TYPE 2 DIABETIC CHOCOLATE LOVERS WANTED

If you’re a type 2 diabetic and a chocaholic, you may be able to ink a sweet deal. A study in England is looking for women willing to wolf down a bar of chocolate every day for a year. The researchers will examine whether adding flavonoid-rich cocoa to a diet provides increased protection against heart disease. But other qualifying conditions apply: Volunteers must be postmenopausal and under the age of 70. Menopausal women face an increased risk of death due to heart disease, and the risk is three-and-a-half times greater if a woman has type 2 diabetes.

The University of East Anglia study will feed volunteers special-made chocolate bars packed with flavonoids, which are believed to benefit the heart. Cocoa has long been known as a heart-healthy food because of its natural level of flavonoids. But that’s not to say you should start bingeing on Snickers bars. Many flavonoids are destroyed when cocoa is made into chocolate. And high levels of sugar and fat make most chocolate a no-no for diabetics. If you’re looking to reconcile your addiction to chocolate with good nutrition, check your local health foods store for flavonoid-heavy dark chocolate. MORE HEALTH CURES