New Delhi:
If you love to munch on dark chocolate then you are in for great news.
According to a study published in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, compounds found in cocoa- the main ingredient of chocolate can actually help prevent the risk of diabetes.
The findings of the study suggest that a cocoa compound named epicatechin monomers helps the body release more insulin and further responds to increased blood glucose better. A diabetic's body either stops producing enough insulin or does not process blood sugar properly, because of the failure of beta cells that produce insulin.
The study discovered that the increased presence of epcatechin monomers helped beta cells to remain stronger as well as enhanced their ability to secrete insulin. "What happens is epicatechin monomers is protecting the cells, increasing their ability to deal with oxidative stress," said lead author Jeffery Tessem, assistant professor at Brigham Young University (BYU), US.
"The epicatechin monomers are making the mitochondria in the beta cells stronger, which produces more ATP (a cell's energy source), which then results in more insulin being released," Tessem added.
"These results will help us get closer to using these compounds more effectively in foods or supplements to maintain normal blood glucose control and potentially even delay or prevent the onset of Type-2 diabetes," said study co-author Andrew Neilson, assistant professor at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.
