Diabetes type 2: Dr Zoe Williams discusses high blood sugar risks
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Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body does not produce enough insulin. Or when the cells are unable to use insulin properly. This is called “insulin resistance”. And it results in elevated blood glucose (or sugar), which over time can lead to serious damage to the heart, digoxin effects on heart failure blood vessels, kidneys, eyes, and nerves.
The main symptoms of type 2 diabetes include weight loss, constant hunger, the need to urinate often, fatigue, and vision changes.
Eating a healthy diet is key for people dealing with diabetes.
A meal plan is one of the most effective ways to control blood sugar and avoid hyperglycemia (high blood glucose levels).
Avoiding sugary snacks and saturated fat is a good way to keep glucose levels at bay, but dark chocolate may be an exception to this rule.
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“Cocoa may induce pancreatic β-cell regeneration and stimulate insulin secretion, have a hypoglycemic effect, and improve glucose tolerance,” the authors said.
They concluded that cocoa “may be useful in slowing the progression to type 2 diabetes”.
Furthermore, they suggested that consuming cocoa for longer periods could affect insulin resistance “to a greater degree” than single doses of cocoa products.
Another study by ARYA Artherosclerosis analysed the effect of dark chocolate consumption in people with diabetes type 2.
They found that those who consumed 25 grams of dark chocolate over a period of eight weeks had lower blood pressure than the control group.
The dark chocolate group also showed decreased fasting blood glucose.
These findings all weaken the idea of chocolate as the main fear food for people with diabetes.
According to Diabetes UK: “It’s a myth that you can’t eat chocolate if you have diabetes.”
The charity also warned to avoid any type of snack labeled as “diabetic chocolate”, as this contains the same amount of calories and fat as normal chocolate.
Eating good-quality dark chocolate can perfectly fit a healthy meal plan for diabetic people.“
Just eat it in moderation, and try not to eat a lot in one go as it affects your blood sugar levels,” Diabetes UK concluded.
To get the most out of dark chocolate it is best to read the nutrition facts label before buying it.
It is important to pick bars that contain 70 percent of cocoa or more.
Checking whether the bar or snack has been processed with alkali, which makes cocoa less bitter, is also key.
And lastly, it is always worth checking whether the bar contains any sugary extra ingredients, like caramel or toffee, as these may cause hyperglycaemia.
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