Garlic is a popular seasoning that helps make foods taste great. But beyond its fantastic flavor, there are several benefits of garlic for heart health as well.
Garlic and Heart Health
Garlic (Allium sativum) is a spice that contains many important nutrients and other health-supporting compounds. In addition to vitamin C, B6, manganese, and other vitamins and minerals, garlic contains sulfur-based compounds such as allicin, which is released when garlic is diced or chopped.1 It’s those sulfur compounds that give garlic its pungent aroma and heart health benefits.
Heart health is dependent upon healthy cholesterol and blood pressure levels. Several studies have confirmed that garlic is good for the heart and, in particular, helps support cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels.2 Many studies also indicate that taking a garlic dietary supplement can help benefit heart function.3
A 2019 analysis of 12 different clinical trials found that garlic taken as a dietary supplement helped balance blood pressure levels.4 In that study, the author also pointed out that garlic helped support heart arterial flexibility and was good for the gut microbiome as well.
Garlic Supplement for Heart Health
For many, it doesn’t take a lot of convincing to add more garlic to your diet. Still, keep it in mind for seasoning veggies, mixing it in stews and sauces, using it in meat or fish marinades, and roasting it to spread on your favorite bread or cracker.
However, some people don’t like the taste of garlic — and even if they do, it can be difficult to get enough garlic through diet alone. In addition, eating a lot of garlic can cause body odor, heartburn, or upset stomach and some people are also allergic to garlic.5 That’s when taking a garlic dietary supplement daily may make sense.
So, is garlic good for heart health? Absolutely! Get going with garlic either through your diet or by taking a high-quality dietary supplement or both. Your heart will appreciate it.
References
- Merschel M. Sorting folklore from fact on the health benefits of garlic. American Heart Association News. 2021;Apr 19. https://www.heart.org/en/news/2021/04/19/sorting-folklore-from-fact-on-the-health-benefits-of-garlic
- Ansary J, Forbes-Hernandez T, Gil E, et al. Potential health benefit of garlic based on human intervention studies: a brief overview. Antioxidants. 2020;9(7):619. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7402177/
- Varshney R, Budoff MJ. Garlic and heart disease. The Journal of Nutrition. 2016;146(2):416S-421S. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022316623005230
- Ried K. Garlic lowers blood pressure in hypertensive subjects, improves arterial stiffness and gut microbiota: a review and meta-analysis. Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine. 2020;19(2). https://www.spandidos-publications.com/10.3892/etm.2019.8374?text=fulltext
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Garlic. 2020;Dec. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/garlic
