Type 2 diabetes is a chronic condition used to be known as adult onset diabetes, but today more children are being diagnosed with the disorder, most probably because of the rising childhood obesity.
With this disorder, the pancreas either resists the effects of insulin or does not produce enough of it to maintain glucose levels, according to Mayo Clinic. There is no cure for Type 2 diabetes, but a person who has the disorder can manage it.
Insulin is a hormone that regulates the sugar inside the body. If blood sugar levels are not controlled, it can damage blood vessels, which can cause various problems to the body.
Luckily, diet can help manage blood sugar levels and enhance diabetic people's insulin efficiency, thereby lowering high blood sugar levels.
Use Cocoa Powder
According to experts, there is food that best facilitates the process of managing blood sugar in the body, which gives surprising results. One of these food is cocoa powder, made from cocoa beans without the fat or cocoa butter.
It is most known as the main ingredient for making chocolate, but it also contains compounds that help manage diabetes. This compound is known as flavonols, a type of polyphenol that are compounds found in plants.
Studies indicate that cocoa flavanols slow down carbohydrate digestion and absorption in the gut, improve insulin production, reduce inflammation, and allows the uptake of sugar out of the blood into the muscle.
Slowing down the rate of carbohydrate absorption is crucial in starving off high blood sugar levels because carbohydrate has a pronounced effect on blood sugar levels.
Furthermore, a review of human studies suggests that eating dark chocolate or cocoa high in flavanols can reduce insulin sensitivity, improve blood sugar management, and reduce inflammation in diabetic people and those who do not have it.
Moreover, some studies have shown that a higher intake of flavonols can lower the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Use Only Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
Avigdor Arad, Ph.D. of Icahn School of Medicine's instructor of medicine, endocrinology, diabetes, and bone disease said that it has to be 100% unsweetened cocoa or cocoa powder. He explains that cocoa powder contains very little sugar and is mostly made up of fiber.
Furthermore, unsweetened cocoa powder is also very low on the glycemic index (GI), a value assigned to foods based on how slowly or quickly they cause increases in blood sugar levels. Foods high in GI causes spikes in blood sugar while those low on the GI keep blood sugar levels stable.
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics identified other foods that are low on the GI include apples, Greek yogurt, and peanuts.
Flavanols Benefits
Flavanols are commonly found in tea, red wine, blueberries, apples, pears, cherries, and peanuts. They are particularly abundant in cacao beans, which are used to make chocolates.
For many years cocoa has been studied, and it showed that it could help lower blood pressure, improve blood flow to the brain and heart, prevent blood clots, and fight cell damage.
Additionally, flavanols facilitate brain cell connections, and survival and protect brain cells from toxins or the adverse effects of inflammation.
