Once it has been shown that chocolate is not fattening, that it is good for the heart and the colon, among other things, recent research has just shown that it also prevents obesity and type 2 diabetes .
The study, which has been developed by a team of researchers from the Polytechnic Institute and Virginia State University (USA), demonstrates through an experiment with laboratory mice, that certain antioxidants in cocoa -the main ingredient in chocolate-, flavonoids, prevent gain weight and also lower blood sugar levels .
The mice were subjected one to one to six different types of diets for 12 weeks including the extremes of low-fat and high-fat diet. In addition, each mouse received 25 grams of cocoa for each kilogram of weight each day . The scientists found that a high-fat diet combined with the cocoa supplement was the best combination to maintain the weight of the mice and improve glucose tolerance.
The potential of chocolate as an instrument to improve our health is greater than previously thought, according to the researchers in the conclusions of the work that has been published in the Journal of Agricultural Food and Chemistry.
