Free Diabetic Supplies

A new study published in the June 3 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC), suggests that cocoa can actually help blood vessels to function better and might soon be considered part of a healthy diet for the prevention of cardiovascular disease. A natural plant compound, Flavanols, is responsible for cocoa’s healthful benefits. Flavanols can also be found in tea, red wine, and certain fruits and vegetables.

The study revealed that after a diabetic patients drank specially formulated high-flavanol cocoa for one month, blood vessel function went from severely impaired to normal.  Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in diabetic patients.

“Medical treatments alone often do not prevent complications of diabetes that are associated with atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease,” said Malte Kelm, M.D., a professor and chairman of cardiology, pulmonology and vascular medicine at the University Hospital Aachen and the Technical University Aachen, in Aachen, Germany. “Physicians should be increasingly looking to lifestyle changes and new approaches to help in addressing the cardiovascular risks associated with diabetes.”

“Patients with type 2 diabetes can certainly find ways to fit chocolate into a healthy lifestyle, but this study is not about chocolate, and it’s not about urging those with diabetes to eat more chocolate. This research focuses on what’s at the true heart of the discussion on “healthy chocolate”—it’s about cocoa flavanols, the naturally occurring compounds in cocoa,” he said. “While more research is needed, our results demonstrate that dietary flavanols might have an important impact as part of a healthy diet in the prevention of cardiovascular complications in diabetic patients.”