Radio Study for:
November 19, 2010
Cocoa is safe for diabetics and may modestly improve HDL-good cholesterol
     Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that occurs naturally in all parts of the body. The body needs some cholesterol to work properly. But if there is too much cholesterol in the blood, it can stick to the walls of the arteries. This is called plaque. Plaque can stiffen the arteries or even block them. High levels of cholesterol in the blood can increase the risk of heart disease. Cholesterol levels tend to rise with age. There are usually no signs or symptoms that indicate high blood cholesterol, but it can be detected with a blood test. Chances of having high cholesterol would include if family members have it, being overweight or eating lot of fatty foods.
     HDL is the "good" cholesterol which helps keep the LDL (bad) cholesterol from getting lodged inside artery walls. LDL cholesterol is the "bad" cholesterol; when too much of it circulates in the blood, it can clog arteries, increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke. To lower cholesterol levels exercise and eating more fruits and vegetables is advised.
     A study published in Diabetic Medicine evaluated the effects of Cocoa antioxidant rich chocolate on cholesterol levels, weight and glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes. The placebo-controlled, double-blind crossover study included 12 individuals with type 2 diabetes stabilized on medication. The participants were randomly separated into one of two groups. The first group was given 45 grams of 85 percent dark chocolate rich in cocoa antioxidants to eat per day for 8 weeks and the second group was given placebo which contained no cocoa antioxidants but was the same color as the dark chocolate. At the end of the first 8 weeks, the groups had a 4 week washout period and then crossed over to the opposite group for a second 8 week period. The researchers found that HDL cholesterol increased significantly when the subjects ate the dark cocoa rich chocolate everyday and also the patients did not gain weight. They also found a decrease in the total cholesterol: HDL ratio in the dark chocolate group. It is thought that the high polyphenol content in dark chocolate is responsible for the positive results that were observed in this study. Although this was a relatively small study, it appears that chocolate in moderation is not harmful and may actually offer significant benefits. The study is published in the November 2010 issue of the journal Diabetic Medicine.

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