Eating Chocolate Every Day Has Two Surprising Health Benefits, Study Finds

Here's some good news for chocolate lovers. Eating a moderate amount of the treat every day may lower the risk of diabetes and heart disease.

In a new study published in the British Journal of Nutrition, participants who consumed chocolate every day had reduced insulin resistance and improved liver enzyme levels than those who did not eat chocolate daily.

A diet that includes tea and coffee may boost chocolate's benefits for cardiometabolic risk because the drinks include antioxidants polyphenols, according to the researchers.

Cardiometabolic is a person's likelihood of developing diabetes, heart disease, or stroke, reports 
The type of person who ate chocolate in the study were more physically active, younger and more educated than those who didn't eat the treat.

Study co-author Prof. Saverio Stranges of the University of Warwick Medical School, United Kingdom, and scientific director of the Department of Population Health at the Luxembourg Institute of Health, explained: "Given the growing body of evidence, including our own study, cocoa-based products may represent an additional dietary recommendation to improve cardiometabolic health; however, observational results need to be supported by robust trial evidence.

"Potential applications of this knowledge include recommendations by healthcare professionals to encourage individuals to consume a wide range of phytochemical-rich foods, which can include dark chocolate in moderate amounts."
He added that "physical activity, diet and other lifestyle factors must be carefully balanced to avoid detrimental weight gain over time."