Cup of Cocoa Good for Diabetic Health

(Ivanhoe Newswire) – Sipping a hot cut of cocoa might do more than just warm you up if you have diabetes. It could also be helping improve your blood vessel functioning.

German researchers have found a key ingredient in cocoa called flavanols makes it easier for the arteries to expand in the face of increased demand for blood. Since people with diabetes generally have problems with artery expansion, anything that helps open up the flow could reduce their risk for cardiovascular complications.

The study involved 41 type 2 diabetics who were randomly assigned to drink specially formulated cocoa with either high or low concentrations of flavonols over a 30-day period. All the participants underwent regular tests to measure blood flow in the arteries. While the initial tests showed diabetics had significantly lower expansion of arterial diameter in the face of increased demand for blood, results improved significantly following the consumption of high flavonol cocoa, and by the end of the study, were at normal levels.

The researchers are quick to note that the cocoa used in the study is not available in stores, so people shouldn’t rush out and begin drinking hot chocolate to achieve the same results. The take home message is flavonols – which are also found in tea, red wine, and some fruits and vegetables – may have a role to play in promoting heart health in people with diabetes.

“This study is not about chocolate, and it’s not about urging those with diabetes to eat more chocolate. This research focuses on what’s at the true heart of the discussion on ‘healthy chocolate’—it’s about cocoa flavanols, the naturally occurring compounds in cocoa,” study author Malte Kelm, M.D., was quoted as saying. “While more research is needed, our results demonstrate that dietary flavanols might have an important impact as part of a healthy diet in the prevention of cardiovascular complications in diabetic patients.”

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SOURCE: Journal of the American College of Cardiology, published online May 26, 2008