heart health benefits of garlic

Garlic and Heart Health

By Shayna Bagshaw

Heart DiseaseHeart disease is the number one leading cause of

death in the United States

0200,000400,000600,000

Number of Deaths

Center for Disease Control and Prevention

How unhealthy choices can lead to heart

disease

Fatty foods, high sodium, high

sugar, minimum fruits and

veggies, high alcohol

consumption

Atherosclerosis, hypertension,

high cholesterol, high

triglycerides, free radicals, excess

weight

HEART DISEASE

Common Heart Healthy Diet Tips

• Eat a lot of fruits and vegetables• Choose lean meats and poultry to

decrease fat• Eat fish two times a week• Choose whole grains over refined

grains• Choose low fat or fat free dairy• Drink alcohol in moderation • Cut back on high fat, and high

sugar foods• Limit sodium intake

The American Heart Association

DID YOU KNOW?Garlic has many wonderful properties that help in the prevention of heart disease

Considered a functional food- this means it has added benefits for health

Organosulfers

A phytochemical found in garlicPhytochemical is a compound found in plants

Has many effects related to the prevention of heart disease

Anti-inflammatory properties, antioxidant, reduces cholesterol, and reduces blood pressure

Garlic has affects on…

Hypercholesteremia

Hypertension

Antioxidant

Anti inflammatory

Reduced platelet aggregation

Hypercholesterolemia

Cholesterol can accumulate in the arteries as plaque and cause blockage

This can lead to atherosclerosis, heart attack, or stroke

11 studies have shown a cholesterol lowering effect from garlic supplementation

In a meta-analysis, the average reduction in cholesterol was 9%, LDL cholesterol 11%, and triglycerides 9%

HypertensionHypertension is high blood pressure which can lead to numerous aspects of heart disease

Garlic has been shown to reduce blood pressure

Acts as a vasodilatorVasodilators lower high blood pressure by increasing the diameter of the blood vessel which allows better flow of blood

Other effects of garlicAntioxidant- prevents damage done by free radicals

Anti-inflammatory- garlic has properties that reduce inflammation in endothelial cells

Inhibits platelet aggregation- this prevents platelets from clumping up and causing clots

Heart Healthy Recipes with Garlic