Who doesn't love chocolate? This one food is popular with many people. Its legit taste and soft texture make almost everyone love chocolate and make it a daily snack. However, behind the sweet taste, high sugar levels in chocolate are often considered as one of the causes of increased risk of diabetes and obesity. Therefore, chocolate and diabetics seem to be two things that cannot be combined.
Chocolate is considered dangerous for diabetics because it is a source of excess glucose intake for the body. In diabetic patients, the insulin hormone or the hormone secreted by the pancreas, which should distribute glucose in the blood to the body's cells, has too little level so it cannot work optimally. Low insulin levels cause glucose obtained from food to not be distributed properly, causing a buildup and increase in the amount of glucose in the bloodstream. That is why diabetics should not eat lots of sweet foods.
Although excessive consumption of sweet foods should be avoided by diabetic patients, that does not mean that diabetic patients cannot eat chocolate at all. Diabetic patients can still eat chocolate, especially dark chocolate . Dark chocolate is different from milk chocolate ( milk chocolate ) or white chocolate. Dark chocolate contains more flavonoids than milk chocolate, while white chocolate has absolutely no flavonoids in it. Flavanoids themselves are a type of antioxidant that can repair cells damaged by free radicals, also reduce the risk of cancer, hypertension and diabetes. So, consumption of dark chocolate has a good effect on the body compared to consumption of other types of chocolate.
Dark chocolate or dark chocolate can also increase insulin sensitivity in healthy study participants. Improved insulin sensitivity can help prevent blood sugar levels in diabetes patients from soaring. Flavonoid compounds in dark chocolate also prevent an increase in blood glucose levels when consumed in reasonable amounts.
Consuming dark chocolate can also make your stomach full longer and prevent cravings for sweet, salty and fatty foods. So, for people with diabetes or who are losing weight , dark chocolate can be a good snack choice.
A lot of dark chocolate on the market is sold with the percentage of solid chocolate on the packaging and a new chocolate can be said to be dark chocolate if it contains at least 70% solid chocolate. So if you want to choose dark chocolate, don't choose one with a solid chocolate content below 70%.
After knowing the explanation about dark chocolate that is safe for you to consume and the positive impact of consuming dark chocolate for yourself. You can include dark chocolate in your list of healthy snacks. However, still limit the portion of chocolate you consume so you don't experience diarrhea.
If you want to do a diabetes check, currently EMC Sentul Hospital and Tangerang EMC Hospital are providing Diabetic Care packages for Rp. 599,000. With this 25% lower price, you can already get the following checks:
- Fasting glucose
- HbA1C
- LDL cholesterol
- Triglycerides
- Blood pressure
- Body mass index measurement
- Consultation with internists
Don't miss this Diabetic Care promo because it's only valid until December 31, 2019. Let's continue to take care of our health for a better quality of life. #LiveExcellently