20 Ideas for Your Health Benefits of Garlic

The benefits of garlic for health are: help to lose weight, improve circulation, reduce blood pressure, prevent Alzheimer's, and cancer, improve bone health, treat vaginal infections, treat colds and others that will explain below. The truth is that one of the advantages of garlic for health is that it is one of the great natural antioxidants that we find. However, there are cases in which it is not recommended daily consumption of it. 

Origin of garlic

The garlic plant, whose scientific name is Allium sativum, belongs to the Allium genus, which includes approximately 750 species, among which is another widely consumed and cultivated throughout the world as onion. All of them have identical medicinal and organoleptic properties with health benefits thanks to many sulfur compounds and also to allicin. We recognize them for their taste and also for their smell. 

To know the origin of garlic we must know that the plant is typical of the region where countries such as Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan are intertwined. The garlic plant is considered one of the most universal species because it adapts to all types of terrain and even extreme weather conditions. That is why we found it three thousand meters high in Mexico and almost five thousand meters high in the mountains of Tibet. In any modality or from any provenance, they all have advantages for health. 

What Garlic brings to your health

1. Help to lose weight

A clove of garlic barely has 4 calories and contains antioxidants that can help you lose weight. The main reasons are that garlic creates the feeling of satiety and therefore suppresses the appetite so that the chances of gaining weight decrease.

Some studies indicate that garlic stimulates the nervous system and this releases the hormone adrenaline, which increases metabolism. The higher the metabolism, the easier it will be to burn fat. Of course, like any food, moderation in its consumption and always within a balanced diet combined with physical exercise.

2. It is a natural antibiotic

Allicin, one of the active principles of garlic, has a wide variety of antimicrobial activities.

This is mainly due to its ability to block the activity of two groups of enzymes: the cysteine ​​proteases and those of alcohol dehydrogenases. Both are involved in the metabolism of amoebic parasites, bacteria, fungi and other viruses.

In its state of purity, allicin, has antibacterial capacity. That is, to make it work, the garlic must be taken raw. Following this rule, we will be using a healing agent very beneficial to treat diseases such as toothache, diabetes or allergies.

3. Dental benefits

Garlic has antimicrobial capacity. This is demonstrated by a study in which chlorhexidine (antiseptic substance used for mouthwash) was substituted for garlic as a toothbrush disinfectant. The result was just as effective, which makes garlic a potent alternative to chlorhexidine.

In addition, garlic supplements accelerate the process of healing cold sores. Thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties, pain and swelling are reduced drastically.

4. Improve circulation

There are several studies developed over the years that reveal the beneficial properties of garlic in the blood circulation. The reason is the ability of allicin to enhance the increase in circulatory agents that relax blood vessels, increase blood flow and prevent the formation of clots.

5. Reduce blood pressure

Garlic is a good natural remedy for a cardiovascular problem as common as hypertension. This is due to allicin and its vasodilator capacity, which helps lower blood pressure. The most effective method for garlic to take effect before this ailment, is to take it on an empty stomach when getting up with a glass of water.

6. Improve cholesterol levels

Garlic, being hypocholesterolemic, helps reduce cholesterol and triglyceride levels.  On the other hand, it has recently been discovered that garlic also has combative capacity against atherosclerosis, a disease that deposits plates composed of fats and cholesterol within the arteries.

7. Prevent Alzheimer's

According to researchers at the University of Missouri (United States), garlic prevents neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and other dementias.

This is because garlic develops antioxidants that offer protective and healing benefits to brain cells. These become much more resistant to stress or inflammation, the main causes of the appearance of neurological diseases.

8. Strengthen our bones

Garlic has very beneficial anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties to reduce joint pain. In addition, because it is rich in antioxidants, garlic helps strengthen the immune system.

Thus, it serves as a natural remedy to prevent or treat problems such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis or osteopenia. Foundations dedicated to work bone problems like Save our Bones, includes garlic within the natural supplement for the construction of healthy and strong bones.

9. Take care of our skin

Thanks to the fact that it is a powerful antioxidant and possesses starchy and mucilaginous elements, garlic becomes a powerful natural remedy for the face, keeping the skin young, smooth and above all healthy.

