Strongest evidence suggests garlic helps heart health
SAN ANTONIO - Many foods are said to have healing properties, and claims surrounding the health benefits of garlic have swirled for centuries. It has been said to do everything from ward off the common cold to lower high blood pressure and cholesterol and lower your risk of cancer. And while some of those claims are overblown, Consumer Reports said there is some truth to the health benefits of garlic. More Consumer Headlines "The research isn’t quite there yet, but the strongest evidence to date does suggest that garlic may benefit the heart," said Julia Calderone, with Consumer Reports. Some data indicates that a daily dose of garlic can help reduce elevated levels of both cholesterol and blood pressure. "It’s not quite as good as our medications, but it does certainly have a nice effect," Calderone said. Some research also shows people who took a daily garlic supplement for a year had slower plaque buildup from coronary artery disease than p...