Have Diabetes? Drink Cocoa!
Natural News reports that diabetics who get a regular dose of cocoa have improved blood vessel function and are less likely to get cardiovascular disease. Research published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that the flavanol compounds in cocoa are responsible for these cardiovascular benefits.
In this study from the Australian International Diabetes Institute, researchers conducted two experiments on volunteers with Type II diabetes. The first experiment measured improvements in blood vessel dilation. Ten volunteers drank a cocoa beverage with either 75, 371, or 963 milligrams (mg) of flavanols. Hours after drinking the cocoa, the volunteers had improved flow-mediated dilation (FMD) (the measure of how well your brachial arteries can relax and dilate). The more flavanols in the cocoa, the better the blood vessel dilation.
In the second experiment, 41 volunteers drank a cocoa beverage three times a day for a month. The cocoa had either 25 or 321 mg of flavanols. The drinks were otherwise very similar in calorie content, nutrient density, and caffeine content. Volunteers who drank the high-flavanol cocoa had 30% better FMD than those who drank the low-flavanol cocoa.
One of the researchers Paul Zimmet said, “While more research is needed, this study shows tremendous potential for future flavanol-based applications.”
September 18th, 2008 at 2:59 am
It is a good news for the diabetes patients. But as far as I know cocoa is not healthy gradient, so I think it should be a limitation for drinking cocoa.
September 25th, 2008 at 9:50 pm
We know that diabetics are more likely to develop heart disease or stroke than those without this disease so it is exciting to read of this early news about the impact of flavonal-based applications. The Fast Glucose Plasma Test and Oral Glucose Tolerance test can indicate whether or not you have pre-diabetes. If you do, by being proactive and taking control of your health immediately, you can prevent the onset of full diabetes.
September 30th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
very interesting information…very informative
October 1st, 2008 at 1:41 pm
Gill, yes everything in moderation. I am just floored by any research that shows the medicinal benefits of natural foods. Mother Earth to the rescue!