The father of western medicine, Greek physician Hippocrates has quoted that, “Let food be thy medicine, and medicine be thy food.”
Garlic (Allium sativum), is used widely as a flavoring in cooking, but it has also been used as a medicine throughout ancient and modern history; it has been taken to prevent and treat a wide range of conditions and diseases.
This herb has curative and medicinal properties because of its antibacterial and antiseptic nature. The beneficial properties of garlic are because of a compound, Allicin.
It is rich in minerals like phosphorus, zinc, potassium, and magnesium. Vitamins C, K, Folate, niacin, and thiamine also are found abundantly in garlic.
Now modern medicine is embracing garlic’s healing properties too. A recent study reports that eating garlic may work to relax blood vessels and increase blood flow.
Garlic produces a chemical called allicin. This is what seems to make garlic work for certain conditions. Allicin also makes garlic smell. Some products are made “odorless” by aging the garlic, but this process can also make the garlic less effective.
It’s a good idea to look for supplements that are coated (enteric coating) so they will dissolve in the intestine and not in the stomach. So, grab the freshest garlic cloves you can find and add them to your daily diet to reap these benefits for your body.
What follows are some of the benefits of garlic:
It can Combat Sickness and Common Cold
Garlic supplements are known to boost the function of the immune system.
Raw garlic has the potential to ward off cough and cold infections. Eating two crushed garlic cloves on an empty stomach has the maximum benefit.
For kids and babies, hanging garlic cloves in a thread around their necks is supposed to relieve congestion symptoms.
Digested garlic helps boost the immune system and reduces the severity and length of cold and flu symptoms.
One study showed that taking a daily garlic supplement reduced the number of colds participants experienced by 63%.
Studies have also reported that the average length of cold symptoms was reduced from five days to a day and a half. If you like garlic, try adding more to your meals when you feel a cold coming on.
Prophylactic use of garlic may decrease the frequency of colds in adults, but has no effect on the duration of symptoms.” Prophylactic use means using it regularly to prevent disease.
Though there is some research to suggest that raw garlic has the most benefits, other studies have looked at overall allium intake, both raw and cooked, and have found benefits. Therefore, you can enjoy garlic in a variety of ways to reap its advantages.
Improve your Heart’s Health
Research indicates that it can have a positive impact on your arteries and blood pressure. Researchers believe red blood cells turn the sulfur in garlic into hydrogen sulfide gas that expands our blood vessels, making it easier to regulate blood pressure.
The good news is that you may be able to put your blood pressure medication away, so consult with your doctor if adding more garlic to your diet could be helpful for you.
Garlic is a natural at reducing heart disease risk because it lowers cholesterol and blood pressure. It’s also great at reducing your risk of heart disease by relaxing hardened blood vessels and preventing platelet aggregation.
How does it work? Garlic increases the production of nitric oxide which keeps blood vessels relaxed. It also prevents platelets from binding to proteins, which reduces blood clots. When it comes to heart disease help, garlic’s got you covered.
Allicin, a compound found in garlic stops the oxidizing of LDL (bad cholesterol). This reduces cholesterol levels and improves heart health. Regular consumption of garlic reduces the incidence of blood clots and thus helps prevent thromboembolism.
Garlic also lowers blood pressure so is good for patients with hypertension.
Diallyl trisulfide, a component of garlic oil, helps protect the heart during cardiac surgery and after a heart attack, researchers at Emory University School of Medicine found.
They also believe diallyl trisulfide could be used as a treatment for heart failure.
Garlic Benefits Reduce Blood Pressure
Cardiovascular diseases like heart attacks and strokes are the world’s biggest killers.
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is one of the most important drivers of these diseases which can be eradicated with the help of garlic benefits.
Human studies have found garlic supplements to have a significant impact on reducing blood pressure in people with high blood pressure.
Supplement doses must be fairly high to have the desired effects. The amount needed is equivalent to about four cloves of garlic per day.
High doses of garlic appear to improve blood pressure for those with known high blood pressure (hypertension). In some instances, supplements may be as effective as regular medications.
Garlic has anti-inflammatory benefits and helps blood flow more easily through the body. Several studies found that blood pressure was lowered by 10% when the participant took garlic supplements.
Keep in mind that the supplement doses are fairly high—600 to 1,500 mg of aged garlic extract. That’s the equivalent of roughly four cloves of garlic a day, so start chopping.
A couple of cloves a day may help keep a visit to the cardiologist away.
Enhance your Athletic Performance
Ancient cultures used garlic to enhance performance and reduce the fatigue of people doing physical labor. Eventually, the Olympic athletes in Greece started using garlic to enhance their athletic ability. Now modern athletes (and regular folks too) are using it to reduce exercise-induced fatigue.
Some studies have shown people with heart disease who took garlic oil for six weeks improved their peak heart rate by 12% and could exercise longer without feeling as tired. If you like to stay fit and love garlic, add a little more to your daily diet and see if you get an endurance boost.
Garlic also fights fungus. If you have an athlete’s foot, soak your feet in garlic water or rub raw garlic on your feet to attack the itch-causing fungus.
