Cocoa May Assist in Diabetes

Cocoa is abundant in antioxidants, most notably flavonol compounds which have been shown by previous studies to exert beneficial effects. Isabel Cordero-Herrera, from the Institute of Food Science and Technology and Nutrition (ICTAN) at Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) (Spain), and colleagues, studied the effects of cocoa polyphenol extracts as well as the flavonol epicathechin on liver cells.  The team found that insulin pathways and receptors improved when exposed to the cocoa compounds. The study authors submit that: “Our data suggest that [epicathechin] and [cocoa phenolic extract] strengthen the insulin signalling by activating key proteins of that pathway and regulating glucose production.”