The health benefits of garlic can be seen as far back as Ancient Egypt. Today, when we think about garlic, we might think of delicious dishes from an Italian kitchen rather than the pharmacy. But traditionally it has been used as a medicine to prevent and treat a wide range of diseases and conditions.
The Health Benefits Of Garlic
It is the active ingredient in garlic, allicin, that gives it its medicinal properties. Allicin is a powerful compound that is designed to keep pests away from the plant as it grows. It has antibiotic properties, which can help to fight off colds and flu. It can also act as an antioxidant, which helps to flush out toxins. Research has even suggested that allicin it can also help to prevent ageing by slowing the depletion of collagen in our skin.
But to get the benefits of garlic, we have to eat it raw. Cooking garlic destroys the allicin it contains, taking away most of its goodness.
-
Immunity
Garlic is thought to be an excellent herb for maintaining several aspects of our overall health. The active ingredient, allicin, is actually a powerful natural antibiotic. It could, therefore, be effective against toxic bacteria, viruses, and fungus.
-
Heart Health
It is believed that garlic can help to look after your cardiovascular health. Research carried out in Japan in April 2012, published in the Journal of Clinical Nutrition found garlic supplementation reduced blood levels of LDL cholesterol by 20% after 12 weeks of supplementation demonstrating how adding garlic extract to your daily supplement regime can have a positive impact on cardiac health.
Adding two to three fresh cloves a day to your diet can also lower the risk of heart attack by around 50% according to a number of research studies.
-
Weight
Some research has suggested that garlic is excellent in the handling of body fat. These studies have shown that it can slow our body’s production of fat by breaking down the lipids.
