Is Garlic Bad for Low Blood Pressure? (Expert Answer)

Short Answer: Garlic is good for low blood pressure. Because it has allicin and it can relax and widen your blood vessels.

Low blood pressure is a condition that affects your heart and blood vessels.

In low blood pressure, your body does not pump enough blood to your vital organs and tissues.

This can lead to various health problems, such as dizziness, fainting, fatigue, nausea, and organ damage.

One of the key factors in managing low blood pressure is diet.

What you consume can affect your blood volume, which can impact your low blood pressure symptoms and overall health.

To effectively manage low blood pressure, you should consume sodium-rich foods like salt, cheese, and olives and avoid diuretic foods like coffee, alcohol, and watermelon.

Now, garlic is a vegetable that belongs to the onion family.

People usually eat garlic raw, cooked, or as a supplement.

Garlic is good for low blood pressure because it contains allicin, a compound that helps relax and widen your blood vessels, which improves blood flow and reduces blood pressure.

One clove of garlic can give you about 0.9 mg of allicin, which is about 0.04% of your daily needs.

Allicin can positively affect low blood pressure by preventing the production of angiotensin II, a compound responsible for increasing blood pressure by causing your blood vessels to tighten up or contract.

Furthermore, garlic is a vasodilator and vasodilators are good for low blood pressure.

Because, they help lower the resistance in your blood vessels and increase your blood flow.

You can eat one to two cloves of garlic per day safely.

More than that can cause bad breath, body odor, stomach upset, and bleeding problems.

Also, you shouldn’t eat garlic if you have bleeding disorders or are taking blood-thinning medications to prevent excessive bleeding.

Because, garlic can interfere with your blood clotting ability.

You can buy fresh garlic in your local market or can order it online.

Always choose garlic that is firm, plump, and free of bruises or mold.

Because, these indicate the quality and freshness of garlic.

You can store them in a cool, dry, and dark place for up to six months.

Finally, remember, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, including a balanced diet, regular exercise, stress management and essential medical care is key to managing low blood pressure effectively.

I always recommend my low blood pressure patients to follow a low blood pressure-friendly diet to improve their overall well-being, and enjoy a longer and healthier life.

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About the Author

Abdur Rahman Choudhury

Abdur Rahman Choudhury is a nutritionist in West Bengal, India, with a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Biochemistry.

He has done his diploma in nutrition from Fabulous Body Inc (US), and completed various certification courses from several universities. He also has considerable research experience in PCOS.

Abdur currently lives in India and keeps fit by weight training and eating mainly home-cooked meals.

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