The garlic bulb is the part of the garlic plant which is most commonly used. It contains a high level of magnesium, selenium, and vitamin C. Garlic is also a rich source of various other important minerals too. These are just some of the best garlic health benefits. Keep reading to learn more!

Garlic Health Benefits

1. High Nutrition, Low Calorie

Garlic is both highly nutritious and low in calories. In fact, a single ounce of garlic contains a rich source of manganese, selenium, fiber and vitamins B6 and C. Not only that, but the same amount only contains 42 calories!

 

2. Tackle the Common Cold

Garlic supplements are taken by numerous people to help boost the immune system and reduce the risk of developing a common cold. In fact, when taking regular garlic supplements, people found that their symptoms reduced by 70% and lasted for far less time too.

 

3. Reduce Blood Pressure

High blood pressure can often lead to a number of serious, and potentially fatal, conditions. This includes heart disease and strokes. Studies have found that garlic can help to reduce your blood pressure and thus reduce the risk of these potentially fatal conditions.

 

4. Reduce High Cholesterol

Garlic can also help to lower both your total and LDL cholesterol. In fact, taking a daily garlic supplement could help to reduce cholesterol by around fifteen percent.

5. Reduced Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease is often linked to oxidative damage caused by free radicals. Garlic contains high levels of antioxidants which help to protect your cells against oxidative damage. Daily garlic consumption is also linked to an increase in the body’s natural antioxidant enzymes for further prevention of Alzheimer’s and other age-related conditions.

 

6. Increase Life Expectancy

Thanks to its beneficial effects on factors like blood pressure, cholesterol and the immune system, it’s possible that garlic could help improve the longevity of our lives.

 

7. Improved Athletic Ability

Way back in ancient times, garlic is thought to have been used as a performance-enhancing substance. It can help to reduce fatigue and enhance physical durability. In fact, it’s thought to have been given to Olympic athletes in some of the earliest Olympic games in Greece. There have also been numerous studies in the modern day which have shown a link between garlic consumption and reduced fatigue from exercise.

8. Bone Health

There have been studies which indicate that garlic may have an effect on bone loss. This is because it prevents estrogen deficiencies which help to strengthen your bones. As a result, it’s also thought to help relieve the symptoms of arthritis.

9. Blood Purification

If you’re finding that you’re getting lots of zits and blemishes, garlic could be your answer. One of the key health benefits of garlic is its ability to purify the blood of toxins. This helps to tackle the root cause of acne.

Mix two crushed cloves of garlic with some lukewarm water and the juice from half a lemon. You can then use this to cleanse and wash your face or any other area prone to acne such as the back and shoulders.  The garlic will help to cleanse your system of toxins and flush them out.

 

10. Prevention of Heart Disease

Increasing your consumption of garlic either raw or in your food can help reduce the number of the factors that lead to heart disease. It has antioxidant properties which help to reduce the effects of free radicals and it can also help to lower cholesterol and blood pressure.

 

11. Antibacterial and Antiparasitic

Garlic is well known for its antibacterial properties. But it’s also anti-parasitic which means it can do more than just fight bacterial infections. gargling with a garlic mouthwash can help to combat a wide range of infections. It may not be the freshest smelling of washes, but it will help to boost your immune system and protect you from infection.

12. Cancer Prevention

A number of studies indicate a link between garlic consumption and cancer prevention. This is likely to be as a result of the antioxidant properties of garlic which reduce the damage caused by free radicals. This helps protect cells from damage and uncontrolled growth.

 

13. Splinters

One of the health benefits of garlic that often gets forgotten is its ability to heal splinters. Try placing a piece of garlic over the splinter and cover it with a bandage. This will help it to heal much quicker. It’ll also reduce the risk of infection.

 

14. Boosts the Immune System

Garlic has been shown to help increase the production of white blood cells. This makes the body more capable of fighting infections and prevents damage caused by free radicals. To simply put it, a great garlic health benefit is its ability to boost the immune system.

 

15. Treat Yeast Infections

The allicin in garlic helps to inhibit the growth of yeast infections by destroying the fats that it needs to survive.

16. Prevent Tooth Decay and Oral Infections

Garlic has antibacterial properties which enable it to tackle dental plaque and thus prevent tooth decay. It can also help to tackle gum disease which is the leading cause of tooth loss.

 

17. Garlic May Help Treat HIV Infection

There have been studies which have indicated that garlic may help to kill cells which have been infected with HIV. An extract in garlic called ajoene prevents normal blood cells from combining with cells infected with HIV and prevents HIV infected cells from replicating. Studies are still ongoing so this isn’t a conclusive treatment.

 

18. Treat Ulcers

Raw garlic is effective against H. pylori which is the most common bacterial infection behind ulcers. The allicin content in garlic reacts with your body’s proteins which inhibits the pathways which cause inflammation. In doing so it reduces the risk of ulcers forming.

