Hello, I am Ty Mason of thediabetescouncil.com, researcher, writer and I have type 2 diabetes.
Today I want to talk about chocolate and diabetes.
After you watch the video today, I invite you check out the description box for my new
ebook.
This is one of the most comprehensive diabetes meal planning book you can find.
It contains diabetes friendly meals/recipes, recipes for different goals such as 800-1800
calories per day meal plan, diabetes meal planning tips and tricks.
There are also tons of diabetes friendly recipes for everyone!
My guess is if you ask 100 people with Type 2 diabetes what they wish they could have
on their diabetes meal plan, about 95 of them would say chocolate.
I know that is what I missed the most.
For some reason there is just something comforting about a nice candy bar and a cold glass of
milk.
There is nothing wrong with having a chocolate bar, or a brownie or a piece of birthday cake
on occasion, but those of us with diabetes simply cannot eat chocolate every day and
expect to maintain control over our blood sugar.
It just isn’t going to happen.
Or can it?
I want to share a little secret with you today that may just blow your mind.
You can have chocolate every day and not only will it not hurt our blood sugar, it has great
potential to help your blood sugar!
Now I know you are thinking that I have lost my mind.
Right?
Well, I haven’t, but I am not talking about chocolate ice cream, chocolate cake, or even
a good old chocolate candy bar.
I am talking about a substance called Dark Chocolate.
Yes, dark chocolate is actually good for diabetes.
Before we go any farther, I want you to remember, we are talking about dark chocolate and not
milk chocolate, and there is a huge difference.
What if you saw a headline in the newspaper saying that people with diabetes should eat
chocolate daily to help reduce their blood glucose levels and insulin dependency?
Well, a group of researchers from the University of Hull and the Hull York Medical School have
found that dark chocolate has significant health benefits for people with Type 2 diabetes.
A 2010 study conducted by Steve Atkin, Professor of Diabetes and Endocrinology, concluded that
HDL or ‘good’ cholesterol is improved and overall cholesterol balance is enhanced
when patients consume 45g of dark chocolate each day.
This is the first study of its kind to report on the effects of giving chocolate to individuals
with Type 2 diabetes over a period of 16 weeks.
Dark chocolate containing 85% cocoa solids was given to one group with a placebo which
contained no cocoa solids but was dyed the same color as the dark chocolate was given
to another group.
The patients were given instructions to eat no other chocolate, but to otherwise eat their
normal diet.
According to Atkin, “People with Type 2 diabetes are twice as likely to develop cardiovascular
disease and since one of the main contributory factors to heart disease is a low level of
HDL or ‘good’ cholesterol, the findings that dark chocolate can improve this, means
the results of this study are hugely significant.”
He continues: “Chocolate with a high cocoa content should be included in the diet of
individuals with Type 2 diabetes as part of a sensible, balanced approach to diet and
lifestyle.
This study demonstrates that it can offer a potential reduction in cardiovascular risk
without detrimental risks on weight, insulin resistance or glycemic control.”
Did you hear that?
Chocolate with high cocoa content SHOULD BE included in the diet of individuals with Type
2 diabetes!
I wish I had a band of horns around me right now to blow the praises of Dr Atkin.
Who would’ve thought that dark chocolate could be helpful to those of us with diabetes?
My research also found a very interesting fact about dark chocolate.
It has a very low GI of 23 and a very low GL of 5.
Need more proof?
On his website, Dr Julian Whitaker says, “Surprisingly, Italian researchers discovered that health
benefits of dark chocolate include significantly improved markers of insulin sensitivity, decreasing
fasting insulin and glucose levels, as well as insulin and glucose responses to the glucose
tolerance test.”
A 2015 Iranian study conducted a clinical trial with 60 people with diabetes and high
blood pressure.
The group was given 25 grams of dark chocolate with 70% cocoa every day for 8 weeks.
The results stated that dark chocolate is effective in improving triglyceride levels
in hypertensive patients with diabetes and decreasing blood pressure and fasting blood
sugar without affecting weight, inflammatory markers, insulin resistance or glycemic control.
In other words, dark chocolate is good for those with diabetes.
But remember, portion control is a key factor.
Again, at least 70% cocoa is the base line for the dark chocolate.
The higher the cocoa content the better both for your diabetes and for taste.
The first study we discussed was conducted with a pretty high quality dark chocolate.
85% cocoa solids is very high and can be expensive.
Most commercial dark chocolate, Dove’s for example, is about 71% cocoa solids.
Also, if you have never had dark chocolate before, don’t expect it to taste like a
Hershey bar.
Dark chocolate is a somewhat bitter.
I might also add that the high level dark chocolate can be quite expensive.
My favorite is Ghirardelli Chocolate Midnight Reverie.
But it is almost $3 for a 3 oz bar.
But the good news is, that’s about 85 grams so it lasts 4 days.
The bad news is, it is so good it is hard to not eat it in 1.
Want some more good news?
M&M’s has come out with a dark chocolate version.
I have not done good research on it, so check the labels and let me know how it tastes if
you decide to try it.
Don’t forget to get my new ebook.
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