By John Salak –
Some sweet news may have just surfaced when it comes to type 2 diabetes. Munching down dark chocolate may help lower the risk of developing this common form of diabetes.
The researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, however, were quick to specify that not all chocolate is created equal when it comes to battling type 2 diabetes. Milk chocolate apparently doesn’t do a bit of good in this area—just dark chocolate.
“Our findings suggest that not all chocolate is created equal,” said lead author Binkai Liu, a doctoral student in the Department of Nutrition. “For anyone who loves chocolate, this is a reminder that making small choices, like choosing dark chocolate over milk chocolate, can make a positive difference to their health.”
This new study builds on early but inconclusive work that demonstrated a relationship between chocolate and type 2 diabetes. The earlier findings were inconsistent and made no distinction between the impact of different chocolate types.
The study found that participants who consumed at least five ounces of any type of chocolate per week had a 10 percent lower risk of this diabetes compared to those who never or rarely consumed chocolate. Dark chocolate had an even bigger impact. Those who consumed at least five servings of dark chocolate weekly showed a 21 percent lower risk of developing this diabetes. The Harvard team also observed a 3 percent reduction in risk for every serving of dark chocolate consumed per week.
Consumption of milk chocolate, meanwhile, was not associated with reduced risk. Increased consumption of this chocolate, however, was associated with long-term weight gain, a potential contributor to the development of type 2 diabetes.
The researchers used data from various studies that over more than 30 years examined the eating habits, including chocolate consumption, of almost 200,000 adult participants who were free of diabetes at the study’s outset. By the study’s end, almost 19,000 participants reported being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Of the nearly 112,000 who reported specifically on their dark and milk chocolate intake, nearly 5,000 were diagnosed with the disease.
“We were surprised by the clear split between dark and milk chocolate’s impact on diabetes risk and long-term weight management,” said corresponding author Qi Sun, associate professor in the Departments of Nutrition and Epidemiology. “Even though dark and milk chocolate have similar levels of calories and saturated fat, it appears that the rich polyphenols in dark chocolate might offset the effects of saturated fat and sugar on weight gain and diabetes. It’s an intriguing difference that’s worth exploring more.”
The benefits and potential drawbacks of chocolate consumption across a range of factors and been studied and debated for decades. WellWell recently reported that the benefits of milk chocolate included being high in micronutrients and antioxidants and supporting heart health. In contrast, dark chocolate is thought to help thwart blood clots, aid vision and lower cholesterol.
Regardless, it is important to remember that consumption of dark or milk chocolate needs to be kept in moderation so that any inherent drawbacks don’t offset any benefits.
