Many Patients Say 'No' to Chocolate As
Medicine
Study found people preferred pills to the
antioxidant-rich sweet to lower blood
pressure
No way!
It appears that people prefer pills over
chocolate, even when chocolate works better…what’s this
world coming to???
Researchers in
Australia discovered that patients more often preferred
pills over antioxidant-rich chocolate to help control
their blood pressure.
Fifty grams of dark chocolate [roughly one
average-sized candy bar] containing 70 percent of cocoa
daily was less acceptable than a pill of tomato extract
or placebo according to researchers.
Complete insanity.
Several trials have found that the antioxidants
in dark chocolate can help lower blood pressure,
including one that found that even 30 calories of
chocolate a day could help (a little more than a
Hershey's Kiss).
Flavonoids and polyphenols [both antioxidants]
have shown to decrease blood pressure, leading some
experts to advise a small amount of 70% cocoa chocolate
in the diet.
In the new trial people either got chocolate, a
tomato extract pill or a soy oil
placebo.
Although the dark chocolate did have a more
beneficial effect on blood pressure than either the
tomato extract or the placebo, many participants just
didn't find this treat palatable. Keep in mind this was
done in Australia; these people consider vegemite
delicious!
About half of those in the chocolate group
"found it hard" to eat this amount of chocolate every
day, while 20 percent "considered it an unacceptable
long-term treatment option."
Participants had no problem with a daily pill,
however.
What we may be seeing is a difference in
cultural psycho graphics-that is, why people behave in a
particular culture.
While many Americans are aware of an obesity
epidemic, it would be interesting to see Americans would
be willing to consume 30 measly calories of dark
chocolate to lower blood pressure instead of taking
another pill.
Yes only 30 calories.
Americans, being nearly over medicated in some
aspects, may have different view points and tastes
compared to our ‘Wallabe’ friends.
But for me-I’ll take dark chocolate any
day!
But I still want to go to
Australia.
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