The Best Ways to Enjoy Dark Chocolate When You Have Diabetes

The flavonols in dark chocolate may help lower blood sugar and reduce the risk for heart disease — two pluses for people managing type 2 diabetes.

People with diabetes can still eat dessert in moderation, and dark chocolate is a good choice because of its heart-healthy nutrients. However, some types are more beneficial than others.One of the most widely believed myths about living with type 2 diabetes is that all sweets are off-limits, and upon receiving a diabetes diagnosis, you may feel forced to say goodbye to all the after-dinner treats and 3 p.m. pick-me-ups you once loved. Fortunately, it’s actually true that some sweets are safe for people with type 2 diabetes — and in the case of dark chocolate, a moderate amount may even lead to some significant health benefits, including lower blood sugar.

Among the possible perks of noshing on a square of the dark stuff are improved brain function, blood pressure, cholesterol, and heart health, according to the American Diabetes Association.

Those benefits may seem like enough reason to race for the candy aisle, but not so fast. As with eating any food when you're managing diabetes, details are key. Follow this guide to enjoy dark chocolate safely without throwing your blood sugar out of whack.

Why Dark Chocolate and Diabetes Make a Sweet Combination

A plain square of high-cocoa dark chocolate is packed with good-for-you components that put that designer cupcake or gourmet chocolate-chip cookie to shame. “The antioxidants in chocolate help the body use its insulin more efficiently to help control blood sugar,” says Anna Simos, CDE, the diabetes education and prevention program manager at Stanford Health Care in Palo Alto, California. “This in turn helps lower blood sugar levels naturally and actually helps your body use your insulin. As a result, it helps decrease insulin resistance, which we see in type 2 diabetes.”

According to an animal study published in the November 2017 issue of the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, it’s the compounds found in cocoa called cocoa flavanols that appear to enhance certain cells’ ability to secrete insulin, the hormone that manages blood glucose. While the study’s results are still preliminary, and the authors note you’d need to consume a lot of cocoa and not much sugar to reap these benefits, other studies also suggest dark chocolate can help people with diabetes.

For example, in a randomized controlled trial published in January 2015 in ARYA Atherosclerosis, researchers found that participants with type 2 diabetes who ate dark chocolate for eight weeks saw improvements in health markers like fasting blood sugar and A1C levels, while those participants with type 2 diabetes who ate white chocolate did not.

Furthermore, the flavonols in dark chocolate may help your ticker — another win for people with diabetes, as these individuals are at a twofold risk for heart disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A study published in August 2015 in Vascular Pharmacology found that people who ate high-flavanol dark chocolate saw modest improvements in cardiovascular function.

How to Pick a Good Dark Chocolate for Your Blood Sugar

When it comes to picking the best dark chocolate for your health, some varieties are healthier for people with diabetes than others. Follow these tips to get the biggest nutritional bang for your buck.

Look at the percentage of cocoa. Just because a chocolate bar is labeled “dark” doesn’t mean it’s healthy. Indeed, some types of “dark chocolate” could be as low as 30 percent cocoa, making them more on par with regular milk chocolate nutrition-wise, warns Anna Taylor, RD, CDE, at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. To reap the most health benefits from chocolate, choose a bar that contains 70 percent cocoa or more. Often, Simos says, the cocoa content will appear in plain sight on the front of the packaging.

Eye the sugar content to keep carb intake in check. All chocolate — including unsweetened baking chocolate — has carbs, Simos says. Try to keep the carbs for one chocolate snack to 15 to 30 grams (g) max, she recommends. For reference, a small Hershey’s Kiss, or about 10 to 15 unsweetened dark chocolate chips both contain 15 g of carbohydrates, Simos says. Even when you're indulging, counting carbs is crucial for managing diabetes.

Beware of any sugary extra ingredients. “Limit dark chocolate that has caramel, toffee, or other sugary add-ins,” Taylor says. Dark chocolate, she notes, shouldn’t have more than around 8 g of sugar per 1 ounce (oz), or 28 g of chocolate. On the other hand, opting for a bar with nuts, like almonds, is a safer bet, because of their satiating effect and their ability to slow the rise in blood sugar levels.

Consider opting for sugar-free cocoa powder or cacao nibs for a treat. These easy options are naturally sugar-free and will give you that chocolate taste without the same hit of carbs, Simos notes. Another benefit? Cacao nibs contain iron and minerals like magnesium — a plus for people with diabetes, she says. Magnesium deficiency is associated with type 2 diabetes, likely because of the increased urination common in people with diabetes, according to a review published in August 2015 in the World Journal of Diabetes.

Diabetes-Friendly Ideas for Enjoying Dark Chocolate

If you’re craving chocolate, here are some of the best ways to get your fix.

Have a rich serving of dark chocolate — but limit the serving to about ¾ to 1 oz. That way, Taylor says, you’ll get some of the benefits of dark chocolate and satisfy your craving for something sweet, but you won’t break the bank on your calories, saturated fat, carb, or sugar intake.

Sprinkle cacao nibs on your yogurt. This is a smaller, more compact way of getting the benefits of dark chocolate, Simos says. Cacao nibs have about 13 g of carbs in a 1 oz serving, but also contain blood-sugar-regulating fiber and protein that will slow down your digestion and help you feel fuller for longer, she explains. To ensure your snack or dessert is extra diabetes-friendly, consider opting for plain, nonfat Greek yogurt — which is also packed with filling protein and gut-friendly probiotics.

Add some cocoa powder to your morning shake. Just 1 to 2 tablespoons of natural cocoa per day may help boost your heart health, Simos says. Similarly, unsweetened cocoa powder contains virtually no sugar.

Choose artificially sweetened chocolate with care. If you want to enjoy chocolate but don’t want to risk spiking your blood sugar, consider reaching for a no-sugar-added hot-cocoa mix, Simos says. Just check the ingredients label to make sure the carbs per serving stay beneath that 15 to 30 g range. You could also opt for artificially sweetened chocolate, but you have to be careful about what kind of sugar substitute is used, Simos says, because sugar alcohols, like sorbitol, can have a laxative effect, and convert into blood-sugar-spiking carbohydrates. Not to mention, some research suggests these types of sweeteners may lead to increased sugar cravings and unwanted weight gain. Good diabetes management depends on healthy weight, as weight gain can increase insulin resistance — the hallmark of type 2 diabetes.

Ultimately, Simos advises, opting for dark chocolate with regular sugar, and indulging mindfully and in moderation, is your best bet for reaping the heart and hypoglycemic benefits that the treat can offer.