For most people, chocolate is an unhealthy temptation, which should only be consumed in small doses. If consumed excessively, its high contents of fat and sugars could lead to obesity. It has been scientifically proven that excess weight is associated with a number of complications like for instance diabetes and some types of cancer. It is therefore important not to overindulge on chocolate. However, a new study suggests that a regular and moderate intake of dark chocolate could have a number of beneficial health effects.
Dark chocolate has a high content of cocoa, and therefore high levels of antioxidants. Antioxidants are substances which can potentially prevent or reduce certain types of cell damage. Cell damage is seen with a number of different diseases, including diabetes. Besides chocolate, fruit and vegetables also contain high levels of antioxidants.
The recent study was based on the chocolate intake of 1,153 people in the ages of 18 to 69 years. The purpose of the study was to find out whether there is a link between chocolate intake and insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is associated with type 2 diabetes, and is a condition which causes the cells of the body not to react effectively to insulin. In addition, the scientists examined the effect of chocolate on liver enzymes, which are an indication of the liver’s function. The results of the study showed that the test subjects, who on average consumed 24.8 grams of chocolate a day, had lower insulin resistance and higher levels of liver enzymes compared to the test subjects who did not consume chocolate on a daily basis. Moreover, the results showed that the effect was more evident in those who had the highest intake of chocolate.
The scientists who conducted the study took a number of sociodemographic factors, which could have an impact on the findings, into consideration. These factors included age, gender, educational level and lifestyle. The scientists found that the test subjects who consumed chocolate on a daily basis were generally more physically active, they were younger and had a higher level of education compared to those who did not eat chocolate on a daily basis.
Based on these findings, it is possible that the positive effect seen in the study could also be due to the healthier lifestyles of those who eat chocolate every day. This means that the positive effect could be caused by an interplay between the healthier lifestyles of the participants and their daily consumption of chocolate, as both factors have been proven to lower the risk of a number of diseases, including diabetes. The scientists behind the study reported that that a daily intake of chocolate could potentially reduce the risk of diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and strokes. However, they also underline the fact that the findings from their observational study must be supported by more robust studies before implementing chocolate into the official dietary recommendations.
All in all, it is not unrealistic that chocolate could become part of the government’s dietary recommendations. It has to be mentioned, however, that there are significant differences in health benefits between dark chocolate with a natural high cocoa content, and milk chocolate or white chocolate, which in addition contain more calories. From a health perspective, it will therefore always be most beneficial to choose chocolate with a naturally high content of cocoa.
