---
title: "Dark Chocolate and Diabetes Risk"
url: https://stacklist.com/card/b5aa9e40-a723-4966-bfbc-ec50aeed29e2
source_url: "https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/daily-dose-of-dark-chocolate-linked-to-lower-diabetes-risk"
stack: https://stacklist.com/c/food/stack/e334c21b-c80b-4c7f-b0af-cfc3bca6d578
summary: "A large observational study of about 192,000 people over 30 years found that consuming at least five ounces of dark chocolate per week was associated with a 21% lower risk of developing diabetes. Dark chocolate's higher flavonoid content and lower sugar compared to milk chocolate may improve blood sugar regulation, though the study cannot prove a causal relationship."
tags: "dark-chocolate, diabetes, flavonoids, observational-study, nutrition, health-research"
key_entities: "Julie Corliss (person), Christopher P. Cannon (person), Harvard Health Publishing (organization), The BMJ (organization), dark chocolate (concept), type 2 diabetes risk (concept), flavonoids (concept), Harvard Medical School (organization)"
classification: "analysis"
content_hash: "sha256:054f7c19106ff5c97f029bb557bba94e67c3776ed53347dfda73bd830d574573"
acp_version: "0.2"
token_counts_approximate: 689
visibility: public
agent_accessible: true
status: "final"
---

# Dark Chocolate and Diabetes Risk

March 1, 2025 By Julie Corliss , Executive Editor, Harvard Heart Letter Reviewed by Christopher P. Cannon, MD , Contributor Share {} }" > Share this page to Facebook Share this page to X Share this page via Email { this.copied = true; setTimeout(() => this.copied = false, 1000); }); } }" > Copy this page to clipboard Print This Page Click to Print New research finds that people with a habit of eating dark chocolate - about an ounce a day - were less likely to develop diabetes compared to those who didn't consume it. For the study, researchers analyzed dietary questionnaire responses and health records from about 192,000 people who were followed for over 30 years. After accounting for the participants' age, exercise levels, and other factors, they found that those who ate at least five ounces of dark chocolate per week had a 21% lower chance of developing diabetes compared with people who rarely or never ate dark chocolate. Those who ate milk chocolate weren't protected against diabetes; in fact, they were more likely to gain weight during the study. Observational studies like this can't prove that a specific food confers a certain health benefit. But compared to milk chocolate, dark chocolate has less sugar but much higher levels of compounds called flavonoids, which studies suggest may improve blood sugar regulation, possibly guarding against diabetes. The study was published Dec. 7, 2024, in The BMJ . Image: © Michael Stewart/Corbis/VCG/Getty Images About the Author Julie Corliss , Executive Editor, Harvard Heart Letter Julie Corliss has been the executive editor of the Harvard Heart Letter since 2013. She also writes for the Harvard Health Letter, Harvard Women’s Health Watch, and Harvard Men’s Health Watch, as well as for Harvard … See Full Bio View all posts by Julie Corliss About the Reviewer Christopher P. Cannon, MD , Contributor Dr. Christopher P. Cannon is the former editor in chief of the Harvard Heart Letter. He is a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, and senior physician in the Preventive Cardiology section of the Cardiovascular … See Full Bio View all posts by Christopher P. Cannon, MD Share {} }" > Share this page to Facebook Share this page to X Share this page via Email { this.copied = true; setTimeout(() => this.copied = false, 1000); }); } }" > Copy this page to clipboard Print This Page Click to Print Disclaimer: As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.