Does Eating Garlic Lower Cholesterol Levels?

Does Eating Garlic Lower Cholesterol Levels?

Some people recommend consuming one clove of raw garlic a day, just like some people recommend consuming one apple a day. In any case, there is no doubt that garlic can be a very interesting food in the diet of all people with high cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

There are some very powerful foods that are very beneficial to health and whose qualities and properties are highly appreciated, but garlic stands out. And it is because of its benefits that it has become an indispensable food in the fight against hypercholesterolemia.

In fact, some people recommend consuming one clove of raw garlic per day, just as they recommend consuming one apple per day. In any case, there is no doubt that garlic can be a very interesting food in the diet of all people with high cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

Do you know why? Mainly because of its allicin and ajoene, two substances that help in a very positive way in the case of hypercholesterolemia and triglycerides content. This is recommended by the Spanish Heart Foundation (FEC), which insists on the importance of including garlic in the daily diet, especially because of its very interesting qualities for cardiovascular health.

In fact, several scientific studies have found and demonstrated various effects of regular consumption of garlic on high cholesterol levels. For example, in a recent study published in the Journal of Food and Agricultural Sciences (conducted by researchers from the Institute of Toxicology of Shandong University in China), long-term consumption of raw garlic positively helped people at risk of cardiovascular disease.

What Effect Does Garlic Have On Cholesterol?

Like avocado, garlic has a very positive effect on cholesterol because, with its action and properties, it can help lower high cholesterol levels. Why is this so? We attribute these anti-cholesterol qualities to the presence of allicin in this wonderful food.

This substance consists of a sulfur component that helps to promote more proper functioning of our cardiovascular health, due to the fact that it purifies the blood. However, we find the allicin in garlic when we cut or crack it because a certain chemical process must take place for it to appear.

This can be simply explained as when you crush, crack or grind garlic, a sulfur compound called allicin is released, which is the end result of the conversion of allicin. In other words, allicin is produced when garlic is exposed to air.

In addition, garlic contains not only allicin but also two other compounds, ajoene, and adenosine, which have interesting properties in the case of cholesterol. These two substances have a very good anticoagulant effect, thus helping to lower LDL cholesterol.

How Can I Eat Garlic To Enjoy The Anti-Cholesterol Benefits Of Garlic?

When it comes to taking advantage of garlic’s cholesterol-lowering properties, it’s important to note that garlic releases allicin, the sulfur compound that gives garlic its remarkable cholesterol-lowering properties. And to get it, you need to crush or chop it and also eat it raw. All you need to do is peel one or two cloves of garlic, break them into pieces, or crush them with a knife or mortar, and eat just one or two cloves of garlic a day.

However, garlic is too pungent and aromatic, and if we cook it, it loses 90% of its important medicinal properties, so take it in the form of capsules, recommended in the treatment of cholesterol, or if we do not have stomach problems (or stomach sensitivity), crushed and oil We have to consume it.

Overview of The Anti-Cholesterol Properties Of Garlic

• Contains allicin, which helps lower high cholesterol and triglycerides.
• Prevents atherosclerosis.
• Increases good cholesterol (HDL).
• Contains natural anticoagulants that prevent the formation of blood clots.

Why Don’t We Consider Cholesterol As An Enemy Of Health?

We have already told you in the article that cholesterol is not bad for our health, in fact, it now seems to be the real enemy, although it has been severely criticized (because of the quality of the products and foods promoted by advertising that should help reduce it). Because of the wide variety), is that cholesterol is essential for our body.

It is a lipid that is very actively involved in various important functions of our body. For example, it is part of the plasma membrane, a precursor of sex hormones (testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone), a precursor of adrenocorticotropic hormones (cortisol, aldosterone), a precursor of vitamin D and a component of bile salts, thus helping to digest fats.

Therefore, cholesterol is essential and only becomes a problem when blood cholesterol levels are high. In other words, it becomes a problem when total cholesterol levels exceed 200 mg/dL or low-density lipoprotein (LDL cholesterol) levels exceed 130 mg/dL.

On the other hand, your cardiovascular health risk is particularly high if your high-density lipoprotein (HDL cholesterol) level is below 35 mg/dL. 40 mg/dL for men; women.