A particular type of antioxidant in cocoa can prevent people from gaining excess weight and lower their blood sugar levels.
April 3/Tehran/Virginia Polytechnic Institute -- Scientists from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute declared they have found that one particular type of antioxidant in cocoa can prevent people from gaining excess weight and lower their blood sugar levels. Andrew P. Neilson and colleagues explain that cocoa, the basic ingredient of chocolate, is one of the most flavanol-rich foods around.
Previous research has shown that flavanols in other foods such as grapes and tea can help fight weight gain and type-2 diabetes. However, not all flavanols, which are a type of antioxidant, are created equal. Cocoa has several different kinds of these compounds, so Neilson's team decided to tease them apart and test each individually for health benefits.