Common kitchen ingredients for a healthy heart
23 Nov 2016
Garlic is an ingredient that can be found in most households as a flavour enhancing addition to lots of family dinners. However, did you know that garlic has been famous for its health benefits for centuries?
Garlic is known for its ability to manage a range of ailments, from the common cold to high blood pressure, however taking a large dose of raw garlic can be difficult to measure, hard to digest and it certainly won’t do any favours for your breath.
Numerous studies have shown that Aged Garlic Extract can not only maintain a healthy immune system, but recent breakthrough research published in the Journal of Nutrition shows that Kyolic Aged Garlic Extract may assist in the maintenance of cholesterol within the normal, healthy range in healthy individuals.
Ageing garlic for its health benefits began in Japan following WWII when German Professor, Dr Eugene Schwell, was tasked with the responsibility of restoring the energy levels and overall health of the Japanese population. He introduced the popular Japanese practise of ageing and fermentation to garlic and found it increased the herb’s potency beyond its natural levels.
To preserve its natural benefits, the garlic used in Kyolic Aged Garlic Extract is grown using strict, organic farming methods, which prohibit the use of chemical seed treatments, non-organic fertilisers and pesticides.
Kyolic Aged Garlic Extract then goes through a unique ageing process that converts the compounds found in raw garlic into water soluble, stable sulfur compounds that make dosing easier.
The ageing process that the raw garlic goes through not only eliminates the garlic odour, but also the sulfur-containing compounds found in garlic, which can cause gut irritation and heartburn for some people.
Other popular ingredients that may support
your heart
- Walnuts and almonds due to their omega 3 fatty acids, vitamin E, magnesium, heart favourable mono- and polyunsaturated fats and phytosterols.
- Greens such as broccoli, spinach and kale are high in soluble fibre, which can lower cholesterol.
- Black and kidney beans due to their B- complex vitamins, niacin, folate, magnesium, omega-3 fatty acids, calcium and soluble fibre.
- Salmon due to its high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, which are great for a healthy heart.
- Ground flaxseed due to its high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, fibre and phytoestrogens. Flaxseeds are great to add to your morning granola and yoghurt or baked goods like muffin and cookies.
- Oatmeal is high in soluble fibre, which can lower cholesterol.
- Berries compounds known as anthocyanins, flavonoids (which are antioxidants) may decrease blood pressure.
Dr Jason Kaplan’s Daily Heart Health advice:
- 30 minutes of moderate intensity walking, swimming, golf without the cart, cycling etc daily.
- Mediterranean or vegetarian diet most days (moderate levels of protein, plenty of vegetables, olive oils and other unsaturated fats).
- Remember to take your prescribed medications and any complementary medicines. Talk to your health practitioner about Kyolic Aged Garlic Extract as a natural alternative to support your cardiovascular and heart health. Kyolic Aged Garlic Extract contains more potent active ingredients, fewer side effects, and better standardisation of dosage than fresh garlic or other types of garlic supplements, such as garlic oil and garlic powder.
Dr Jason Kaplan is a specialist adult cardiologist and physician BSc(Med) MBBS(Hons) FRACP FCSANZ
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