Expert: Just 1 - 2 cloves of garlic a day can do wonders for your heart and liver!

Garlic contains many bioactive compounds that may benefit cardiovascular and immune health. In particular, regular garlic consumption can have a powerful effect on the cardiovascular system and the body's metabolism.

Recent studies have focused on garlic's effects on common health problems, including high cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar. Experts at Healthline recommend eating 1-2 cloves of garlic per day for health benefits.

Here, Dr. Sarah Pflugradt, a nutritionist at American University in Washington DC, reveals what happens to your heart and liver when you eat 1-2 cloves of garlic every day.

Garlic helps reduce the risk of heart disease by lowering cholesterol and blood pressure

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Cardioprotective and cholesterol-lowering effects

Garlic helps reduce the risk of heart disease by lowering cholesterol and blood pressure. It prevents plaque buildup in the arteries, reduces inflammation, and improves overall cardiovascular function. Regular consumption of garlic, especially raw or lightly cooked garlic, can significantly promote heart health.

A 2024 review in the medical journal Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition found that garlic improves cholesterol levels, especially in people over 50.

Another 2024 review in the scientific journal Nutrients suggests that garlic may improve both bad and good cholesterol levels.

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Reduce high blood pressure

Another 2024 review in Nutrients found that the rich antioxidants in garlic have antihypertensive effects through multiple pathways at the cellular level. A 2024 review in the medical journal Prostaglandins & Other Lipid Mediators found that people with high blood pressure who took garlic extract daily had significant reductions in systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

Improve blood sugar levels

A review in the journal Nutrients also concluded that garlic improves not only cholesterol levels but also fasting blood sugar and HbA1c. A 2023 review in the medical journal Chinese Medicine also demonstrated that garlic can lower fasting blood sugar.

A 2024 study in the journal Diabetology & Metabolic Syndrome found that garlic extract helps stabilize blood sugar levels by directly affecting beta cells in the pancreas.

Garlic helps enhance liver function and prevent fatty liver.

Garlic enhances liver function and promotes lipid metabolism by regulating cholesterol levels, while also supporting natural liver detoxification.

A meta-analysis published in the US National Library of Medicine PubMed concluded that the antibacterial compound in garlic, Allicin, has the ability to improve fatty liver and its complications.

Another study found that garlic can be used to treat chronic liver disease. Garlic's sulfur components (allicin, diallyl sulfide, and S-allyl cysteine) enhance the activity of antioxidant enzymes, which help eliminate oxidative stress and inflammation in the liver, as well as help detoxify the liver.

Other benefits

Immune system support: Studies show that garlic helps reduce systemic inflammation and restore white blood cell counts, which fight viruses, preventing viruses from entering and multiplying in cells.

Improved gut health: A 2020 review and meta-analysis in the journal Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine found that supplementing with garlic extract for 3 months led to a more diverse and healthy gut microbiome.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/chuyen-gia-chi-1-2-tep-toi-moi-ngay-lam-dieu-bat-ngo-cho-tim-gan-cua-ban-185251013215155848.htm