Jakarta –
A study found that someone who consumes dark chocolate has a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Here’s the explanation!
Dark chocolate or dark chocolate is known as a healthy food. Dark chocolate contains polyphenol compounds which have many benefits.
Starting from fighting inflammation, lowering blood pressure, to improving mood. Apart from that, regularly eating dark chocolate also reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
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This was proven by a study conducted at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health. The researchers analyzed data from about 192,000 participants.
The participants had completed diet questionnaires over the years, including how much and what type of chocolate they consumed, NPR reported. (5/12/24).
 Dark chocolate contains important compounds. Photo: Getty Images/iStockphoto/bhofack2 |
The study, published in The British Medical Journal, found that people who consumed milk chocolate, which has more sugar and less cocoa, did not experience a reduced risk of diabetes.
During the study, milk chocolate eaters tended to gain weight and this contributed to the risk of diabetes.
Meanwhile, different things were found in people who ate dark chocolate. They do not gain weight. In fact, they have a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 21%.
Dark chocolate also has important compounds that can improve heart health. Research published in the Heart Journal also found the same thing.
Scientists have discovered bioactive plant compounds found in cocoa beans, called flavanols. This compound has been proven to encourage the production of nitric oxide in the body.
 Regularly eating 28 grams of dark chocolate per day can help reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Photo: Getty Images/eternalcreative |
In addition, these compounds can cause blood vessels to open or dilate, so consuming dark chocolate is also associated with a slight decrease in blood pressure.
“Vasodilation appears to be a mechanism for lowering blood pressure. This lower blood pressure helps reduce heart risk,” said researcher Dr. JoAnn Manson.
Studies over the past 20 years also show that consuming dark chocolate can help increase insulin sensitivity in healthy people.
Insulin sensitivity is a measure of how well a person’s cells respond to insulin, a hormone that regulates blood sugar. However, consuming dark chocolate also needs to be limited.
According to researchers Qi Sun and Jeffery Tessem, dark chocolate can be beneficial if consumed in moderation. They suggest consuming around 28 grams of dark chocolate per day.
Dark chocolate contains higher levels of cocoa than milk chocolate. Researchers are therefore interested in learning more about certain types of flavanols found in cocoa, including epicatechin which is known for its antioxidant properties.
(raf/odi)
