Everyone knows that one of the primary goals of any diabetic is to successfully regulate their blood sugar level. Naturally, that means one should avoid eating food with a high glycemic index, especially candy which is made with added sugar. But not all candy is made the same. Dark chocolate is actually a treat that not only doesn’t worsen the condition of diabetics, it can even improve some of the symptoms. Not to mention, dark chocolate has quite a few other auxiliary health benefits such as, regulating blood pressure, lowering cholesterol, improving brain functionality and heart health.
The secret to dark chocolate’s success
Dark chocolate is rich in antioxidants that help the body to utilize insulin more effectively in order to better control blood sugar levels. When this happens, your body is able to naturally lower your blood sugar levels which decreases your level of insulin resistance.
The antioxidant that is responsible for dark chocolate’s success is a series of compounds known as flavanols. The compound appears to have the ability to enhance particular cells’ ability to secrete insulin. The flavanols contained in dark chocolate also improve your heart health which indirectly improves your diabetic condition.
Which dark chocolate should you eat?
As a general rule of thumb, the purer the dark chocolate is, the better it is for your health. The best dark chocolate to eat for its health benefits should be a minimum of 70% cocoa.
Another thing to look out for is the sugar content of the dark chocolate you’re eating. Not only do you need to make sure that the natural sugar content isn’t too high, but you also have to be on the lookout for extra sugary additives.
