Benefits of garlic for your health

 

Garlic has a long history of being used for health benefits.

Garlic has been used, both medicinally and as a food or flavoring, since the dawn of recorded history. 

Ancient medical texts from as far afield as Egypt, China, India, Greece, and Rome discussed the medical uses of garlic. 

The Bible and Qur’an mention it, and while the plant is native to Central Asia, cloves dating back more than 3000 years were found in King Tut’s tomb.

Garlic has been part of the kitchens for centuries. 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.

But don’t discount the power of adding garlic to your favorite foods, which can contain a huge variety of nutrients and chemicals that may interact synergistically together in beneficial ways, says Raj.

 “Deliberately including garlic in food preparations on a regular basis can give you long-term benefits,” she says.

Garlic can help improve heart health.

A number of studies – explored below – have found the benefits of garlic include tackling high blood pressure, reducing high cholesterol, and protecting against heart disease and atherosclerosis (when fatty deposits build up in the arteries, increasing your risk of heart attack and stroke).

Some studies have shown that garlic and garlic supplements may have positive effects on heart health by preventing cell damage, regulating cholesterol and lowering blood pressure. 

Other research shows that garlic supplements may also reduce plaque buildup in the arteries.

Garlic helps prevent organ damage because of its healing properties and thus helps detoxify heavy metals in the body that can worsen heart health, if not broken down. 

With the increase of toxins in the air due to pollution, garlic may be a great food item to include in your diet to ensure that the presence of heavy metals like lead in the body is taken care of.