10. Sports performance aid

There is a tendency among athletes to consume raw garlic before training because of its belief that it improves performance and promotes muscle development. The truth is that, thanks to the benefits of garlic in blood circulation, nutrients reach the tissues in an unbeatable way and therefore the muscles are benefited.

In any case, it is not proven that taking garlic before practicing sports helps to improve muscle growth. Simply, garlic should be used as a stimulus within a healthy diet.

11. Help us to be more long-lived

One study suggests that aged garlic extract prevents physiological aging without affecting memory disorders. The research was carried out in mice with accelerated senescence (aging) and the result revealed a remarkable improvement in learning deficits and a life expectancy of two extra months.

12. Reduce colds

Garlic supplements help improve the immune system and prevent common diseases such as the cold or the flu. Some studies reveal that a person who consumes garlic, can get a cold by 63% compared to a person who does not consume it.

13. It brings many benefits to the digestive system

Although some people can cause garlic gas, the intake of garlic helps to better process the food we consume in our digestive system.

In addition, garlic helps to eliminate waste from the body such as bacteria and thus prevent intestinal and stomach inflammations.

14. Great ally of the liver

Along with allicin, garlic is composed of arginine and selenium, components that help stop the toxic substances filtered by the liver from reaching other parts of the body.

One of these substances are low-density lipoproteins (VLDL), which can damage the liver if we do not carry out a healthy diet. To solve this problem, we can resort to garlic, since it reduces lipoprotein levels.

15. Treatment against vaginal infections

A team from the University of Xi'an Jiaotong (China), suggested in a study that the extract of fresh garlic has properties of inhibition against fungi such as Candida Albicans, causing problems such as vaginitis.

In this report it is also clear that garlic has a greater potential to fight against these fungi than some of the antibiotics found on the market, such as fluconazole or itraconazole.

16. Help to improve the mood

Apathy or irritability, triggers of mood swings, are sometimes related to diet.

It is shown that adding vitamin B6 to our diet substantially improves mood. And what product is rich in this vitamin? Exact! Garlic contains an average of 1.2 mg of vitamin B6 per 100 grams.

17. Prevents impotence

Approximately 70-80% of cases of erectile dysfunction are due to physiological causes. This indicates that medicine can act to combat it, diet being a great ally to overcome problems.

Although Viagra is the most commonly used method, it has been shown that garlic helps improve blood flow and therefore erections. Once again, allicin is the one responsible for improving our health.

18. Helps to overcome anemia

One of the main causes of anemia is the inability of the body to create enough red blood cells. Poor nutrition or deficiency of iron or some vitamins are usually the cause of this condition.

A home remedy is to take raw garlic. Not only does it have the capacity to help form red blood cells, but it helps them stay strong thanks to their properties.

19. It has anti-cancer properties

It is one of the most controversial points about the properties of garlic. Many studies suggest that garlic can reduce the risk of cancer of the stomach, prostate, intestine or pancreas, among others, but there are also detractors who question its anti-cancer properties. We compiled a couple of very recent investigations to situate ourselves:

According to the Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China), people who consume raw garlic at least twice a week have a 44% lower chance of developing lung cancer.

In an investigation of the Department of Experimental Medicine of the University of Perugia (Italy), they question the correlation of risk reduction of colon cancer and the consumption of garlic.

20. Good for the prostate

A study developed with rats suggests that garlic has a protective capacity against the biochemical alteration of the malignant glands of the prostate induced by Cadmium (Cd).

Precautions with garlic

Although garlic can be considered a 'superfood', the moderation in its consumption is key so that it is not harmful. People with stomach problems or who are undergoing anticoagulant treatments should refrain from their intake to avoid gastrointestinal problems.

It has been shown that garlic has beneficial effects on the common causes of chronic diseases, so it makes sense to say that it can prolong life. I hope this article encourages you to consume more garlic in your food plan. Garlic helps the body to be stronger and is much better than taking pills. They say that prevention is better than cure, and garlic does that exactly. Prevents your body from suffering from dangerous ailments that risk your life.