Garlic Has So Many Health Benefits.

Garlic has been used for thousands of years for medicinal and culinary purposes. Garlic belongs to the Allium family, hence the botanical name of Allium sativum. Other members of the Allium family are onions, shallots, chives and leeks. Garlic can be referred to as a superfood because of its ability to heal and prevent many diseases.

The main active component of garlic is allicin and it is responsible for its distinctive odour. Allicin is one of the sulphur-containing compounds that garlic has and it is usually produced when garlic is crushed or chopped. Garlic has anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-viral, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and blood thinning properties. Garlic contains the following nutrients:

• Vitamins B1, B6, and C.
• Minerals: manganese, copper, selenium, calcium and phosphorus.
• Low in calories.

Some health benefits of garlic.

1. Garlic fights many infections because of its antimicrobial properties.
2. Garlic boosts the immune system.
3. Garlic lowers blood pressure and promotes cardiovascular health.
4. Garlic lowers blood cholesterol levels (LDL)
5. Garlic reduces the risk of many chronic inflammatory diseases.
6. Garlic detoxifies the body and kills parasites in the body.
7. Garlic can reduce the risk or prevent many types of cancer.
8. Garlic is used to treat respiratory infections and diseases.
9. Garlic is used to treat a lot of skin conditions and disorders like boils, warts, acne, rashes, eczema etc.
10. Garlic treats fungal and viral infections like ringworm, athlete’s foot, nail fungus and cold sores
11. Garlic is used to treat vaginal infections.
12. Garlic improves blood circulation in the body and this is why it has been used as an aphrodisiac.
13. Garlic can prevent food poisoning by bacteria and other microbes.
14. Garlic prevents the formation of blood clots in the body.
15. Garlic aids intestinal health.
16. Garlic is a natural insect repellent, pesticide and disinfectant.

Regular consumption of garlic can help you to maintain good health and treat many diseases without nasty side effects. Consuming 3 to 4 cloves of garlic daily gives a lot of beneficial effects. The most significant disadvantage of garlic is the smell, which you can get rid of with other natural ingredients like parsley, lime, lemon, cloves and many more. Garlic can be swallowed raw after grating or used in cooking. Garlic oil or paste is also used on the skin and scalp.

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