A new study says consuming a few pieces of dark chocolate five times a week while avoiding milk chocolate is linked to a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes.
Researchers looked at data from multiple long-term studies of nurses and healthcare workers in the United States. Two groups were assessed. The first group, comprised of 192,028 people, was studied based on their total consumption. The second group, comprised of 111,654 people, was evaluated based on the type of chocolate they ate (dark vs. milk).
Nearly 19,000 people in the first group developed type 2 diabetes. Those who ate around one ounce of chocolate at least five times a week had a 10% lower chance of developing diabetes versus those who never ate chocolate.
In the second group, nearly 4,800 people developed type 2 diabetes. Those in the group who consume one serving of dark chocolate five times a week were found to have a 21% lower risk of diabetes. They also found that eating milk chocolate was associated with weight gain and did not lower the risk of diabetes.
Ultimately, the “controversial” study suggests that dark chocolate may have protective properties over and above its milky counterpart.
Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of the condition. It manifests as a result of poor diet, insufficient activity, and an unhealthy lifestyle.
Texas continues to struggle from a diabetes epidemic, with some of the highest diabetes-related amputations nationwide. Last year, The Dallas Express reported that roughly 2.6 million people in Texas officially live with the condition. However, it is estimated a further 621,000 residents have diabetes but have not been diagnosed.
Juvenile diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases among children. Between 2001 and 2017, the rates of type 2 diabetes among children and adolescents surged over 95%.
Globally, around 830 million people had diabetes in 2022, according to the World Health Organization.