Study suggests dark chocolate lowers diabetes, obesity risk

Despite a recent study that blamed dozens of cocoa-based products for containing heavy metals, new research point to dark chocolate as being among a list of foods that may help lower the risks of diabetes and obesity.

The research, published in the Food Bioscience journal, finds that a naturally occurring, bitter chemical in many plant-based products, known as polyphenols, could lead to significant health benefits. Polyphenols are compounds that are most concentrated in dark chocolate compared to milk chocolate and are also found in various other plant-based foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

Polyphenols interact with bitter taste receptors on the tongue, specifically type 2 taste receptors (T2R). However, recent research highlights that these receptors are also present in the digestive system, playing a crucial role in regulating appetite and blood sugar levels.

Aside from dark chocolate, polyphenols are found in many other plant-based foods such as apples, berries, broccoli, carrots, chili peppers, cumin, flax seeds, ginger, ginkgo biloba, green tea, oats, olives and olive oil, onions, red cabbage, sesame seeds, spinach, turmeric, and whole grains.

When these receptors are activated in the gastrointestinal tract, they trigger the release of hormones such as cholecystokinin, and incretins like GLP-1. These hormones are essential for managing how full we feel and how our body handles sugar, potentially reducing the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and obesity.

Researchers from the Shibaura Institute of Technology in Japan discovered that polyphenols, despite not being well absorbed in the upper digestive tract, can activate these receptors in the gut, leading to the secretion of these beneficial hormones. This activation helps regulate blood sugar levels and appetite, offering a possible explanation for the health benefits of polyphenol-rich foods like dark chocolate.

In a media release, Professor Naomi Osakabe from Shibaura Institute explained, “The gastrointestinal hormones are known to regulate feeding behavior and maintain glucose tolerance via the endocrine and nervous systems, thus it is possible that the bitterness of polyphenols helps to reduce the risk of diabetes and its complications, through T2R activation.”

»Related: Are there dangerous levels of heavy metals in dark chocolate?