Yahoo Lifestyle This Daily Drink May Cut Your Heart Attack and Diabetes Risk, According to Registered Dietitians
It’s (slightly) old news that sleeping in on weekends and avoiding artificial sweeteners could lower heart attack risk. It’s probably also no surprise that stocking up on frozen green veggies at the grocery store can be great for blood sugar, especially if diabetes is a concern.
But did you know there’s a particular warm, sweet, winter-y drink that has both of those benefits? Time to grab a mug, because it’s time to whip up some … hot cocoa! Seriously! It just needs a particular type of chocolate.
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The 1 Ingredient in Hot Chocolate That May Lower the Risk of Heart Attack and Diabetes
As mentioned, there’s a key to making hot chocolate in a way that a recent study showed may reduce your heart attack and diabetes risk: using unsweetened, pure cacao. But what makes that type of cacao special is that it’s a rich source of flavanols. Flavanols are a subgroup of flavonoids, an antioxidant and a compound that’s also found in fruits and veggies.
So is eating chocolate basically the same thing as eating a vegetable? Basically! (OK, maybe not really, but we can dream, right?)
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Dietitians explain the details. “Studies are showing that cocoa may help with slowing carbohydrate absorption, improving insulin sensitivity, preserving our insulin-producing beta cells in our pancreas and improving our lipid levels, which may prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes,” says Sophie Lauver, MS, RD, LDN, a registered dietitian at Aeroflow Diabetes.
Pointing to a 2018 study in Nutrients, Catherine Gervacio, RND, registered nutritionist and diet consultant for WOWMD, explains the benefits for heart health. “They help improve blood flow, reduce inflammation and lower blood pressure,” she says. “This may reduce strain on the heart and the risk of heart attacks.”
FYI, many commercial hot chocolate products have low amounts of flavanols, Lauver adds, so your best bet is to make this drink at home from scratch. She also recommends dark chocolate since it’s higher in flavanols.
Other Foods With the Same Benefit (Some Are Surprising!)
Lots of other foods can help lower heart attack and diabetes risk, according to Gervacio. She points to one that has a “bad reputation,” though: bananas.
“Green bananas (or plantains) are high in resistant starch, a type of fiber that helps with blood sugar control and supports healthy gut bacteria,” she says.
Additionally, Gervacio recommends fermented, gut-friendly, high-probiotic foods, such as sauerkraut, kimchi, tempeh and cottage cheese. “A balanced gut microbiome is linked to better blood sugar control and lower inflammation,” she explains.
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Lauver encourages adding fiber-rich fruits, vegetables and whole grains to your plate, too.
“It can help to think about eating a wide array of whole plant foods,” she adds. “This allows us to consume a variety of vitamins, minerals and natural plant compounds that, in collaboration, lower diabetes risk.”
Gervacio agrees your best bet is to incorporate more than one of these foods. “There is no single food that cuts heart attack risk and diabetes risk,” she told us.
Additionally, she recommends regular physical activity, managing stress and getting quality sleep: “These work together to protect your heart and help prevent diabetes.”
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Sources
Sophie Lauver, MS, RD, LND, a registered dietitian
Catherine Gervacio, RND, registered nutritionist
"Effects of Cocoa Consumption on Cardiometabolic Risk Markers: Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials." Nutrients
