Chocolate consumption may help lower risk of diabetes mellitus in individuals who are young and have a healthy body weight, according to a new study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Consumption of chocolate or cocoa was previously found to render some beneficial effects on insulin resistance, oxidative stress and inflammation, which are related to diabetes mellitus. The current study finds a direct inverse association between chocolate consumption and risk of diabetes mellitus.
The study based on data from the Physicians’ Health Study (PHS) shows that compared to study participants who did not eat chocolate, those who ate two or more servings per day were at 17% reduced risk of diabetes mellitus.
The chocolate-diabetes association was found stronger among those without a history of cardiovascular disease. But the association was less significant in those who were older and or had a high body mass index.
Cocoa has been known to be a healthy food. Studies have already found that this food may help prevent heart disease. It is unknown whether milk chocolate with high fat and high sugar may do anything good to human health, but dark chocolate with cocoa is often considered beneficial.
Chisa Matsumoto, Andrew B Petrone, Howard D Sesso, J Michael Gaziano, and Luc Djoussé, Chocolate consumption and risk of diabetes mellitus in the Physicians’ Health Study, Am J Clin Nutrition, First published November 26, 2014
