Eat one sweet treat five times a week to lower type 2 diabetes risk
A major new study has revealed that chocolate lovers may have a surprising advantage when it comes to reducing their risk of type 2 diabetes. The research, spearheaded by Harvard University, analysed data from three large groups involving thousands of healthcare professionals over a span of more than 30 years.
Using questionnaires filled out every four years, the scientists examined the link between chocolate consumption and the risk of developing the chronic disease in 192,208 participants, while also looking at different types of chocolates consumed among 111,654 others. Intriguingly, those who ate at least five ounces of any kind of chocolate each week had a 10% lower risk of type 2 diabetes compared to those who rarely treated themselves to it.
However, dark chocolate seemed to have an even greater effect, with those consuming at least five servings per week showing a 21% lower risk of type 2 diabetes. This might seem counterintuitive given that type 2 diabetes is often associated with obesity, which can result from a high-sugar diet.
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But the Harvard scientists stress that not all chocolate is 'created equal', with darker chocolate often boasting the least amount of sugar. Associate professor Qi Sun, of the Departments of Nutrition and Epidemiology explained: "We were surprised by the clear split between dark and milk chocolate’s impact on diabetes risk and long-term weight management.
"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."
Type 2 diabetes is a 'common condition that causes the level of sugar (glucose) in the blood to become too high', as per the NHS' guidelines. Usual signs may include excessive thirst, needing to urinate often and tiredness, though many people have no symptoms at all.
Despite their promising findings, the Harvard scientists warned that increasing milk chocolate consumption even further will potentially encourage weight gain. As a consequence, this may lead to a heightened risk of obesity, which has been associated to more likely type 2 diabetes development.
They also stressed that the chocolate consumption studied was modest in relation to previously recorded national data and that their results may not be applicable to individuals with 'very high chocolate consumption'. However, lead author Binkai Liu emphasised that its a good 'reminder' that small dietary swaps can make a big difference to your overall health. He said: "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."