Garlic can reduce fatigue, improving athletic performance, and physical capacity. It was used in ancient times to improve the physical performance of laborers and improve athletic performance in Olympic athletes in ancient Greece.
Garlic was one of the earliest “performance enhancing” substances.
It was traditionally used in ancient cultures to reduce fatigue and enhance the work capacity of laborers.
Most notably, it was given to Olympic athletes in ancient Greece.
Rodent studies have shown that garlic benefits with exercise performance, but very few human studies have been done.
People with heart disease who took garlic oil for 6 weeks had a 12% reduction in peak heart rate and better exercise capacity.
However, a study on nine competitive cyclists found no performance benefits.
Other studies suggest that exercise-induced fatigue may be reduced with garlic.
Garlic may improve physical performance in lab animals and people with heart disease. Benefits in healthy people are not yet conclusive.
Garlic Benefits Lower Lung Cancer Risk
People who ate raw garlic at least twice a week during the 7 year study period had a 44 percent lower risk of developing lung cancer, according to a study conducted at the Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention in China.
The researchers, who published their study in the journal Cancer Prevention Research, carried out face-to-face interviews with 1,424 lung cancer patients and 4,543 healthy individuals. They were asked about their diet and lifestyle, including questions on smoking and how often they ate garlic.
The study authors wrote: “Protective association between intake of raw garlic and lung cancer has been observed with a dose-response pattern, suggesting that garlic may potentially serve as a chemopreventive agent for lung cancer.” Thus it can be considered as one of the major garlic benefits.
Improve Bone Health
No human studies have measured the effects of garlic on bone loss.
However, rodent studies have shown that it can minimize bone loss by increasing estrogen in females.
One study in menopausal women found that a daily dose of dry garlic extract (equal to 2 grams of raw garlic) significantly decreased a marker of estrogen deficiency.
This suggests that this supplement may have beneficial effects on bone health in women.
Foods like garlic and onions may also have beneficial effects on osteoarthritis.
There is some evidence that garlic can help reduce bone loss by increasing estrogen in females, which can be a big win for your bone health after menopause. Adding a daily dose of garlic could help reduce your risk of osteoporosis and osteoarthritis.
You still need to include other healthy foods to make a real impact on bone density—dairy products, green leafy vegetables, fish, and nuts are all good choices. But it’s easy to season your salmon and spinach dinner with garlic for some extra oomph.
Improve Brain Health
Organo-sulfur compounds found in garlic have been identified as effective in destroying the cells in glioblastomasTrusted Source, a type of deadly brain tumor.
Scientists at the Medical University of South Carolina reported in the journal Cancer that three pure organo-sulfur compounds from garlic – DAS, DADS, and DATS – “demonstrated efficacy in eradicating brain cancer cells, but DATS proved to be the most effective.”
Co-author, Ray Swapan, Ph.D., said “This research highlights the great promise of plant-originated compounds as a natural medicine for controlling the malignant growth of human brain tumor cells. More studies are needed in animal models of brain tumors before application of this therapeutic strategy to brain tumor patients.”
Garlic promotes brain health because of its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It is effective against neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and dementia.
Damage from free radicals contributes to aging, but garlic contains a powerful antioxidant to help battle that—S-allyl cysteine.
This antioxidant shows promise in protecting against brain damage and keeping your brain functioning better as you age.
It works by increasing your brain’s blood flow thanks to garlic’s ability to lower cholesterol and blood pressure. This means a reduced risk of brain disorders like dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Enhance Skin and Hair Health
Garlic helps prevent acne and lightens acne scars. Cold sores, psoriasis, rashes, and blisters can all benefit from the application of garlic juice. It also protects against UV rays and therefore prevents aging.
Garlic is a superfood because it has so many beneficial properties: antioxidant, antibacterial, and antifungal. Which adds up to big benefits for your skin. Got acne? Rub raw garlic over your bumps to kill bacteria.
Just be careful and don’t overdo it if you have sensitive skin. Garlic’s antioxidant qualities come to the rescue to protect your skin and prevent damage from free radicals.
Using a topical garlic extract over time may have anti-aging effects because garlic helps increase the growth and longevity of skin cells. Long live garlic!
Garlic can benefit the heart, brain, and other organs. It reduces risk factors, such as blood pressure, cholesterol, and heavy metal toxicity, which can help people live longer.
Garlic is also a rich source of antioxidants and nutrients, and it boosts the immune system as well.
Garlic’s antioxidants and antibacterial properties can clear up your skin by killing acne-causing bacteria.
One study shows rubbing raw garlic over pimples can clear them away. Be aware, though, that it could cause a burning sensation on your skin. Consult with your dermatologist first before putting acne on your skin if you are using any other products, too.
It is Anti-Inflammatory
Research has shown that garlic oil works as an anti-inflammatory. If you have sore and inflamed joints or muscles, rub them with the oil. The Arthritis Foundation even recommends it to help prevent cartilage damage from arthritis.
Final Words
Garlic’s health benefits are plenty but don’t add too much to your diet too quickly, as tempting as it may be. Overdoing it can cause discomfort. With these amazing health benefits of garlic, it is known to be one of the best home remedies for treating various diseases.
