Timothy Prahl asked:


of this 2 part series exploring the potential health benefits of organic dark chocolate for the current or pre-diabetic, we focused on the very high concentrations of ‘flavanols’ in cocoa and their positive effect for a healthy cardiovascular system. We will now look at several specific studies and their results relating to diabetes control.

By introducing a consistent, high quality source of the flavanols found in dark chocolate, insulin function is improved, blood sugar is better controlled, blood pressure is lowered, and the threat of blood sugar build up and pre-diabetes is lessened.

A recent study at the University of L’Aquila in Italy confirmed these vascular effects. Over a 15 day period, 15 healthy test subjects were given 100g of a typical dark chocolate, (with 500 mg of flavonoids), and 15 others were given 100g of white chocolate (which has NO measurable flavonoids).

After a 7 day washout period following the first test, the groups were reversed and tested for another 15 days. At the end of each period, oral glucose tolerance tests were performed to calculate the insulin resistance and the quantitative insulin sensitivity. Systolic blood pressure was also checked.

Davide Grassi published the results in the “American Journal of Clinical Nutrition”:

“Dark, but not white, chocolate decreases blood pressure and improves insulin sensitivity in healthy persons.”

“Nitric oxide bioavailability deeply influences insulin-stimulated glucose uptake and vascular tone.”

“These findings indicate that dark chocolate may exert a protective action on the vascular endothelium also by improving insulin sensitivity”.

A sidebar of note for current or pre-diabetics.

Obesity is a known risk factor for insulin resistance. Cocoa powder (the origin of dark chocolate) has been proven to be an effective appetite suppressant. A check of the ingredients on the label of many of the popular diet supplements will list cocoa powder high on the list.

So, a portion of good quality dark chocolate before a meal will not only provide your vascular system with a needed antioxidant boost, but you may also gain benefit against the ‘battle of the bulge’.

Another healthy dark chocolate fact for diabetics is the type of fat contained in cocoa.

Two thirds of the fats in dark chocolate are ‘heart healthy’. A study published in “Free Radical Biology Medicine” found that dark chocolate “actually increased HDL (good cholesterol) concentrations and reduced the oxidation of the total cholesterol”.

Where do you find ‘quality’ Healthy Dark Chocolate?

MXI Corporation’s “Xocai” dark chocolate products are independently tested and have the highest antioxidant ratings. (Using the United States Department of Agriculture’s Standardized Antioxidant Value System)

They use an exclusive, patented, cold pressed process that eliminates the ROASTING procedure, and significantly increases antioxidant retention. Of note to diabetics, their products are supplemented with acai berries and blueberries (both with very high antioxidant concentrations), and sweetened with low glycemic, natural ingredients (no raw sugars).

Dagoba dark chocolate products are also an excellent choice. Like Xocai, they are all organic, and while roasted, they are sweetened with unrefined cane sugar, not processed white sugar. As a comparison, a Hershey’s “Healthy” Special Dark Chocolate bar tips the scales at 21 grams of sugar, while Dagoba has only 4 grams.

South Beach Diet offers dark chocolate products that are low on sugar content and have a high percentage of cocoa powder. These products are combined with other healthy natural ingredients to increase their nutritional value.

Most quality, organic, healthy dark chocolate is available only on the Internet. This allows consumers worldwide to shop and compare a variety of these delicious, nutritious products. This also allows the home based entrepreneur the opportunity to take advantage of this highly desirable, rapidly expanding, international market.

If you don’t have the time or patience to shop online, then dark chocolate straight from the store shelves is still an option.

However, it is suggested that you check the ingredient list of the various products available, and select one that has cocoa or cocoa powder listed as the first ingredient. Unfortunately, many dark chocolate products that you will find have ‘sugar’ listed as the primary ingredient.

Enjoy your healthy dark chocolate in moderation, and, if diabetic, even with this encouraging information regarding antioxidants and healthy dark chocolate, please continue to monitor your personal situation and, if indicated, consult with your physician.



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Gilles Coulombe asked:


You know the drill when it comes to find out the easy ways to lose weight, take in fewer calories, burn more calories. But you also know that most diets and quick weight-loss plans have about as much substance as a politician’s campaign pledges. You’re better off finding several simple and easy ways to lose weight you can do on a daily basis. Yes, there are some easy ways to lose weight and send the scale numbers down. Here is a list of proven and easy ways to lose weight:

1.    DRINK FILTERED WATER

One of the easy ways to lose weight is filtered water. It is quite possibly the single most important catalyst in losing weight and keeping it off longer term. Water acts as an appetite suppressant by keeping your stomach full and fending off dehydration that can lead to false cravings hunger. Water also helps your body metabolize stored fat by helping the kidneys flush out waste. When you don’t drink enough water the liver becomes less effective at metabolizing fat. Drinking water ice cold burns about 62 calories a day. Your body has to work to raise that waters temperature to your body’s temperature. This equals around 430 calories per week. This one of the important easy ways to lose weight.

2.    BODY CLEANSING

Among the easy ways to lose weight is detox and cleanse programs in order to flush toxins out of the body and aid weight loss. Body cleansing should be privileged among the easy ways to lose weight. Once free of toxins, your body functions better and your metabolism soars so you can shed those extra pounds. A cleanse can rebalance the body, purify the liver, and regulate the digestive tract’s Ph balance and it gives you more energy. There is a direct relationship between weight gain and body toxicity, for two reasons. Toxins are stored in our fat cells, and as the body grows more toxic, more fat is produced to store the additional toxins.

3.   PURE ACAI BERRY

One of the last easy ways to lose weight effectively is to boost your energy and prevent your hunger pangs. Pure Acai berry can help you lose weight by suppressing hunger and boosting energy, this is what busy people needed. Pure Acai berry has been used for many generations by the natives of Brazil, This berry boosts 10 times the antioxidant benefits of grapes and twice that of blueberries. Pure Acai berry is considered to have the best nutritional value of any fruit on earth. Acai Berry for it’s ability to cleanse your body and help you lose weight! Those three ways to lose weight are simple and very easy to apply.



Acai Perricone Diet