Special Edition: Botanicals
Garlic
Consumer awareness of the health benefits of garlic, mostly in terms of cardiovascular and immune system health, has benefited the supplements industry, particularly since consumers seek the benefits of garlic without the odors that accompany the fresh bulb.
Sales of garlic supplements across the channels grew 4% year-on-year from 2014 to 2015, from $20,878,710 to $21,802,517, and then by 3% from 2015 to 2016 to $22,523,522.
A meta-analysis published last year in Phytomedicine indicated that garlic supplements could reduce systolic and diastolic blood pressure by an average of 6.71 mmHg and 4.79 mmHg, respectively.
In addition, another meta-analysis, published in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture (doi: 10.1002/jsfa.5557), reported that, compared with placebo groups, garlic consumption is associated with a 5.4% reduction in cholesterol levels and a 6.5% reduction in triglyceride levels.
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