A common concern when first diagnosed with diabetes is whether or not you'll have to give up your favorite foods. Chocolate is a favorite treat for many people, including diabetics. It is possible to include chocolate in your diet when you have the right information and are willing to do some careful planning.
Features
Chocolate contains sugar, a simple carbohydrate that increases blood glucose levels. It also contains fat, which adds calories and can affect heart health. When chocolate is combined with other ingredients, such as nuts, candy or marshmallows, the amount of sugar and fat is also increased. Like any other treat, too much chocolate can lead to out-of-control blood glucose levels and weight gain.
Benefits
Chocolate is known to have some positive health benefits. It contains flavonoids, which are compounds found naturally in plant foods. Flavonoids have been associated with improved heart health, such as lowering blood pressure and improving blood flow. Flavonoids act as an antioxidant to help resist and repair damage caused by free radicals. However, many of these protective properties are removed as chocolate is processed from raw cocoa into a sweet candy. Dark chocolate tends to have more of these beneficial properties than other types, such as milk chocolate.
Planning
By planning ahead, it is possible to treat yourself to some chocolate without jeopardizing good diabetes control. Chocolate would be considered a carbohydrate in a diabetes meal plan. If you want to eat some chocolate, you can count is as part of your normal carbohydrate intake. Start by checking the serving size on the nutrition facts label, located on the product package. This will help you know how much of the food equals one serving. The total carbohydrate content is also located on the nutrition facts label, which is helpful if you use carbohydrate counting for meal planning and insulin dosing.
Learning More
If you have diabetes, follow the advice of your physician for treating it. A certified diabetes educator can also help you make a plan for including favorite treats as part of your diabetes meal plan. If you use insulin to treat your diabetes, your physician or diabetes educator can help you make a plan to adjust your insulin dosage if needed to cover a chocolate treat.
Considerations
Some chocolate is flavored with artificial sweeteners. Often, the package of such products will say "sugar free." Be aware that "sugar free" does not necessarily mean calorie free. Check the nutrition facts label for calorie content and amount of carbohydrates. Even if the product contains an artificial sweetener, if the item has carbohydrates in it, it can still affect blood glucose levels.
