower risk of type 2 diabetes, compared to people who never ate dark chocolate.
For every additional ounce that participants consumed, the risk of diabetes fell by three more percent.
Eating milk chocolate didn’t have the same protective effect. In fact, eating more milk chocolate was associated with weight gain.
What does dark chocolate have that its milky cousin doesn’t?
The two main benefits come from it having…
- HIGH polyphenol levels and
- LOW sugar
Other studies have found that munching on dark chocolate reduces inflammation, improves insulin sensitivity, lowers blood pressure, and improves markers of metabolic health.
In general, chocolate isn’t the problem. Sugar is.
So, remember, for this holiday season and beyond, chocolate can be a guilt-free indulgence… the darker, the better.
P.S. Avoid extra holiday pounds with this timing trick.
View Sources
Binkai Liu, Geng Zong, Lu Zhu, Yang Hu, et al., Chocolate intake and risk of type 2 diabetes: prospective cohort studies, BMJ 2024;387:e078386
