Garlic is grown in many parts of the world and is a popular ingredient in cooking because of its strong smell and delicious taste. However, throughout ancient history, the main use of garlic was for its health and medicinal properties. So, what are the proven health benefits of garlic used throughout history?
Current research shows that garlic may have some real health benefits, such as protecting against colds and helping to lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Here are 5 health benefits of garlic, backed by human research.
1. GARLIC CONTAINS COMPOUNDS WITH STRONG MEDICINAL PROPERTIES
Garlic is a plant from the onion family . Scientists now know that many of garlic's health benefits are due to the sulfur compounds that form when a clove of garlic is minced, crushed, or chewed. The sulfur compounds in garlic enter your body through the digestive tract. They then circulate all over your body, exerting powerful biological effects.
2. GARLIC IS EXTREMELY NUTRITIVE BUT IT HAS LITTLE CALORIES.
Garlic is incredibly nutritious.
A single clove (3 grams) of raw garlic;
Manganese: 2% of the daily value (DV)
Vitamin B6: 2% of the DV
Vitamin C: 1% of the DV
Selenium: 1% of DV
Fiber: 0.06 grams
That comes with 4.5 calories, 0.2 grams of protein and 1 gram of carbohydrates. Garlic also contains trace amounts of various other nutrients.
3. GARLIC HELPS PROTECT AGAINST DISEASES, INCLUDING COLDS
Garlic supplements are known to increase the function of the immune system. A large 12-week study found that daily garlic supplementation reduced the number of colds by 63% compared to placebo. The mean duration of cold symptoms was also reduced by 70% from 5 days in the placebo group to just 1.5 days in the garlic group.
Another study found that high doses of aged garlic extract (2.56 grams per day) reduced the number of people suffering from the common cold or flu by 61%. If you have frequent colds, adding garlic to your diet may be worth a try.
4. ACTIVE COMPOUNDS IN GARLIC MAY LOWER BLOOD PRESSURE
Cardiovascular diseases, such as heart attacks and strokes, are responsible for more deaths than almost any other condition. High blood pressure or hypertension is one of the most important factors that can lead to these diseases. Human studies have found that garlic supplements have a significant effect in lowering blood pressure in people with high blood pressure.
5. GARLIC IMPROVES CHOLESTEROL LEVELS, WHICH MAY REDUCE THE RISK OF HEART DISEASE
Garlic can lower LDL (bad) cholesterol. For those with high cholesterol, garlic supplements appear to reduce total and LDL cholesterol by about 10-15%. Looking specifically at LDL (bad) and HDL (good) cholesterol, garlic appears to lower LDL but has no reliable effect on HDL. High triglyceride levels are another known risk factor for heart disease, although garlic does not seem to have a significant effect on triglyceride levels.
Post a Comment