Last week we brought you news of a Swedish study that reported eating 75 grams of chocolate could reduce hypertension by inhibiting a hormone produced by the kidney called angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) that is a major factor in regulating blood pressure. But reader Dan Cullen of Princeton, N.J. wonders if dark chocolate has inhibited our customary skepticism. He crunched the numbers for us with some back-of-the-napkin calculations, comparing dark chocolate to the generic ACE inhibitor pill Ramipril. His conclusions:
(1) this is expensive in calories, about 20% of a standard 2000 calorie diet.
(2) this is expensive in dollars, almost 6 times the cost of a capsule.
(3) this tastes oh-so-much better.
Thanks for writing, Dan!