19. Help Treat Allergies

Garlic extract has also been suspected to help suppress allergic reactions. It helps by suppressing the protein that releases inflammatory factors into the blood during an allergic reaction. This, therefore, stops the release of histamines which would otherwise worsen your reaction.

 

20. Protects the Skin from Ultraviolet Rays

Garlic helps to protect the skin from the sun’s harmful UV rays. It does this by stimulating your immune cells by preventing the secretion of urocanic acid. Consuming garlic on a daily basis can help to prevent this from happening and increase your body’s ability to fight off harmful radiation.

21. Garlic has Anti-Aging Effects

Applying garlic paste to the skin on a regular basis is thought to have anti-aging effects. This is because it can help to increase the growth of healthy skin cells and improve their lifespan. It does this by preventing damage that may otherwise be caused by free radicals. Garlic also contains a hormone call cytokinin which promotes cell growth and delays the physical aging process.

 

22. Help Skin Rashes

Garlic can help to soothe a number of skin rashes including psoriasis and eczema. This is because it is able to reduce the impact of free radicals and UV radiation.

 

23. Removes Scars

Keloid scars are tough scars which form as a result of an overgrowth of collagen. Thankfully, garlic can help to reduce the appearance of these scars. It inhibits the growth of collagen by reducing the production of nitric oxide and crucial enzymes needed for collagen production. As a result, it stops your scars from becoming worse and lessens their appearance.

24. Reduce Hair Loss

Garlic gels can be used with steroid creams to aid patients with alopecia. This condition is caused by damage to hair follicles as the immune system starts attacking itself. There’s a certain compound in garlic which helps to reduce this immune response and induce the re-growth of any hair that has been lost. As a result, it not only helps to treat existing alopecia it also helps to prevent future occurrences.

 

25. Prevent Obesity

Garlic can help to prevent obesity by reducing fat accumulation. In some studies, garlic has been shown to activate the proteins in your fat tissue, liver, and muscle. This then converts nutrients into heat instead of storing them for energy. Scientists believe that this is caused by the ajoene compound in garlic.

26. Diabetes Treatment

Diabetes is caused by a number of factors including genetics, obesity, high cholesterol, blood pressure, or blood glucose. The most common cause of diabetes is insulin resistance which occurs when the body is no longer able to respond to insulin. This leads to an increase in blood sugar levels.

 

27. Detoxification of the Liver

Toxins such as pesticides and environmental pollutants can all be causes of oxidative stress. This can be damaging to cells and causes inflammation in the body.  The sulfur-containing compounds within garlic can help to reduce this oxidative stress and reduce inflammation. In doing so, garlic is able to detoxify the liver by increasing the activity of detoxifying enzymes.

 

28. Helps Damage Caused by Kidney Toxicity

Garlic can help to treat kidney failure which has been caused by a bad reaction to other medications. One of the sulfur compounds in garlic can act as an antioxidant and thus inhibits free radicals and reduces further damage to the kidneys.

 

29. Improved Memory Function

Some of the compounds in garlic help to increase the levels of serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter which can improve the cognitive performance of the brain so by increasing the levels of serotonin, garlic help improve cognitive functions such as memory.  

30. Reduced Hardening of the Arteries

As we age, our arteries naturally lose their ability to stretch and flex. Some of the compounds in garlic are able to reduce this effect. By taking a regular garlic powder supplement for 24 months, you can reduce the rate at which your arteries harden which helps to limit your risk of conditions like heart disease.

 

31. Tick Bites

Consuming a regular intake of garlic has been shown to reduce the number of tick bites a person may experience. However, studies are yet to determine exactly why this works or how it compares to commercial insect repellants.

 

32. Ringworm

Ajoene, one of the chemicals in garlic, is known to be effective in the treatment of ringworm. Consuming a garlic supplement twice a day over the course of a week should help to reduce a ringworm infection. You could also create a paste from garlic cloves, apply it topically and cover with a bandage overnight. You can then rinse the paste off in the morning. Doing this on a daily basis should help to treat your infection.

33. Jock Itch

Applying a garlic paste directly to the affected area twice a day can help to effectively treat jock itch.

 

34. Athlete’s Foot

Gels or pastes containing garlic can be applied topically to treat an athlete’s foot infection. Grind a few cloves and add a little water to form a paste which can be applied directly to the site of infection. Cover with a bandage overnight and rinse with clean water in the morning. Repeat the application every night and your infection should clear up.

Will you start eating more garlic? Comment below!

References

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/11-proven-health-benefits-of-garlic

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/ingredient-focus-garlic

https://food.ndtv.com/food-drinks/powerhouse-of-medicine-and-flavour-surprising-health-benefits-of-garlic-1200468

https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-300/garlic

https://www.selfhacked.com/blog/garlic-health-benefits/

https://www.consumerreports.org/diet-nutrition/the-health-benefits-of-garlic/