Dark Chocolate Can Reduce Diabetes

Vocabulary

• Diabetes
• Gain
• Risk
• Linked
• Cacao
• Insulin

We often think of chocolate as a special snack. It is not very healthy, but we can enjoy it a little bit. Not all chocolate is the same. A new study shows that milk chocolate can make you gain weight, but dark chocolate might help lower the risk of diabetes. In a new study, researchers looked at the health of people who eat two kinds of chocolate: dark chocolate and milk chocolate.

They studied many health workers in the US over 25 years. They checked how much chocolate people ate and what kind it was. They found out that people who ate dark chocolate five times a week were 21% less likely to get type 2 diabetes. One serving is about 28 grams, which is half of a small chocolate bar. However, eating more milk chocolate was linked to gaining weight over time.

The researchers also saw that people who ate any type of chocolate at least five times a week were still 10% less likely to get type 2 diabetes compared to people who did not eat chocolate. Most chocolate has sugar and fat, but dark chocolate has more cacao. Experts say that this extra cacao might help the body use insulin better, which can lower the risk of diabetes.

But other scientists say there are better ways to stay healthy than just eating chocolate.

The researchers also said they could not prove that eating chocolate was the only reason for the lower risk of diabetes. Still, if you want to enjoy a treat, the researchers recommend choosing dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate.

Summarize the article in your own words.

Speaking

• What is your opinion about this new research?
• What kind of chocolate do you prefer?
• How common is diabetes in your country?
• Would you say your diet is healthy?
• What is your favourite snack food?

Writing

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