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Huang Daming's kitchen is always indispensable to one spice - garlic.
He is a firm believer that a meal without garlic is like a dish without salt, tasteless. Just as he was bringing back a bag of fresh garlic from the wet market again, he happened to hear a neighbor mention that garlic not only enhances the taste of food, but also helps control high blood lipids.
"Really? Can garlic also lower lipids? Huang Daming was full of curiosity about this information. Although he is an ordinary taxi driver and does not know much about medical knowledge, he knows that hyperlipidemia is a hidden health hazard for many middle-aged and elderly people. Thinking of this, he decided to talk to a doctor friend about it.
Walking into the clinic, Huang Daming met Dr. Li, a doctor with a strong medical background. After a brief greeting, Huang Daming couldn't wait to ask questions about garlic and high blood lipids.
Dr. Li smiled and took out a thick information book from the drawer and said, "Da Ming, what you heard is not exactly a rumor. Garlic does have certain health benefits, especially for high blood lipids. He flipped through the information and began to explain in detail.
First, garlic is rich in sulfur compounds, which can help lower total cholesterol and LDL (bad cholesterol) in the blood without affecting HDL (good cholesterol).
Adequate daily intake of garlic can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease to some extent. Specifically, taking garlic powder continuously for four weeks can reduce blood cholesterol levels by 10 to 15 percent.
Next, Dr. Lee mentioned the antioxidant properties of garlic. The antioxidants in garlic, such as selenium and vitamin C, can help reduce the number of free radicals in the body, too much of which can cause cell damage, accelerate aging or lead to a variety of diseases.
"However, Daming, it's not enough to eat garlic." Dr. Lee then recommends several other foods that are suitable for middle-aged and older people: oats, bitter gourd and walnuts.
Oats are because they are rich in β-glucan, a soluble fiber that forms a gelatinous substance in the intestines that helps lower cholesterol absorption. The special ingredient in bitter melon, bitter melon, has been shown to help lower blood sugar and blood lipids. Walnuts are rich in unsaturated fatty acids, especially omega-3 fatty acids, which help improve cardiovascular health.
The foods Dr. Lee proposes may seem unrelated to garlic, but he explains that a proper diet is the key to managing blood lipids. Not only should you eat the right foods, but you should also control your total calorie intake, avoid high-sugar, high-fat diets, and maintain moderate physical activity.
After explaining for a long time, Dr. Li took a sip of water and saw that Huang Daming seemed to be still a little confused, so he asked him: "Daming, is there anything else you don't understand?" Huang Daming thought for a moment and asked, "Doctor Li, is it true that I heard that eating too much garlic will burden the liver?" "This is a common concern, especially for people who consume garlic regularly.
Dr. Lee nodded and explained, "It's true that an overdose on anything can have side effects. Garlic is good, but it should not be excessive. Excessive garlic intake may indeed have some effects on liver function, especially on an empty stomach. Therefore, moderate amounts are appropriate. For middle-aged and elderly people, four to five cloves of garlic per day are sufficient. ”
Thanks to Dr. Li's answer, Huang Daming decided to go home and replan his diet to make garlic and other healthy ingredients work better to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
What do you think about garlic? Welcome to discuss in the comment area!