Consuming Chocolate On A Daily Basis Could Reduce The Risk Of Diabetes, Heart Disease

Researchers have discovered that consuming the small amount of chocolate every day can prevent diabetes and insulin resistance. It can lower the risk of acquiring cardiovascular diseases too.

Science Daily reports that the study was published in the British Journal of Nutrition. The study was led by scholars from University of Warwick Medical School, Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH), University of Maine and University of South Australia.

The study involved 1.153people aged 18-69 years old. The researchers studied their data. They discovered that those who ate 100 g of chocolate a day, which is equivalent to one bar, had lowered insulin resistance and enhanced liver enzymes. Insulin sensitivity is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

Professor Saverio Stranges, the visiting academic at the University of Warwick medical School explained that given the growing body of evidence, including in their own study, cocoa-based products may signify an additional dietary recommendation to enhance cardio-metabolic health. On the other hand, he said that observational results need to be supported by strong trial evidence.

He further explained that potential applications of this knowledge involve recommendations by healthcare professionals to urge individuals to eat a wide range of phytochemical-rich foods, which can include dark chocolate in moderate amounts. On the other hand, it is significant to differentiate between the processed product chocolate and the natural product cocoa , which is an energy-dense food. He advised that physical activity, diet and other lifestyle factors must be carefully balanced to avoid detrimental weight gain over time.

Medical News Today reports that some studies suggest that regular and moderate chocolate consumption may have significant health benefits, in particular, the dark chocolate. The dark chocolate contains the highest cocoa content. This means it has a big amount of antioxidants, particularly the flavonoids that can inhibit some forms of cell damage.

There is about 80 percent of the participants in the study that claimed eating an average of 24.8 g of chocolate every day. The researchers also found out that these participants were younger and more physically active. They also had higher levels of education compared to those who did not chocolate every day.