The late Doctor Michael Mosley said on his BBC Just One Thing podcast that the simple swap can help people with diabetes
Sophie Buchan Money and Lifestyle Writer
06:10, 27 Nov 2025
Christmas is not far away but guidance suggests some things are better to eat than others(Image: Getty Images)
The late Doctor Michael Mosley, who sadly passed away last year, hailed a sweet treat as a must-try. In an episode of BBC Radio 4’s Just One Thing, he said that one type of chocolate can do wonders for our health.
Revealing what it is and how much we should consume, the expert, at the time of his show, said that just two squares of dark chocolate every day could have benefits for your heart, your metabolism and your brain.
By incorporating these into your diet, rather than relying on a few squares of milk or white chocolate, you could reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease, improve your LDL cholesterol levels and enhance blood flow to the brain.
Dr Mosley explained: “Some of the first excitement that cocoa could be good for you came from population studies related to the Guna people who live off the coast of Panama. Studies found that they were living long lives and unlike most of us, their blood pressure wasn’t going up with age. One theory was that they were drinking a lot of unsweetened cocoa, up to five cups a day.
Michael Mosley sadly passed away last year
“Studies have revealed that the key element in cocoa seems to be a class of chemical compounds called flavonoids. They are present in many plant foods such as strawberries, tea, blueberries, apples and onions. But the bitter seeds of the cacao tree are one of the richest known sources of flavonoids. And luckily, you don’t have to eat those bitter seeds to get the benefits. Just chocolate with high cocoa content.”
So with Christmas just weeks away, it could be worth buying someone some lovely dark chocolate or sticking a couple of mini dark chocolates in their stocking. Chocolate and good health? It’s a win-win situation.
If you’re wondering whether white or milk chocolate has the same effect, the answer is no. Whilst milk chocolate does have some cocoa particles, compared to white which has none, it’s not enough to reap the benefits.
In the podcast, Michael spoke with Professor Aedin Cassidy at Queen’s University Belfast, whose research found that eating dark chocolate high in flavonoids daily could improve the elasticity of blood vessels, insulin sensitivity and cholesterol levels in women with Type 2 Diabetes.
Two squares daily is all you need, as if you go beyond this recommended amount, it could raise blood sugars and lead to weight gain, both of which can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease, thus negating the positive effects.
Michael further recommended swapping out your usual sugary snack for a square or two of the chocolate. However, he warned: “Some companies use a technique called Dutch processing to remove the slightly bitter taste from cocoa and along with it, the flavonoids and their wide-ranging benefits. It is actually the flavonoids that give chocolate the bitter taste!
“So if you really want the maximum out of your chocolate treat, try –and look out for the unprocessed kind and embrace the bitter taste. If you aren’t used to the bitterness and don’t like it, you could always start with 40% cocoa content for a more balanced flavour, before working up to a higher percent.”
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