Sugar-Free Dark Chocolate Consumption Results in Lower Blood Glucose in Adults With Diabetes

Abstract

Diabetes is characterized by an impaired ability to appropriately control blood glucose. Postprandial hyperglycemia, in particular, is associated with complications in people with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and type 2 diabetes (T2D). The objective of this study was to determine how sugar-free dark chocolate sweetened with stevia, erythritol, and inulin impacts postprandial blood glucose levels in individuals with diabetes compared to conventional dark chocolate. In a randomized crossover design, 13 participants consumed 1 bar (34 g) of sugar-free dark chocolate or 1 bar (34 g) of conventional dark chocolate with glucose levels measured before and throughout a 120-min postprandial period. The incremental area under the curve (iAUC) was lower after the consumption of sugar-free dark chocolate (−65%, P =.04) compared to conventional dark chocolate. No significant differences between chocolates were found for peak glucose value above baseline, the total area under the curve, or peak glucose values. Our results suggest that a sugar-free dark chocolate bar sweetened with stevia, erythritol and inulin led to a lower blood glucose iAUC compared to the conventional dark chocolate bar in people with diabetes, whilst longer-term effects on glucose control remain to be determined.