This Dessert May Lower Your Diabetes Risk, According to New Study

Because, let’s face it, we can all use a little good news right now: If you love an after-dinner treat but sometimes eschew sweets for health reasons, you’re in luck. A new Harvard study reveals that a specific dessert may actually lower your risk of type 2 diabetes.

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The Dessert That May Lower Type 2 Diabetes Risk

Dark chocolate is your best bet if you’ve got a hankering for the sweet stuff.

The study examined data from 192,000 adult participants over the course of more than 30 years. The participants did not have diabetes at the start of the study and reported on their eating habits, including how much and what types of chocolate they consumed. The participants documented their body weight and diabetes status.

By the study’s conclusion, almost 19,000 participants were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, and of 112,000 participants who reported their chocolate consumption, 5,000 of those participants were diagnosed with the condition.

When researchers crunched the numbers, they found that participants who ate at least five ounces of any variety of chocolate per week actually had a 10% lower risk of type 2 diabetes than those who never or rarely ate chocolate. However, it was dark chocolate that had the strongest correlation with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes: Participants who reported eating at least five servings of dark chocolate per week had a 21% lower risk of type 2 diabetes, plus an additional 3% reduction in risk for every additional serving of dark chocolate they ate weekly.

Related: What Does Craving Chocolate Mean? 6 Possible Reasons

Conversely, milk chocolate wasn’t associated with reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, and unfortunately showed associations with long-term weight gain when participants reported eating more than five weekly servings. As has long been documented, being overweight or obese puts you at higher risk of type 2 diabetes.

“Our findings suggest that not all chocolate is created equal,” study lead author Binkai Liu, doctoral student in the Harvard Chan School Department of Nutrition, explained. “For anyone who loves chocolate, this is a reminder that making small choices, like choosing dark chocolate over milk chocolate, can make a positive difference to their health.”

Fellow researcher Dr. Qi Sun, MD, MMS, ScD., associate professor in the Departments of Nutrition and Epidemiology, said there was a stark difference between the benefits of dark chocolate and milk chocolate when it came to health impacts.

“We were surprised by the clear split between dark and milk chocolate’s impact on diabetes risk and long-term weight management,” Dr. Sun said. “Even though dark and milk chocolate have similar levels of calories and saturated fat, it appears that the rich polyphenols in dark chocolate might offset the effects of saturated fat and sugar on weight gain and diabetes. It’s an intriguing difference that’s worth exploring more.”

Related: The #1 Change I Noticed When I Ate Dark Chocolate Every Day for a Week

Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate

In addition to being correlated with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, dark chocolate has other health benefits as well.

“Dark chocolate is rich in disease-fighting antioxidants and flavonoids, which studies suggest can play beneficial roles in the body including fighting cell damage related to aging, reducing blood pressure and lowering heart disease risk,” says registered dietitian Mia Syn, RDN, previously told Parade.

Dark chocolate also contains minerals like magnesium, which is essential for nerve functioning and can make you feel energized; iron, which is necessary to produce hemoglobin to get oxygen to your organs and zinc, which supports the immune system. Another recent study also showed a potential link between hot cacao and a reduced risk of heart attacks.

Related: How Chocolate Really Impacts Brain Health

Health Risks of Too Much Dark Chocolate

Sadly, yes, you can have too much of a good thing: Syn warned that because of added sugars and saturated fats, dark chocolate is best in moderation. She also noted, “Additionally, it is a source of caffeine, which can cause restlessness and insomnia when consumed in excess.”

Recent studies have also shown that certain brands and varieties of dark chocolate may have potentially unsafe lead content, so you’ll want to be sure you’re making an informed choice when picking out your snack—because you deserve to treat yourself safely.

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Related: Delicious and With Health Benefits? We’ve Got the 11 Best Dark Chocolate Bars, Ranked

Sources

• “Chocolate intake and risk of type 2 diabetes: prospective cohort studies.” BMJ, 2024.
• “Eating dark chocolate linked with reduced risk of type 2 diabetes.” Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
• Mia Syn, RDN