Superfoods. You are what you eat and if you’re looking to eat longevity, then you need to include superfoods in your diet. Rich in nutrients and proven to help combat common age-related conditions, adding superfoods to your plate is a great step towards a longer and healthier life. Spinach, avocado, and salmon are considered superfoods, but anthropologist, biohacker, and longevity enthusiast Siim Land revealed that there’s one potential food that’s not getting enough of our attention and that’s garlic.
Siim Land: Longevity Benefits of Superfood Garlic
Taking to his Instagram, Siim Land, author of The Longevity Leap, shared how the benefits of garlic go beyond killing vampires, and it can serve to improve your health in several ways.
1. Anti-atherogenic
Atherogenesis refers to the accumulation of lipid-containing plaques within the arteries, leading to atherosclerosis – which is when plaque builds up in the artery. This can increase the risk of several complications that include coronary artery disease, heart attack, arrhythmia, heart failure, and even chronic kidney disease (CKD).
With that, garlic is a great anti-atherogenic agent, with one recently published study revealing that garlic’s antioxidant content can improve atherosclerosis by regulating ferroptosis. This is a form of regulated cell death that has been associated with several cardiovascular diseases.
2. Anti-inflammatory
Inflammation is great for the body – until it isn’t. Inflammation is the body’s first line of defense, but too much of it can cause the body to attack itself, increasing the risk for many chronic illnesses like inflammatory bowel disease (IBS), arthritis and asthma.
One study revealed that garlic’s anti-inflammatory properties are so strong that they can offer a neuroprotective effect against damage induced by an ischemic stroke.
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3. Hypolipidemic
According to the Cleveland Clinic, hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol) refers to an excess of lipids or fats in your blood, which is a serious health danger as it can increase one’s risk of heart attack and stroke.
While regular exercise and medication can help, so can other foods like oats, okra, and, you guessed it, garlic.
According to research published in Food Bioscience, garlic compounds can have hypolipidemic effects, especially in individuals with metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes.
4. Anti-thrombotic
Blood clots can block veins and arteries and this condition, known as thrombosis, won’t only lead to chest pain and numbness, but it can also increase the risk for a stroke or heart attack. With thrombosis complications being responsible for 1 in 4 deaths worldwide, it’s important to find ways to mitigate its effects, and research has indicated that garlic may help to do this.
5. Anti-diabetic
Diabetes affects over 500 million individuals worldwide, and it is responsible for around 1.5 million deaths each year.
However, a recent meta-analysis found that garlic may help mitigate complications associated with the condition. Additionally, the same study also noted that a 1% decrease in HbA1c levels can significantly reduce the likelihood of diabetes-related issues, and garlic can alter HbA1c levels.
6. Supports endothelial function
Healthy endothelial function ensures that your blood flows smoothly throughout your body, and any disruption can potentially lead to ruptured plaque, and, later on, a heart attack.
Per a 2020 study published in Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine, aged garlic extract may improve endothelial function in patients with type 2 diabetes, and it may even help to prevent cardiovascular disease.
7. Antihypertensive
Hypertension is more than just high blood pressure as it can also significantly raise the risk for other chronic conditions kidney disease, heart disease and stroke.
That said, adding less salt and more garlic to your diet can be great for your blood pressure. According to a study published earlier this year in January, in hypertensive patients with treated but uncontrolled blood pressure, taking aged garlic extract over 12 weeks resulted in a decrease in systolic blood pressure. There were also clinical improvements in other areas of their health that included stool consistency and low-density lipoprotein.
Tasty Garlic Recipes
After reading our breakdown of garlic’s benefits, you may be looking to add it to your diet but are unsure of where to start. If so, here are a few tasty recipes, courtesy of Blue Zones founder Dan Buettner, that can satisfy your palette and boost your longevity;
Minestrone with Fennel and Wild Garlic
Lentil Salad With Garlic and Herbs
Want to know more?
Garlic is not the only superfood that should be on your longevity radar. Native to South America, golden berries are super berries that can boost your longevity in a number of ways.
