Fresh Garlic Better Serves Heart

Farmington, Conn.Garlic has long been promoted for heart health, but new research says that to reap the maximum benefit, it should be freshly crushed.

Researchers at the Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Connecticut School of Medicine fed rats freshly crushed garlic and processed garlic and looked at how well the animals hearts recovered from simulated heart attacks.  Both types of garlic reduced damage from lack of oxygen, but the fresh garlic group had a significantly greater effect on restoring good blood flow in the aorta and increased pressure in the left ventricle of the heart according to the study.

The scientists attribute the benefits not to garlics antioxidants as originally postulated, but instead, mainly to the hydrogen sulfide that forms when garlic is cut or crushed. When consumed, this naturally occurring chemical relaxes the blood vessels. Processed and cooked garlic does not form hydrogen sulfide.