Benefits to taking garlic for heart health

Garlic has been thought to be beneficial to heart health since the ancient Greeks who believed this pungent herb could clear the arteries. Modern research suggests that's only the beginning.

Dozens of research studies since the 1980s have looked the effects of garlic on a variety of cardiovascular risks and, while not always consistent, results have been generally positive. Fortunately for you and the person standing next to you, garlic in the powdered, capsule form that was used in many studies won't give you garlic breath.
Many of these studies, when taken together, suggest that garlic may have a beneficial effect on the heart. Some of the study findings include:

1. Garlic could lower cholesterol by nine to 12%.
2. Garlic could bring down blood pressure by five to 10%.
3. Garlic could prevent blood from clotting around artery obstructions.
4. Garlic could make blood vessels more pliable.
5. Garlic could be beneficial to lowering your overall risk of heart attack.

However, the research isn't perfect. For example, in one study where garlic was shown to be just as effective as a prescription cholesterol-lowering medication, participants all made changes in their diets that could have affected the results. Still, the balance of evidence suggests that garlic has real benefits for the heart and blood vessels.

Cooking destroys garlic's medicinal compounds, so if you want to add raw garlic to food for its heart-healthy benefits, do so when your recipe is finished cooking and off the heat.

Garlic may thin the blood, so check with your doctor before taking garlic supplements. Be careful, especially if you're also taking aspirin or other blood-thinning drugs or other supplements with blood-thinning effects, such as ginkgo or high doses of vitamin E.