Chocolate is the only therapy you need
The most recent review on blood pressure reduction by the world-renowned Cochrane Collaboration reveals that chocolate has a greater impact on reducing blood pressure than all the combined effects of salt reduction. Although the majority of Cochrane review articles on the subject have never supported population-wide salt reduction, a 2008 review (1) carried out by two of the world's most outspoken anti-salt advocates, stated that cutting the salt intake of normal people by half would result in a 2 millimeter drop in systolic blood pressure and a 1 mm drop in diastolic blood pressure. That review continues to be cited by salt-reduction activists.
Just today, however, the Cochrane Collaboration published a review (2) on the impact of chocolate on blood pressure and the results indicated a reduction of 2.8 mm in systolic blood pressure and a 2.2 mm drop in diastolic blood pressure demonstrating that chocolate is considerably more effective in reducing blood pressure than reducing salt intakes.
So if you are looking to reduce your blood pressure by a millimeter or so, you can forget about those tasteless, low salt cheeses, soups and snacks and try a bit of chocolate. You’ll have your cake – and eat it too!!
1) He FJ, MacGregor GA. Effect of longer-term modest salt reduction on blood pressure. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2004, Issue 3. Art. No.: CD004937. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD004937
2) Ried K, Sullivan TR, Fakler P, Frank OR, Stocks NP. Effect of cocoa on blood pressure. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2012, Issue 8. Art. No.: CD008893. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD008893.pub2.
