Intake of cocoa products and risk of type-2 diabetes: the multiethnic cohort

Abstract

Background/objectives
As cocoa products may be protective against chronic disease due to their polyphenol content, the current study determined the association of chocolate consumption and flavanol intake with type-2 diabetes (T2D) incidence in the Multiethnic Cohort (MEC) Study.

Subjects/methods
The analysis included 151,691 participants of Native Hawaiian, Japanese American, Latino, African American, and white ancestry with 8487 incident T2D cases after 7.8 ± 3.5 years of follow-up. T2D status was based on three self-reports and confirmed by at least one of three administrative data sources. Dietary intake was assessed using a validated quantitative food frequency questionnaire, and flavanols from cocoa products were estimated from self-reported consumption of chocolate candy and drinks. Cox hazard regression, adjusted for potential confounders was applied to estimate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).

Results
For chocolate candy, both the highest vs. lowest (≥10 vs. <1 g/day) consumption (HR = 0.90; 95% CI, 0.83–0.97; ptrend = 0.01) and the frequency (≥4/week vs. <1/month) of intake (HR = 0.81; 95% CI, 0.72–0.91; ptrend = 0.0002) were inversely associated with T2D. The estimated flavanol intake from cocoa products (≥3 vs. <1 mg/day) also showed an inverse association with T2D risk (HR = 0.93; 95% CI, 0.88–0.99; ptrend = 0.02). Significant interaction terms indicated that the inverse relation was limited to Japanese Americans, normal-weight individuals, and to those without comorbidities.

Conclusions
The current study confirms previous reports that participants with high intake of chocolate products and cocoa-derived flavanols experience a reduced risk of developing T2D even after controlling for sugar intake, diet quality, and other aspects of the diet.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41430-018-0188-9

I ran out of my 85% chocolate, so revisited an old thing I hadn't drank for a long time - cocoa powder mixed with milk and a couple of sweetener tabs, a few drops of peppermint oil, then made up with hot water. Liquid After Eights.

chris c wrote:I ran out of my 85% chocolate, so revisited an old thing I hadn't drank for a long time - cocoa powder mixed with milk and a couple of sweetener tabs, a few drops of peppermint oil, then made up with hot water. Liquid After Eights.

I have cocoa too but I make mine with water and add a good slug of double cream, like the idea of using peppermint oil might give that a try

Be careful you don't add too much, it can sting a bit and will clear your sinuses! (I discovered this when the top fell off the bottle. You don't want to do that!)

Strange, the Co-Op was out of 85% chocolate and hardly had any of the other Fairtrade types. No worries, thought I, I'll get some in the healthfood shop. No, they didn't have anything higher than 70% either. Oh they had some 100% but that is too dry for me, and even that was running out.

Seeing both Chris and Graham talking chocolate and cocoa, I thought I'd better check on dark chocolate supplies in the larder

It's ok ... a couple of spare bars lol !

We only ever eat a square (perhaps two) at a time.

All the best Jan

The 85% was back today so I bought and stashed some extra. You can never be too careful. Yes a square or two is enough.