Health Benefits Of Garlic

Allium sativum, commonly known as garlic, is a species in the onion genus. Garlic (Allium sativum L.) is part of the lily family and it's medicinal use dates back to 2000 BCE. It grows well in nearly every climate, so it is known throughout the world. Garlic is one of the most valuable and versatile foods on the planet. Known as one of the oldest medicinal plants, garlic is a widely recognized health enhancing supplement.  

Health Benefits of Garlic

Garlic is one of the most commonly used spices in cooking because of its aroma and the enticing flavor it adds to food, but it has some impressive health benefits too.Garlic promotes the overall well-being of the heart and immune systems and helps maintain healthy blood circulation. The active component in garlic is the sulfur compound called allicin. Allicin is powerful as an antibiotic and a effective agent that helps the body to inhibit the ability of germs to grow and reproduce. 

Hippocrates, the founder of western medicine, used garlic in some cancer treatments. In ancient Egypt garlic was valued as a general health tonic and sometimes even used as currency. Later in the middle ages, garlic was used in treating victims of the plaque. Even as late as WW II, garlic was used as an effective replacement for antibiotics.

The Medicinal Properties of Garlic

Garlic is high in sulfur, which accounts for some of it's medicinal potency. The stronger the taste of the garlic, the higher the sulfur content and the better it is for you. Two other medicinally potent compounds in garlic are Diallyl Sulphides, which increase blood circulation, and Allicin, an anti-biotic, and anti-fungal compound.

In general terms raw garlic is:

A broad spectrum anti-biotic
Highly Anti-fungal
Highly Anti-bacterial
Highly Anti-parasitical
High in antioxidants

And the major health benefits of garlic are:

1. Increases blood circulation and thins the blood - this can lower blood pressure, reduce the likelihood of blood clots and lower the risk of heart attack and stroke. Garlic helps platelet stickiness or aggregation to help reduce blood coagulation, and promote heart health.

2. Suppresses the growth of tumors. Presence of allyl sulfur found in garlic can slow down the progress of cancerous cell growth. In fact, garlic has been shown to retard tumor growth in human subjects in some parts of the world.

3. Garlic increases the overall antioxidant levels of the body.It decrease serum glucose and blood pressure while increasing antioxidants

4. Decreases levels of LDL or "bad cholesterol" Studies have shown that Garlic reduces cholesterol, high blood pressure and the incidence of flu. Garlic lowers total cholesterol and triglyceride levels by up to 20 mg/dL in humans 

5. Stimulates the immune system by increasing blood cell count. Because of its antiseptic, anti-fungal and nutritive properties,garlic boosts the immune system.It is a natural antioxidant protecting against bacterial and viral infections.
 
6. Supports recovery from cancer Garlic has germanium in it. Germanium is an anti-cancer agent, and garlic has more of it than any other herb. In lab tests, mice fed garlic showed no cancer development, whereas mice that weren't fed garlic showed at least some.

7. Kills some intestinal parasites - this may be related to its potency as a cancer treatment, as some naturopaths consider intestinal parasites to be directly linked to cancer

8. Repels insects - some sulphur in raw garlic passes into the blood and is carried to the skin where it is excreted. This helps to make the skin unattractive to insects

9. Soothes coughs and colds - this is due to garlic's anti-biotic properties. Garlic also promotes increased bile production to help reduce levels of fat in the liver. Garlic pills also help ward off coughs and colds.

10. Kills fungi such as athletes foot and warts. Garlic helps strengthen your body's defenses against allergies; helps loosen plaque from the artery walls; helps regulate your blood sugar levels; and is the best choice for killing and expelling parasites such as pin worms from the human body.

In addition to all these health benefits, garlic is packed with vitamins and nutrients. Some of these include protein, potassium, Vitamins A, B, B2 and C, Calcium, Zinc and many others.
 
It's important to note that these health benefits only apply to the use of raw garlic. The active compounds in garlic are destroyed by cooking. They are also lost over time. Crushing or chopping raw garlic releases its medicinally potent compounds, which are sensitive to oxidation. It is best to consume the raw fresh garlic shortly after crushing or chopping to get the highest benefit.