Food Facts

Garlic Can Manage Your Blood Sugar and Cholesterol Levels

• By Rich Health News Desk
• August 20, 2024

Garlic, whether it's chopped fresh, powdered, or infused in oil, has been shown to help control blood sugar and cholesterol when consumed on a daily basis.

 

Researchers from Southeast University and Xizang Minzu University in China conducted 29 randomized, controlled experiments as part of a meta-analysis of 22 prior investigations, which confirmed the connection between garlic consumption and lower levels of glucose and certain fat molecules.

 

Essential nutrients for the body, glucose and fats serve as the building blocks for numerous bodily functions as well as a source of energy. Modern diets frequently result in too much of a good thing, which raises the possibility of health issues. Other lifestyle decisions can also affect the body's sugar and fat levels, such as alcohol intake and exercise habits.

 

The researchers state in their published work that "glucose and lipid metabolism is precisely regulated in healthy individuals."

 

"Disorders of glucose and lipid metabolism can lead to a number of chronic diseases, including atherosclerosis, diabetes and fatty liver disease."

 

On the other hand, garlic has long been related to excellent health and has been found to regulate glucose levels and lipids in separate studies.

 

Considering all of the study, the group verified that the effects were still favorable. People who consumed garlic were found to have lower blood glucose levels, which are a sign of improved long-term glucose control; they also had lower total cholesterol, more so-called "good" cholesterol in the form of high density lipoproteins (HDLs), and less so-called "bad" cholesterol in the form of low density lipoproteins (LDLs).

 

It's interesting that there was no apparent impact on triglyceride levels.

 

Although the evidence isn't strong enough to establish a clear cause and effect—that is, that eating more garlic will lower our risk of heart disease—the correlation points to the possibility that this common herb may be a delicious method to control our blood sugar and cholesterol levels.

 

Further investigation and targeted investigations may assist elucidate the precise nature of this phenomenon. The trials that were part of the meta-analysis had durations varying from three weeks to a year, and they involved the use of raw garlic, aged garlic extract, and garlic powder tablets, among other forms of garlic.

 

"The results showed that garlic has a beneficial effect on blood glucose and blood lipid in humans, and their association was statistically significant," the researchers wrote.

 

The various active components in garlic are thought to be beneficial in a number of ways, including by lowering oxidative stress, a form of cellular deterioration that can result in problems like cardiovascular disease. This helps explain why there is a relationship between the two.

 

Alliin, an antioxidant molecule found in garlic, has also been related to blood lipid, blood glucose, and gut microbiome regulation in the past. The results displayed here are most likely the result of multiple effects working together.

 

It's obvious that, for better or worse, our diets have a significant impact on how healthy we are. There are even more justifications for include garlic on the list of foods we ought to eat.

 

"[The study] provides new ideas for the development of natural products against diseases related to glycolipid metabolism," the researchers wrote.