If you want to study chocolate, Luxembourg, famous for cocoa-based confections, is a good place to start.
In a recent study, residents in the tiny country ate about 25 grams, on average—a little less than one ounce—of chocolate a day. When researchers studied those who ate the most chocolate and compared them with those who ate the least, the finding was sweet—the chocolate lovers had lower blood insulin levels and less insulin resistance, a measure of the body’s ability to metabolize carbohydrates while keeping blood sugar low. In short, they had fewer risk factors for diabetes.
A nudge toward preventing diabetes is just one of the surprising benefits of eating chocolate—specifically, dark chocolate—that researchers around the world are now discovering. Emerging research points to benefits as varied as fighting dementia, protecting against skin cancer and even alleviating chronic fatigue. Find out about these new developments in Bottom Line’s “Even More Health Benefits from Dark Chocolate.”
Then treat yourself to a delicious spicy hot dark chocolate drink.