"Diabetic Safe" Chocolates? A Subjective Term...

Hello Everyone,

I was recently asked if certain chocolates can be 'recommended' to diabetics if they are 'diabetic safe'.  In scientific circles, that is quite a loaded question since there are some very important underlying issues to consider...Here is my personal 8-point treatise on the subject:

1.  "Diabetic safe" is a very subjective term within the scientific community as there are a range of diabetic disorders and each diabetic can be at different points along the disease spectrum.

2.   Diabetes is "high blood sugar" or "chronic hyperglycemia", the most common form being Diabetes Mellitus (mellitus = honey) caused by a lack of the sugar-lowering hormone insulin (Type I or Juvenile Diabetes) or an inability to respond to the presence of insulin (Type II or Insulin-Resistant or Adult-Onset Diabetes).

3.  But there are multiple forms the diabetes, more than one would think.  Basically, diabetes can be caused by any imbalance in the body that can cause elevated levels of blood sugar (aka, glucose, our bodies' energy fuel) for prolonged periods.

4.  For example, the newest form of "diabetes" is "pre-diabetes" seen in overweight individuals and those with a waist-to-hip ratio significantly greater than 1.0.  "Pre-diabetes" is just as dangerous as it can develop into "full blown" diabetes if not dealt with early and properly.

5.  And there is even a form of diabetes that has nothing to do with insulin!  Diabetes Insipidus is the result of an imbalance in the water-balance hormone ADH.  Thus, increased water loss via urination (polyuria) is significantly enhanced and the blood gets more and more concentrated with glucose as a result.

6.  The use of sugar (as glucose alone or in its disaccharide forms: sucrose = glucose + fructose; maltose = glucose + glucose; lactose = glucose + galactose) is part of the chocolate-making process since cacao is naturally low in sugar and bitter in taste.


7.  Ideally, the only real way a food can be called "diabetic safe" is if it is entirely sugar (glucose) free.  So, unless a (safe) sugar substitute has been used or in the unlikely occasion that a chocolate can be made without the use of sugar from sucrose, maltose, or milk lactose, I cannot, with integrity, "recommend" any chocolate product to diabetics.


8.  Instead, in accordance with the views of my colleagues within the health and science communities, I will suggest moderation in consumption in conjunction with a regimen of frequent blood sugar testing before and after consumption -- a protocol currently recommended to all diabetics by their doctors.

That being said, the darker the chocolate (little or no milk lactose added) and the higher the chocolate's antioxidant value, the better.  My research and much independent data confirms that chocolates made by www.xocai.com are the best quality, healthiest chocolates one can consume (in moderation, if diabetic).

Full disclosure:  I am a proud distributor of Xocai chocolates (ID: 125686).

Thanks for reading and please direct any of your questions to me by freely subscribing and posting your questions/comments to my Youtube Channel using the Youtube icon on www.rejuven8labs.com.

And look out for the launch of www.AskDrSheldon.com later this year in association with www.mosquitocontrol.ca and my other esteemed colleagues in the health care industry.

Be Well,

Dr. Sheldon

The First Year: Type 2 Diabetes: An Essential Guide for the Newly DiagnosedDiabetes For Dummies (For Dummies (Health & Fitness))Blood Sugar 101: What They Don't Tell You About DiabetesDr. Neal Barnard's Program for Reversing Diabetes: The Scientifically Proven System for Reversing Diabetes without DrugsTell Me What to Eat If I Have Diabetes: Nutrition You Can Live WithThe Official Pocket Guide to Diabetic ExchangesBetty Crocker's Diabetes Cookbook: Everyday Meals, Easy as 1-2-3Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solution: The Complete Guide to Achieving Normal Blood SugarsThe Best Life Guide to Managing Diabetes and Pre-DiabetesStop Prediabetes Now: The Ultimate Plan to Lose Weight and Prevent DiabetesThe 30-Day Diabetes Miracle: Lifestyle Center of America's Complete Program for Overcoming Diabetes, Restoring Health, and Rebuilding Natural VitalityThe 4-Ingredient Diabetes Cookbook: Simple, Quick, and Delicious Recipes Using Just 4 Ingredients or LessMayo Clinic Essential Diabetes BookAmerican Diabetes Association Complete Guide to DiabetesGlucerna Meal Bar for People with Diabetes, Chocolate Chunk, Six- 4 Packs of 2.04 Ounce Bars50 Diabetes Myths That Can Ruin Your Life: And the 50 Diabetes Truths That Can Save ItDiabetes Self-Management