DARK CHOCOLATE - KEEPS The DIABETES AT BAY

Kutch Meetha Ho jaye. The way of celebrations. Offer a chocolate to the children and you can become friends easily. Chocolates are such a nice thing to offer. Is it really a nice and beneficial to the health !

Chocolate is perhaps the world’s most favorite food. Kids love it, and women stand by it. Whether you are happy, sad, excited, tired or plain bored, a bar of chocolate is all you need to feel better. Give a kid a piece of chocolate, and he’ll feel like the luckiest one on the earth, at least until the chocolate lasts. Your child may not think about the history of chocolate when he has a bar in hand. But if he loves chocolate, he’d also love to hear about its history.

The history of chocolate is long and goes back to thousands of years. The first known use of chocolate was in 1900 BC, more than 3,500 years before Nestle set up his chocolate manufacturing unit. Only at that time, it was not called chocolate.

Archeological findings suggest that civilizations that flourished in Mesoamerica, during the Early Formation period, may have used the bittersweet beans from the cacao trees in their beverages. The findings suggest that people knew how to make chocolate from the cacao seeds way back in 1700s BC . Evidence found in the vessels used by these civilizations proves that people often used chocolate in their drinks, possibly fermented.

Chocolate found its way into Europe when Columbus brought cocoa seeds back with him to Spain, and presented them as a treasure to King Ferdinand. Two centuries later, an Englishman called Joseph Fry made the first solid chocolate. About 25 years after that, Henri Nestle made the first chocolate bar using condensed milk. And the rest, as they say, is history!

Are you the kind that feasts on dark chocolate when you're delirious with joy? Or do you reserve this comforting superfood for days when you're down in the dumps? Either way, if you're a chocoholic, it's time to rejoice. The latest dietary directives from nutrition and diabetes experts actually encourage indulging in this delectable snack because of its potential health benefits.

This news may seem too good to be true for us Indians — we consumed 228,000 tonnes worth of chocolate in 2016 alone — but we're in luck! Scientists have found that eating dark chocolate daily may have a positive impact on insulin sensitivity and blood sugar levels — two key factors in the development of diabetes. But, before you begin incorporating chocolate into your meals, here's what you need to know.

The Link Between Dark Chocolate and Diabetes

The secret of how dark chocolate works against diabetes lies within its make-up. Dark chocolate contains polyphenols — naturally occurring compounds that have antioxidant properties, which protect the body from damage by harmful molecules. Polyphenols in dark chocolate may improve insulin sensitivity, or how well insulin works in the body. This, in turn, may help control blood sugar. Such improved insulin sensitivity may delay, or even prevent, the onset of diabetes — an important benefit here in India, where the number of people living with diabetes is expected to rice to over 100 million  by 2030.

A recent study found that people who eat chocolate, including dark chocolate, at least once a week had a lower prevalence of diabetes and were at lower risk for diabetes four to five years later. The analysis of 908 non-diabetic people and 45 people with diabetes discovered that people who ate such chocolate less than once weekly were at twice the risk of diabetes versus those who ate it more than one day per week.

But what if you already have diabetes? There's no need to feel left out! There may be some benefits of eating dark chocolate for you, too. Scientists analysed people diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes who consumed 25 grams of either dark or white chocolate for eight weeks. Those who ate dark chocolate had lower blood pressure after eight weeks than those who ate white chocolate. The dark chocolate eaters also had decreased fasting blood sugar.

The Right Dark Chocolate for You

Are you ready to buy up your supermarket's inventory of dark chocolate? Know that not all chocolate is created equal. Remember, it's the polyphenol-rich dark chocolate that contains antioxidants, and the higher percentage of cocoa that yields health advantages.

So before you begin munching on that chocolate bar, read the nutrition facts to ensure you're getting the most from the treat. Experts recommend choosing a dark chocolate that has at least as much fibre as sugar. Also, check if the dark chocolate has been processed with alkali (this process makes cocoa less bitter, but it eliminates the health properties in the chocolate). Opt instead for one that hasn't been processed.

Enjoy Dark Chocolate in Moderation

All good things must be enjoyed in moderation. This is true for dark chocolate as well. If you eat too much of it, your blood sugar levels could fluctuate instead of being corralled. Commercial chocolate, in fact, may add fat and calories to the candy. And people managing diabetes shouldn't use chocolate as a way to  boost low blood sugar  because the fat in chocolate will prevent your glucose from rising quickly. As always, consult a medical professional, such as a physician or registered dietitian, before modifying your diet or insulin use.

The bottom line? If you have diabetes, it's best to avoid food that's  loaded with sugar but  with smart glucose monitoring  treating yourself to a bite or two of dark chocolate as part of a balanced diet could provide some sweet health benefits.