Dark chocolate , containing more cocoa, and therefore more flavanols than milk chocolate and white chocolate, could be a better choice. Flavanols are known for their positive impact on insulin sensitivity, and may also improve your blood glucose levels by slowing down the intestinal absorption and digestion of carbohydrates. Rich in magnesium, iron, and vitamin E, dark chocolate is considered a healthier choice when it comes to choosing between dark, milk and white chocolate.
Some scientific studies have shown the positive effects of cocoa and dark chocolate on insulin resistance by reducing oxidative stress, lowering blood pressure , and optimising glucose metabolism. Higher in sugar and fat and lower in cocoa content, white chocolate and milk chocolate have not been found to have the same health benefits as dark chocolate.
White chocolate also contains cocoa butter, milk, and sugar, but no cocoa solids. All chocolate should be enjoyed in moderation and as part of a balanced diet. Air Liquide Healthcare UK is committed to improving quality of life for people with diabetes. Our healthcare teams provide patients and their loved ones with education, support and personalisation of care.
However, it is still possible to eat sweets, chocolate, or sugary food, as long as it is part of a healthful diet plan. In this article, we look at eating sweets as part of a healthful diet, types of sugars and sugar substitutes, and how to read the nutrition label on food packaging.
The amount of carbohydrate and sugars a person with diabetes can eat depends on factors, including:. A doctor or dietician can help people set personal goals and advise on a diet plan to suit their needs. According to the American Diabetes Association , people with diabetes can still have sweets, chocolate, or other sugary foods as long they are eaten as part of a healthful meal plan or combined with exercise.
They consider a healthful meal plan to:. However, it is best to save sugary foods for an occasional treat and enjoy them in small portions. When choosing any food, it is essential for a person with diabetes to understand how it can affect their blood glucose levels. Knowing how to read the nutrition labels on food packaging can make this easier. Manufacturers use more than 60 different names for added sugar on the ingredients list of food labels.
Some common names include:. When a person eats, their digestive system breaks down the carbohydrates from the food into glucose, which is a simple sugar. The body then absorbs this glucose into the bloodstream. A hormone called insulin instructs the cells to absorb glucose from the blood.
People with diabetes either do not produce enough insulin or their cells do not respond to the hormone appropriately. This causes blood glucose levels to become too high.
Simple sugars tend to raise blood glucose levels faster and higher than complex carbohydrates, such as whole wheat and oatmeal. Find out how much sugar it is safe to eat in a day here. Before buying a reduced-sugar product, it is important to check the nutrition details on the label.
Sugar substitutes may also cause a person to a large amount of food later on. Artificial sweeteners, also known as nonnutritive sweeteners, are synthetic sugar substitutes that typically contain zero or very few calories. According to the American Diabetes Association , the U. People can also buy many of these artificial sweeteners to use as substitutes for table sugar or in cooking and baking.
Sugar alcohols are a type of carbohydrate that occurs naturally in plants. However, manufacturers need to process them before using them in foods as sweeteners. Ask your doctor for a referral to a registered dietitian RD or diabetes care and education specialist DCES to create a plan for healthier eating. Also, consider your lifestyle behaviors like diet and exercise before deciding to indulge.
Find out everything you need to know about diabetes here. Get information on type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes. Discover symptoms, causes, and…. Monitoring your blood sugar is vital for controlling diabetes. Frequent high levels can lead to serious health problems. You may be able to manage…. Diabetes is more prevalent in certain racial and ethnic groups, including Black Americans. This may be due to genetic, social, and health factors. NPH insulin is an intermediate-acting insulin that helps keep your blood sugar stable between meals or overnight.
Learn more about how long it takes…. Human insulin is synthetically made in a lab and is able to replicate the insulin naturally found in your body. Learn more about the pros and cons of…. A study published by the journal Appetite found that people who eat chocolate, including dark chocolate, at least once a week had a lower prevalence of diabetes and were at lower risk for diabetes four to five years later.
The analysis of nondiabetic people and 45 people with diabetes discovered that people who ate such chocolate less than once weekly were at twice the risk of diabetes versus those who ate it more than one day per week. But what if you already have diabetes? Well, there may be some benefits of dark chocolate consumption for you, too.
Research presented by ARYA Atherosclerosis analyzed people diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes who consumed 25 grams of either dark or white chocolate for eight weeks. Those who ate dark chocolate had lower blood pressure after eight weeks than those who ate white chocolate. The dark chocolate eaters also had decreased fasting blood sugar.
So you're ready to buy up your supermarket's inventory of dark chocolate? Not all chocolate is created equal. Remember, it's the polyphenol-rich dark chocolate that contains antioxidants, and the higher percentage of cocoa yields better health advantages, according to Bastyr University.
Read the nutrition facts to ensure you're getting most out of the snack.
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