Garlic, Ginger and Cinnamon: It’s a Love Affair

Garlic, Ginger and Cinnamon: It’s a Love Affair

Learn how to support your heart health with naturally occurring herbs like Garlic, Cinnamon and Ginger

Love is in the frosty air:

Snow is falling, our feet are slipping, frost is on store windows, all while we are hustling to get that special someone the perfect gift that says, “I appreciate you,” “You mean the world to me,” and “Nothing compares to you.” We’re even willing to face the elements for that special someone, you know, that person who makes our heart beat a little faster than normal?

Speaking of hearts—how do you support the health of yours? We’ve devoted this blog post to offering easy (and tasty) ways to support your cardiometabolic health, using credible and clinically supported science to promote your heart’s optimal function.

One more thought on gifts and hearts: dark chocolate is my personal favorite gift to receive. It not only gives me that warm, fuzzy feeling on a cold winter’s night, but it’s also a good source of magnesium,1 which may help the cardiovascular system in several ways—by supporting arterial function, endothelial function, C-reactive protein metabolism, lipid metabolism and healthy systolic and diastolic function.2

Devoted to ginger:

Not only may ginger give off that warm, loving and welcoming color, it also supports heart health!‡

  • Ginger supports the cardiovascular system by maintaining healthy leukotriene and thromboxane production and by supporting healthy platelet function.3‡
  • Research suggests that it may also support healthy calcium activity, which promotes blood flow.3‡
  • Additionally, preliminary evidence suggests that ginger may promote the healthy breakdown of fats and glucose, for energy.3‡

Though the ginger root is small, its benefits may be mighty! This little herb has the added benefit of supporting the cardiovascular system and aids in digestive health. You can find all those benefits in our Ginger Extract.3 Curious for more? There are other herbs as well that help support a healthy heart.‡

Don’t get bewitched! Garlic may offer more than its anti-vampiric qualities:

That’s right! Although you may not find it in an alluring perfume anytime soon, aged and fermented black garlic extract may help support the cardiometabolic system by providing antioxidant and cytokine balance.4,5 A study even suggested that 12 weeks of taking 6g of black garlic supplementation revealed support for the healthy breakdown of fats for use in energy.6 Tap into our Garlic Complex supplement to access these benefits—but no promises on staving off vampires!

But maybe you’re more about laying back and having a healthy snack? Perhaps being fanned, while you’re hand-fed grapes—a girl can dream, right? In all seriousness, grapes are an excellent source of nutrients to help with heart health and provide antioxidant support.‡

  • Grape seed proanthocyanidins are among the best antioxidants known in nature.7‡
  • Proanthocyanidins have been shown to maintain healthy collagenase, elastase and hyaluronidase enzyme activity, supporting the important tissue that lines the inside of the heart and its vessels. Research suggests that they also support healthy platelet function and blood flow. These actions have been shown to support the health of arteries and veins.7‡

So, maybe this season we swap the chocolate-covered strawberries (also an excellent gift) for some grapes instead?

The season of love (and the sweet tooth):

If you’re like me, on a cold wintery night with subarctic wind-chills, snuggling on the couch with a nice warm blanket and fuzzy slippers while drinking a cup of hot dark chocolate with a sprinkle of cinnamon sounds amazing, right? Cinnamon is another herb that offers a variety of health benefits:

  • Studies suggest that supplementation with cinnamon promotes healthy glucose metabolism.8‡
  • It’s been found that cinnamon may provide statistically significant support for the healthy breakdown of fats.9‡

Plus, a little something called water-soluble polyphenol polymers found naturally in cinnamon may support healthy blood flow,9 so that warm and fuzzy feeling can last until Spring!

While you’re out, bustling through the shops looking for the potential gift perfect for the special someone in your life, why not show your body a little love, too? Simple nutrients like magnesium, and those found in garlic, ginger and cinnamon, can help support your cardiometabolic health. While you’re at it, snuggle up with your loved one this wintry, lovely season with a cup of hot cocoa and enjoy your special time together.

  1. Is Dark Chocolate A Good Source Of Magnesium? Natural Calm Canada. February 11, 2016. https://naturalcalm.ca/is-dark-chocolate-really-a-good-source-of-magnesium/
  2. Shechter M. Magnesium Research. 2010;23(2):60-72.
  3. ‌Dugasani S, et al. J Ethnopharmacology. 127(2):515-520.
  4. Kim DG, et al. Phytother Res. 2017 Jan;31(1):53-61.
  5. Lee YM, et al. Nutr Res Pract. 2009 Summer;3(2):156-61.
  6. Jung ES, et al. 2014 Sep;30(9):1034-9.
  7. Maffei, R (1994). Arzneimittelforschung. 1994 May;44(5):592-601.
  8. Khan A, et al. Diabetes Care 2003;26(12):3215-3218.
  9. Crawford P. Am Board Fam Med. 2009 SepOct;22(5):507-12.
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