Is Dark Chocolate Good for Diabetes? Benefits, Smart Ways to Enjoy It
DiabetesType 2 Diabetes

Why Dark Chocolate Is One of the Best Desserts for Diabetes

Why Dark Chocolate Is One of the Best Desserts for Diabetes
iStock
By
and
Updated on January 12, 2026
by

One of the most widely believed myths about living with type 2 diabetes is that all sweets are off-limits. But this isn’t necessarily the case. Some sweets are safe for people with type 2 diabetes — and in the case of dark chocolate, a moderate amount may even bring health benefits.

Certain antioxidant components of dark chocolate, flavonols, have been linked to a lower risk of heart disease and insulin resistance.

 Those benefits may seem like enough reason to enjoy dark chocolate at every meal — but not so fast. As with eating any food when you’re managing diabetes, details are key.

Why Dark Chocolate and Diabetes Make a Sweet Combination

A square of plain, high-cocoa dark chocolate is packed with good-for-you components. “The antioxidants in chocolate help the body use its insulin more efficiently to help control blood sugar,” says Anna Simos, CDCES, MPH, a certified diabetes care and education specialist at Stanford Health Care’s diabetes care program in Palo Alto, California. “This in turn helps lower blood sugar levels naturally and actually helps your body use your insulin. As a result, it helps decrease insulin resistance, which we see in type 2 diabetes.”

One of the antioxidant compounds in dark chocolate, flavonols, may help your ticker.

 This is important because people with diabetes are at a twofold risk for heart disease.

 In fact, for those with normal or elevated blood pressure, consuming dark chocolate for two weeks or longer was associated with a decrease in blood pressure. For those who ate dark chocolate with a high concentration of flavonols, the effect was even greater.

How to Pick a Good Dark Chocolate for Healthy Blood Sugar Levels

When it comes to picking the best dark chocolate for your health, some varieties are healthier for people with diabetes than others. Follow these tips to get the biggest nutritional bang for your buck.

Consider the percentage of cocoa. Just because a chocolate bar is labeled “dark” doesn’t mean it’s healthy. Indeed, some types of “dark chocolate” could be as low as 30 percent cocoa, making them more on par with regular milk chocolate nutrition-wise, says Anna Taylor, RD, CDCES, a dietitian at Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. To reap the most health benefits from chocolate, choose a bar with 70 percent cocoa or more.

 In many cases, the cocoa content will appear in plain sight on the front of the packaging, Simos says.
Double-check the carb content. All chocolate — including unsweetened baking chocolate — has carbs. So, try to keep the carbs for one chocolate snack to 15 to 30 grams (g) max, Simos says. Counting carbs can make it easier to manage your blood sugar.

 For reference, three squares of Ghirardelli Milk Chocolate have about 18 g of carbs,

 while three squares of Ghirardelli Intense Dark 72% Cacao Dark Chocolate have about 14 g.

Keep an eye out for any sugary extra ingredients. “Limit dark chocolate that has caramel, toffee, or other sugary add-ins,” Taylor says. Although there isn’t a firm recommendation, Taylor recommends an upper limit of 8 g of sugar per 1 ounce (oz), or 28 g of chocolate. Instead, opt for a bar with nuts, like almonds. They are packed with nutrients, keep you feeling full longer, help slow the rise in blood sugar levels, and can reduce the risk of heart disease.

Try sugar-free cocoa powder or cacao nibs. They’re naturally sugar-free and will give you that chocolate taste without the same hit of carbs, Simos says. Another benefit? Cacao nibs contain iron and minerals like magnesium,

 which is a plus for people with diabetes, she says. Frequent urination, a common symptom of diabetes, can contribute to magnesium deficiency in people with the condition.

How to Cook It: Flourless Chocolate Cake

Everyday Health staff nutritionist Kelly Kennedy, RDN, shows you how to cook a flourless chocolate cake using olive oil to add heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and antioxidant rich dark chocolate. Try this gluten-free dessert everyone can enjoy!
How to Cook It: Flourless Chocolate Cake

Next up video playing in 10 seconds

Diabetes-Friendly Ideas for Enjoying Dark Chocolate

If you’re craving chocolate, here are some ways to get your fix.

Keep a serving to 1 oz. That’s about three squares from a chocolate bar.

 In doing so, Taylor says, you’ll get some of the benefits of dark chocolate and satisfy your craving for something sweet, while still keeping in mind your calorie, saturated fat, carb, and sugar intake.
Sprinkle cacao nibs on yogurt. This is a more compact way of getting the benefits of dark chocolate. Cacao nibs have about 7 g of carbs in a 2 tablespoon (tbsp) serving, along with 4 g of blood-sugar-regulating fiber, Simos says.

