Garlic
- roasted in olive oil, it can melt in your mouth like butter, while chopped
and raw, it can taste pungent and sharp. Either way, this herb-like vegetable
offers significant benefits — on the inside and out. It’s the organic sulfur compound allicin in
garlic that gives it its pungent smell and makes it a healthy addition to your
diet.
What garlic can do for you
1.
Boost immunity:
In test tubes, garlic appears to kill cancer cells. According to studies, those who
routinely ate garlic, fruits and vegetables had a 35 percent lower colon cancer
risk. Benefits came from raw and cooked garlic – not supplements.
2.
Work as an anti-inflammatory: Research
has shown that garlic oil works as an anti-inflammatory. So, if you have sore
and inflamed joints or muscles, rub them with the oil.
3.
Improve cardiovascular health:
The verdict is still out on whether garlic improves your cholesterol levels,
but research does indicate it can have a positive impact on your arteries and
blood pressure. Investigators believe
red blood cells turn the sulfur in garlic into hydrogen sulfide gas that
expands our blood vessels, making it easier to regulate blood pressure.
4.
Give you better hair & skin:
Garlic’s antioxidants and antibacterial properties can clear up your skin by
killing acne-causing bacteria. Some data shows rubbing raw garlic over pimples
can clear them away. Be aware, though, that it could cause a burning sensation
on your skin.
5.
Protect your food:
Those same antibacterial properties in fresh garlic can kill the bacteria that
lead to food poisoning, including salmonella and E-coli. Garlic: roasted in olive oil, it can melt in your mouth like butter, while chopped and raw, it can taste pungent and sharp. Either way, this herb-like vegetable offers significant benefits — on the inside and out. It’s the organic sulfur compound allicin in garlic that gives it its pungent smell and makes it a healthy addition to your diet.
6. Treat athlete’s foot: Garlic also fights fungus. If you have athlete’s foot, soak your feet in garlic water or rub raw garlic on your feet to attack the itch-causing fungus.
Maximize the garlic
You’ll get the most benefit from raw garlic. But if you choose to cook it, don’t heat it above 140°F. Higher temperatures kill the allicin, so add garlic to your recipes when you’re almost done cooking. Heating it or putting it in a recipe can also change its pH balance. The enzymes from the allicin need a few minutes to start working, so let it sit after you mince, crush or chop it.
A few words of caution
Garlic’s health benefits are plenty, but don’t add too much to your diet too quickly. Overdoing it can cause discomfort, including upset stomach, bloating, diarrhea, bad breath and body odor. You may also get a stinging feeling on the skin if you handle significant amounts of fresh and dried garlic. To avoid garlic-induced skin lesions, wear kitchen gloves. On rare occasions, garlic supplements can cause headaches, fatigue, appetite loss, muscle aches, dizziness and allergic reactions such as asthma attacks or skin rashes. If you take blood thinners, garlic supplements can increase the medication’s effect, making it even harder for your blood to clot.
I personally am a big garlic fan when I feel a cold or flu coming on. I take one echinacea and four garlic capsules every six hours for 24 hours. Miraculously, my symptoms are gone in a day. Works like a charm every time:)
6. Treat athlete’s foot: Garlic also fights fungus. If you have athlete’s foot, soak your feet in garlic water or rub raw garlic on your feet to attack the itch-causing fungus.
Maximize the garlic
You’ll get the most benefit from raw garlic. But if you choose to cook it, don’t heat it above 140°F. Higher temperatures kill the allicin, so add garlic to your recipes when you’re almost done cooking. Heating it or putting it in a recipe can also change its pH balance. The enzymes from the allicin need a few minutes to start working, so let it sit after you mince, crush or chop it.
A few words of caution
Garlic’s health benefits are plenty, but don’t add too much to your diet too quickly. Overdoing it can cause discomfort, including upset stomach, bloating, diarrhea, bad breath and body odor. You may also get a stinging feeling on the skin if you handle significant amounts of fresh and dried garlic. To avoid garlic-induced skin lesions, wear kitchen gloves. On rare occasions, garlic supplements can cause headaches, fatigue, appetite loss, muscle aches, dizziness and allergic reactions such as asthma attacks or skin rashes. If you take blood thinners, garlic supplements can increase the medication’s effect, making it even harder for your blood to clot.
I personally am a big garlic fan when I feel a cold or flu coming on. I take one echinacea and four garlic capsules every six hours for 24 hours. Miraculously, my symptoms are gone in a day. Works like a charm every time:)
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