Don’t eat garlic before a hot date, or before a dentist appointment, unless you hate your dentist, then by all means.
But despite the smell, garlic has been linked to many health benefits, like preventing high blood pressure and cholesterol.
And a new study, published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, aims to figure out why garlic is so good for your heart.
Fresh garlic is the key.
Scientists say freshly crushing garlic produces hydrogen sulfide, which when eaten signals a compound that protects your heart. But dried garlic loses a lot of that healthful property.
In the study, researchers did find that processed garlic helps the heart, but overall, fresh garlic worked better, improving blood pressure.
As for how much you need, here’s where it gets dicey—no pun intended—experts recommend eating one clove of garlic per day. Yikes!
So if you can’t stomach that, or already have a healthy heart, you can always string it around your neck and protect your throat from creatures of the night.
Via Health.com.
Image credit: Allotment Vegetable Growing
