A tsp of garlic, as part of a well-balanced diet, may naturally reduce both diastolic and systolic high blood pressure.
What’s hypertension?
People with hypertension have systolic blood pressure higher than 140 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure higher than 90 mmHg.
Normal levels of systolic blood pressure are lower than 120 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure lower than 80 mmHg.
Hypertension affects one in three adults worldwide! Most of them don’t even know it. Hence, we should regularly check our blood pressure. It’s one of the major risk factors of cardiovascular disease, including coronary artery disease.[1]
In fact, by controlling high blood pressure, we can control the progression of coronary artery disease.
Regular moderate exercise, weight loss, and following a healthy diet could really help regulate hypertension, along with dietary supplements and medication.
Can garlic naturally lower high blood pressure?
Garlic could help reduce high blood pressure. In fact, garlic supplements are as effective in reducing high blood pressure as standard antihypertensive medications!
According to studies, garlic supplements can lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure by an average of 8-10 mmHg and 5-6 mmHg, respectively.[2]
This reduction in blood pressure significantly reduces the risk of cardiovascular events, such as heart attack and stroke, by up to 40%.
How does garlic lower high blood pressure?
Nitric oxide
First, garlic reduces high blood pressure because it increases the production of nitric oxide. Nitric oxide is a molecule which can reduce high blood pressure. It protects the heart and improves endothelial function. Also, it has antidiabetic effects.[3,4]
Oral bacteria play a key role in the synthesis of nitric oxide. As mouthwash kills these beneficial bacteria, you better use it only occasionally. On the contrary, foods high in arginine or nitrate, such beetroots, cabbage, lettuce, spinach, arugula, celery, cress, and parsley, enhance the synthesis of nitric oxide.
Watermelon is also good for hypertension, as it supports the endothelial nitric oxide synthesis! If you want to boost your daily intake of nitric oxide, you could add a tsp of beet root powder into recipes or smoothies. You’ll find a wide variety of organic beet root powders on Amazon!
Gut microbiota
Moreover, garlic is beneficial for gut microbiota. Low diversity or population of gut microbiota can cause hypertension! Garlic can restore the microbiota biofilm and mucus production, due to its prebiotic properties and hydrogen sulphide (H2S) production.
Hydrogen sulphide
Actually, garlic compounds when interact with red blood cells produce hydrogen sulphide, which relaxes blood vessels, lowering high blood pressure.[5]
You can add cayenne pepper to your recipes as well. Cayenne pepper has beneficial effects on high blood pressure as it expands blood vessels!
How much garlic is beneficial for naturally lowering high blood pressure?
There isn’t a standard recommended daily dose for garlic. But, in many studies, daily dosages of almost 1 gram of garlic powder had beneficial effects in reducing high blood pressure.
Hence, a tsp of garlic powder a day, which is about 3 grams, as part of a well-balanced diet, is more than enough.
A tsp of garlic powder, as part of a hypocaloric diet, is also beneficial for weight loss.
Moreover, dietary supplements with aged garlic extract contain about 500-1,500 mg per serving.
In any case, you shouldn’t consume high amounts of garlic at once. It could cause heartburn or stomach disturbances. Cooked garlic is less likely to cause digestive effects as compared to raw, though.
Also, people taking blood thinners should consult their physician before increasing garlic consumption or taking any garlic supplement. Too much garlic may prevent the formation of blood clots, increasing the risk of bleeding.
Which garlic supplement is best for naturally treating hypertension?
There are dietary supplements containing aged garlic extract. Fresh garlic is fermented, enhancing its bioactivity. Additionally, fermented garlic extract has no odor.
For instance, Kyolic aged garlic extract has extensively been researched with great results. It can increase beneficial bacteria in the gut, such as Lactobacillus and Clostridia species, within 3 months.
Moreover, aged garlic extract can reverse the aging of the arteries and arterial stiffness. Also, it can lower high levels of total cholesterol, and especially, LDL-cholesterol. Additionally, it has a blood thinning effect, decreasing the risk of blood clotting and thrombosis, without increasing the risk of bleeding! Hence, aged garlic extract protects the heart.
You can find odorless garlic concentrated extracts, garlic oils, or aged garlic extracts on iHerb.
How to eat garlic for lower blood pressure?
But, for better results, we should get adequate amounts of certain vitamins. Garlic acts synergistically with riboflavin, vitamin B6, folate, and vitamin B12 in order to lower high blood pressure. These vitamins are necessary for converting sulfur components in garlic into hydrogen sulphide, which relaxes blood vessels and causes vasodilation.
Hence, we should eat garlic with foods containing these vitamins in order to naturally lower high blood pressure.
Above all, you should consult your physician, though. Medication may also be necessary.
