Can chocolate be used to treat hypos?
Easter is here and so is the plentiful supply of chocolate easter eggs, chocolate bunnies and various other chocolate animals all wrapped in beautifully coloured foils.
With so much leftover chocolate around it can be tempting to use it for treating hypos (also known as hypoglycaemia or low blood glucose level below 4.0mmol/L). Although it sounds like a nice way to treat a hypo – chocolate is not recommended for treating low blood glucose levels. Let’s look at why.
Firstly, the sugar content in chocolate is often accompanied by high levels of fat. The fat slows the absorption of glucose into the bloodstream, leading to a slower increase in blood glucose levels. During a hypo, quick action is required to raise blood glucose levels, so they don’t become dangerously low.
Secondly, the type of sugar found in chocolate, known as sucrose, takes longer to raise glucose levels. Waiting for this to happen will lead to blood glucose levels dropping further and again increase the risk of a dangerous low. An ideal hypo treatment has more glucose than sucrose. The glucose is easily absorbed by the body and raises blood glucose levels quickly.
Additionally, chocolate is not a standardised or precise form of carbohydrate. The amount of sugar in different types of chocolate can vary, making it difficult to accurately gauge the amount needed to treat a hypo.
Recommended hypo treatments have no fat and are quickly absorbed by the body.
Hypo treatment foods:
- 5-7 regular jelly beans or 4 large jelly beans or
- 125ml cup of juice or
- 3 teaspoons of honey or sugar or
- 150ml regular soft drink (Not Diet) or
- Glucose tables or gels available through pharmacies.
So, although chocolate would make a yummy hypo food - it is not a good solution to raise blood glucose levels rapidly. Use your Easter chocolate instead as a treat to be savoured and eat it in small portions with a well-balanced diet. It’s the treat that we all deserve occasionally.
Lisa Worsfold
registered nurse (RN) and diabetes nurse educator (DNE) at Diabetes Victoria
I have worked at Diabetes Victoria since 2023 as a Diabetes Nurse Educator. Prior to my role as a Diabetes Nurse Educator, I worked on a surgical ward at Epworth Hospital in Richmond. My training in diabetes really started however with my partner who has type 1 diabetes and then my daughter who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes 17 years ago.
In my spare time I enjoy spending time with my four daughters and partner, walking my dog, camping and catching up with friends.
