How much garlic a day for high blood pressure?

Garlic has a reputation for being smelly, but did you know it also has a reputation for lowering high blood pressure? It’s true! But just how much garlic do you need to eat every day to see results?

What is High Blood Pressure?

Before we dive into garlic, let’s talk about what high blood pressure actually is. When your heart pumps blood through your arteries, there’s a certain amount of pressure on the walls of those arteries. If that pressure is consistently too high, it can damage the arteries and increase your risk of heart disease and stroke.

How Can Garlic Help with High Blood Pressure?

Garlic contains compounds called allicin and sulfides which have been shown to lower blood pressure in some people. They work by relaxing the smooth muscles in artery walls and increasing nitric oxide levels, both of which lead to improved blood flow and decreased pressure.

So How Much Garlic Do You Need to Eat Every Day?

Unfortunately, there isn’t an exact answer to this question. Studies have used varying doses ranging from 600 mg all the way up to 2400 mg per day (which equates roughly to one clove or four cloves respectively). However, as with most things related to health research, individual responses may vary – so start small!

Other Health Benefits of Garlic

While we’re on the subject of garlic, here are some other possible health benefits:

  • Boosts immune system
  • May reduce risk of certain cancers
  • Can improve cholesterol levels
  • Acts as an antioxidant

So if eating more garlic could potentially help prevent cancer AND lower my blood pressure…why not pile it onto everything I eat?!

Welllllll…hold up.

Considerations Before Going Crazy with the Garlic

Before you go garlicking everything in sight (“garlicking” – not actually a word) it’s important to know that there are some possible downsides.

First, garlic can interfere with certain medications such as blood thinners. It may also cause digestive upset in sensitive individuals or lead to bad breath and body odor (yes, including sweat that smells like sulfur).

In addition, even though the potential for benefits is there, evidence is still emerging when it comes to garlic’s effect on blood pressure. So while it certainly doesn’t hurt to consume some extra garlic here and there (except maybe for those around you who have noses), don’t rely solely on this as a treatment if your doctor has told you your blood pressure is too high.

Creative Ways to Add Garlic to Your Diet

If you’re all aboard the garlic train but unsure how to get more into your diet without being super obvious about it…

  • Make homemade guacamole with lots of minced garlic
  • Roast veggies with olive oil and whole cloves of garlic
  • Sauté shrimp with chopped fresh herbs + plenty of minced garlic
  • Toss chickpeas in roasted minced-garlic-infused oil

Or just y’know…be brave and add raw chopped/garlicked (see? not a word) cloves straight onto your favorite dishes/toast/cheese plates/snacks (WINK WINK NUDGE NUDGE).

Recap

Can consuming more garrrrrlic every day help lower your high blood pressure levels? Maybe! But start small and be aware of any possible medication interactions/side effects before going crazy. In general though, incorporating more delicious garlicky meals into our diets definitely couldn’t hurt (and might turn us off vampires so win-win right?!).

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