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There is good news for all the dark chocolate lovers out there. A new study hints that dark chocolate might play a role in potentially keeping diabetes at bay.
The BMJ just released a new study that kept a track of nearly 200,000 Americans for over three decades. Folks who consumed 5 ounces of dark chocolate each week were 21% less likely to get Type 2 diabetes.
The case with milk chocolate was different. There were zero health benefits associated with milk chocolate. This means overconsumption of milk chocolate doesn't necessarily provide any benefits but just adds unnecessary calories to your body.
Harvard's Binkai Liu, who led the study, pumped the brakes on calling it a miracle cure. Liu flatly stated they can't claim dark chocolate prevents diabetes. But he did say there's a clear link between eating it and lower diabetes risk.
Researchers think it's the flavonoids in dark chocolate, which may fight inflammation and help with insulin. Dark chocolate's packed with way more of these good-for-you compounds than milk chocolate, thanks to its higher cocoa levels.
Each weekly ounce of dark chocolate knocked diabetes risk down by 3%. Men and younger folks (under 70) saw the biggest benefits.
The experts behind the study didn't just look at chocolate - they factored in age, exercise, and overall eating habits too. Dark chocolate fans tended to be health nuts, loading up on fruits and vegetables.
UC Irvine's Simin Liu thinks the results look good but says we need more rock-solid proof before jumping to conclusions. This isn't the first time chocolate's been linked to lower diabetes risk. A couple of smaller studies found dark chocolate beat white chocolate for improving heart health and blood sugar control.
Want the most bang for your buck? Go for dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa. A typical serving is about one ounce.
But don't go overboard - the researchers warn against overindulging in chocolate. They say to focus on nutrient-dense foods and a balanced diet overall. While this study adds to the growing pile of research on chocolate's health perks, we still need to figure out how much is best and exactly how it works.
