Garlic and its many health benefits
Food is not just sustenance, it is medicine, it is skincare, it is our mental and physical health and safety. Science has confirmed that what we eat affects our lifestyle, weight, skin, health, and mental health. Eating better is one of the first steps any medical expert will tell you to take. There are many things and foods you can eat for a better lifestyle. Garlic is one of the health packed foods in our kitchen. The humble garlic is loaded with vitamins, minerals, and nutrients essential for us. Garlic is also known to treat medical conditions.
Garlic (Allium Sativum) is used as a flavoring in meals and dishes. It is closely related to the onion, shallot, scallion, chive, and leek. There have been reports on it being used as medicine in several ancient cultures. The original Olympic athletes in Ancient Greece were given garlic before their performances. This can be seen as one of the first instances of performance-enhancing foods in sports. Garlic made its way from Ancient Egypt to the Indus Valley civilizations and China. People in ancient India considered it to be a strong antibiotic and aphrodisiac. Monks, widows, celibate men, or people fasting were not allowed to have garlic due to its stimulating and arousing effects. It was eventually the French, the Spanish, and the Portuguese who introduced garlic to the rest of the world.
Garlic can combat infection and sickness like the common cold. Garlic supplements help in strengthening your immunity. Studies have proven that adding garlic to your daily diet can help you fight colds and sore throats better. It reduces the duration and intensity of your cold. Adding garlic to your meals when you have the flu is also beneficial.
The number of people suffering from stress, lifestyle diseases, and cardiac diseases are rising. One of the ways to prevent these diseases is to eat right and exercise moderately. Garlic is one of things you should definitely include in your diet. Garlic supplements or garlic has a significant impact on reducing blood pressure. High blood pressure or hypertension is one of the strong drivers of cardiac disease. By controlling your blood pressure, you ensure you are at a lower risk of getting these diseases. Garlic supplements need to be high in dosage to have the desired effect. Research has suggested that eating four cloves of garlic a day is enough to replace blood pressure medication.
Another benefit of garlic is that it can lower your LDL cholesterol. Not all cholesterol is bad, HDL cholesterol is good. But LDL cholesterol is responsible for triggering heart diseases, obesity, and stress. Garlic has no effect on HDL cholesterol while lowering the bad LDL cholesterol.
Oxidative damage can contribute to a rapid aging process. Garlic contains antioxidants that support the body in fighting against oxidative damage. High doses of garlic have known to help in fighting neurological diseases and reduce the risk of brain damage. It boosts your brain and keeps your mind fit and healthy. It is a great supplement for people at risk of dementia as well.
Longevity may be subjective but garlic can help you live a longer and healthier life. Garlic can fight common causes of illness such as cold, flu, heart disease, cholesterol, and brain damage. This reasons us to believe that you can live a longer and stress free life with regular consumption of garlic.
We mentioned that garlic was given to the first Olympic athletes in Ancient Greece. It was believed to have restoring properties that improve your performance and strength. Garlic oil helps in exercise performance and durability. It is not commonly used but research indicates that it is worth giving a try. Garlic is also used to reduce fatigue in laborers and increase their work capabilities. Farmers in rural India consume garlic during lunch or their breaks to get the stamina required for hard labor.
The sulfur compounds in garlic can make it a detox supplement to fight organ damage from metal activity. Clinical signs of toxicity such as headaches, nausea, and blood pressure were reduced with regular consumption of garlic. Workers in lead or metal plants should consume garlic to reduce the impact of the heavy metal activity on their organs.
Other than these impressive benefits, garlic is also very nutritious, low in calories, and delicious. It can be easily included in your diet. Whether its soups, salads, curries, pies, noodles, or pasta, you can incorporate garlic into them. Garlic is used as powder, oil, raw, or in chutneys to be added to meals. The flavor of garlic is wonderful for improving bland or simple dishes. Garlic does have a strong odor and can give you bad breath. So be careful before consuming too much of it. Consult a medical expert before making any changes to your diet. There are some people who may be allergic to garlic. It also has side effects for people taking blood-thinning medications.