Its Smell Ugh, But with Incredible Health Benefits

Garlic has acquired a reputation in different traditions as a prophylactic as well as a therapeutic medicinal plant.

Garlic was in use at the beginning of recorded history and was found in Egyptian pyramids and ancient Greek temples.

During both World War I and II, garlic was used as an antiseptic for wounds and was given to prevent infections (like gangrene) in soldiers. Modern science is tending to confirm many of the beliefs of ancient cultures regarding garlic, defining mechanisms of action and exploring garlic's potential for disease prevention and treatment. In some Western countries, the sale of garlic preparations ranks with those of leading prescription drugs.

Garlic Nutritional Profile

Garlic is low in calories, rich in vitamin C, vitamin B6, and manganese. It also contains trace amounts of various other nutrients. A clove of raw garlic contains about 4 calories, 1 gram carbohydrates, 0.9 milligram vitamin C, 5.4 milligrams calcium, 0.4 micrograms selenium, 0.1 gram fiber, and 0.1 milligram manganese. Raw garlic also contains approximately 0.1 percent essential oil.

Garlic is particularly rich in certain sulfur compounds that are believed to be responsible for its scent and taste, as well as its very positive effects on human health.

Unlocking the Benefits of Garlic

Garlic’s health benefits have been touted throughout history, and it’s been credited as a plague-bearing, infection-fighting, parasite-killing, immune-system-boosting, cancer-preventing, bronchitis-curing, blood pressure-controlling, impotence-treating, ringworm-healing, strength-building, mosquito-repelling cure-all that improves digestion, circulation, respiratory health and fertility. Garlic may detoxify heavy metals.

Garlic for Heart Disease

Garlic has been widely recognized as both a preventative agent of many cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, including hypertension and diabetes. Garlic Extract can help slow the progression of atherosclerosis. Garlic sulfur-containing compounds can release free hydrogen sulfide (H2S). This H2S may be involved in the cardiovascular benefits of garlic since it appears able to work synergistically with nitric oxide in optimizing blood vessel elasticity.

Garlic for Cancer

Garlic lowers the risk of colorectal cancer. Garlic may potentially serve as a chemopreventive agent for lung cancer. Garlic phytochemicals show cancer-fighting properties. Allium vegetables, especially garlic and onions, and their bioactive sulfur compounds are believed to have effects at each stage of cancer formation and affect many biological processes that modify cancer risk.

Protective effects from garlic may arise from its ability to block the formation of cancer-causing substances, halt the activation of cancer-causing substances, enhance DNA repair, reduce cell proliferation, or induce cell death.

Garlic for High Blood Pressure

An interesting phenomenon of garlic is that has been shown to help control high blood pressure. Studies with garlic, preparations that provided a daily dose of at least 10 milligrams allicin dropped blood pressure readings, with typical reductions of 11 mm Hg for the systolic and 5 in the diastolic.

This occurred within a 1 to 3-month period. To get enough allicin, eat 4 cloves of fresh garlic a day.

Garlic as an Immunostimulant

The benefits of garlic to health have been proclaimed for centuries; however, only recently have garlic and its derivatives been proposed as promising candidates for maintaining the homeostasis of the immune system. Garlic enhances the functioning of the immune system.

S-Allyl cysteine (SAC) is an active component in garlic. It is a derivative of the amino acid cysteine in which an allyl group has been added to the sulfur atom. The name allyl is derived from the Latin word for garlic.

SAC has various pharmacological effects, such as anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and anti-cancer activities. SAC effectively suppressed allergic airway inflammation and mucus production in challenged asthmatic mice. SAC shows potential for use in treating allergic asthma.

Garlic’s allicin plays an important role in its antimicrobial powers. Garlic is highly effective at killing countless microorganisms responsible for some of the most common and rarest infections.

Garlic for Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease is a form of dementia that can rob people of the ability to think clearly, perform everyday tasks and, ultimately, remember who they even are.

Garlic contains antioxidants that can support the body’s protective mechanisms against oxidative damage that can contribute to these cognitive illnesses. Neuroinflammation is pathological evidence of Alzheimer’s disease that likely starts as a host defense response to the damaging effects of deposits in the brain.

Aged garlic extract significantly improved short-term recognition memory in cognitively impaired rats. In addition, it significantly minimized neuroinflammation.

Garlic as an anti-diabetic agent

Eating garlic has been shown to help regulate blood sugar levels, potentially decrease the effects of some diabetes complications, as well as fight infections and encourage circulation.

Garlic and its active ingredients have been extensively studied for their antidiabetic efficacies in either experimentally induced or genetic animal models of diabetes. Human studies are also available where the hypoglycemic effect of garlic was reported. Garlic and garlic extracts have been shown to be effective in reducing insulin resistance.

Best Ways to Use Garlic

Garlic is used in virtually every cuisine in the world. Garlic is delicious and easy to add to your diet. You can use it in salads, soups, sauces, and dressings. You can add raw garlic to recipes that are sautéed, roasted or baked. Add raw garlic to any vegetable, fish or meat to intensify the health benefits.

Garlic comes in several forms, from whole cloves and smooth pastes to powders and supplements like garlic extract and garlic oil. Garlic is best used raw for microbial properties, although cooked garlic still has a lot of value.

Whether you’re ultimately using garlic raw or cooked, you can up the garlic benefits by chopping or crushing it and letting it sit before eating it or heating it for a recipe.

The chopping activates enzymes in the garlic’s cells, and the sitting allows these enzymes to convert some of the garlic’s allicin into allicin.

Allicin then rapidly breaks down to form a variety of organosulfur compounds. Allow garlic to stand for 10 minutes after chopping or crushing before cooking it.

If you find it hard to get rid of your garlic breath, just try eating some raw parsley, apples or spinach.

Garlic is best stored at room temperature and should always be kept dry to prevent it from sprouting.

The allicin potential decreases with age or heat-treatment of the garlic. The instability of allicin is also the reason pure allicin is not available as a supplement.