 To make your snack or dessert extra diabetes-friendly, consider opting for plain, nonfat Greek yogurt — which is also packed with filling protein and gut-friendly probiotics.
Add cocoa powder to your morning shake. Just 1 to 2 tbsp of natural cocoa per day may lead to improvements in your heart health, Simos says. Unsweetened cocoa powder contains virtually no sugar.

Choose artificially sweetened chocolate with care. If you want to enjoy chocolate but don’t want to risk spiking your blood sugar, consider reaching for a no-sugar-added hot-cocoa mix, Simos says. Just check the ingredients label to make sure the carbs per serving stay beneath the 15 to 30 g range. You can also opt for artificially sweetened chocolate, but be mindful of the sugar substitutes, Simos says. Sugar alcohols, like sorbitol, can have a laxative effect.

Ultimately, Simos says, opt for dark chocolate with regular sugar and enjoy in moderation to reap the heart and blood-sugar-lowering benefits that it can offer.

The Takeaway

  • You don’t have to give up all sweet treats if you have type 2 diabetes. In fact, dark chocolate may provide heart-healthy benefits thanks to its antioxidant content.
  • Aim for a 1 oz serving size of dark chocolate, or about three squares from a chocolate bar. This will help keep the calorie and sugar content low while satisfying your craving for sweets.
  • Try to avoid chocolates with extras like caramel or toffee, as these are often higher in sugar. Instead, consider a bar with nuts, which provide some protein to help satisfy you.
  • Opt for dark chocolate that is 70 percent (or higher) cocoa for the most health benefits.

Resources We Trust

EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
  1. Dark Chocolate. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
  2. The Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate. Cleveland Clinic. July 30, 2025.
  3. Diabetes and Your Heart. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. May 15, 2024.
  4. Amoah I et al. Foods. National Library of Medicine. July 1, 2022.
  5. Carb Counting. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. May 15, 2024.
  6. Milk Chocolate Squares Case Pack. Ghiradelli.
  7. Ghirardelli Intense Dark 72% Cacao Dark Chocolate. Ghirardelli.
  8. Nishi SK et al. Nuts in the Prevention of Type 2 Diabetes. Nutrients. February 9, 2023.
  9. Cacao Nibs. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. October 28, 2021.
  10. Magnesium. National Institutes of Health. June 2, 2022.
  11. Diabetes Symptoms: When Diabetes Symptoms Are a Concern. Mayo Clinic. June 27, 2023.
  12. Cocoa, Dry, Unsweetened. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. April 1, 2019.
  13. How Healthy Is Sugar Alcohol? Harvard Health. December 18, 2023.
Meet Our Experts
See Our Editorial PolicyMeet Our Health Expert Network
Lynn Griger photo

Lynn Grieger, RDN, CDCES

Medical Reviewer

Lynn Grieger is a registered dietitian-nutritionist, certified diabetes care and education specialist, certified personal trainer, and certified health and wellness coach. She completed requirements to become a registered dietitian at Valparaiso University in 1987 and completed a dietetic internship at Ingalls Memorial Hospital in Harvey, Illinois, in 1988. 

Lynn brings her expertise in nutrition, exercise, and behavior change to her work in helping people reach their individual health and fitness goals. In addition to writing for Everyday Health, she has also written for websites and publications like Food and Health Communications, Today's Dietitian, iVillage.com, and Rodale Press. She has a passion for healthy, nutrient-dense, great-tasting food and for being outdoors as much as possible — she can often be found running or hiking, and has completed a marathon in every state.

See full bio

Stephanie Bucklin

Author

Stephanie Bucklin is a freelance writer based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. A graduate of Harvard University, she has written for NY Magazine, Live Science, Vice, Fox News, and other outlets. In her spare time, she also writes children’s books. She is a vegetarian and has an on-again, off-again relationship with running, which has not been improved by the addition of an adorable dog, Jasper, who prefers naps and sleeping in to any form of exercise.

See full bio
Bedosky-bio

Lauren Bedosky

Author
Lauren Bedosky is an experienced health and fitness writer. She regularly contributes to top websites and publications like Men's Health, Women's Health, MyFitnessPal, SilverSneakers, Runner's World, Experience Life, Prevention, AARP, Blue Cross and Blue Shield, UnitedHealthcare, Livestrong, Fitness, Shape, Family Circle, Healthline, Self, Redbook, and Women's Running.

When she's not writing about health and fitness — her favorite topics being anything related to running and strength training — she's reading up on the latest and greatest news in the field and working on her own health goals.
See full bio
See Our Editorial PolicyMeet Our Health Expert Network