(NewsNation) — Eating more chocolate may reduce Americans’ chances of being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, but only certain forms of the sweet treat may improve those chances, according to a new study.
The study, which was published in the British Medical Journal, found that Americans who ate more dark chocolate had a lower likelihood of developing diabetes. Researchers found that dark chocolate has greater metabolic benefits than milk chocolate because it contains less sugar.
Dark chocolate has also been found to contain more plant-based compounds that have been found to reduce inflammation and improve insulin sensitivity.
The study found those who consumed at least five ounces of dark chocolate each week regularly showed a significantly lower rate (21%) of developing Type 2 diabetes than those who never or rarely consumed chocolate.
The research also found that for every ounce of dark chocolate a person ate each week, their chances of avoiding diabetes dropped by 3%. Previous studies have shown health benefits to consuming chocolate, but the study that was released Wednesday was the first to differentiate between dark and milk chocolate.
In addition to lower sugar levels, dark chocolate also contains more cocoa, which has significantly more plant compounds that act as antioxidants, The Washington Post reported. Other studies have shown that the plant compounds called flavonoids might help people avoid diabetes,
In addition to monitoring how much dark chocolate the study’s 192,000 participants consumed, other factors – including age, alcohol consumption levels, and exercise patterns – were also considered. The lower levels of Type 2 diabetes diagnosis were especially true for men and people under the age of 70, the Washington Post report said.
Participants in the study who consumed milk chocolate tended to gain weight, which contributed to the chance of diabetes. However, those who consumed dark chocolate were less prone to gain weight, researchers discovered.
Throughout the 30-year study, about 19,000 people developed Type 2 diabetes, which affects about 38 million Americans, according to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention. Most of those cases involve Type 2 diabetes, which health officials say can be prevented or delayed with lifestyle changes. The CDC said that symptoms can develop over several years and can often go undetected. In some cases, symptoms may go undetected.
