The idea that eating cocoa-rich, dark chocolate may offer health benefits is not new. Cocoa is loaded with compounds called polyphenols that have been shown to help our bodies fend off inflammation, lower blood pressure and maybe even improve our moods.
Now, a new study finds people who have a habit of eating a little dark chocolate — about an ounce per day — have a 21% lower risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, compared to people who don’t consume it.
“We are a little bit surprised to see that effect size,” says study author Dr. Qi Sun, an associate professor at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Researchers analyzed data from about 192,000 adults who completed diet questionnaires over many years — including how much and what type of chocolate they consumed — as part of their participation in long-term health studies. The findings are published in The British Medical Journal.
People who ate milk chocolate, which has more sugar and less cocoa, had no reduction in diabetes risk. And, over the course of the study, milk chocolate eaters tended to gain weight, which contributes to the risk of diabetes. However, eating dark chocolate was not associated with weight gain.
There’s long been evidence that the compounds found in cocoa can contribute to heart health. For instance, a study published in the journal Heart, found chocolate lovers had a lower risk of strokes and other types of cardiovascular disease.
Scientists have homed in on bioactive plant compounds found in cocoa beans, called flavanols, which have been shown to prompt production of nitric oxide in the body. This gas can cause blood vessels to open up or dilate, and multiple studies have shown dark chocolate consumption is linked to a modest reduction in blood pressure.
“Vasodilation…
Read the full article here
