Health benefits of garlic
If you're not sure why you should add garlic to your food, you might want to consider the potential benefits we've talked about in this article.
Written By
Joy EmehHuman Anatomist | Health Editor
Key takeaways:
- The health benefits of garlic include reducing blood pressure, reducing oxidative stress and improving skeletal system health.
- Garlic is a cooking ingredient that has an abundance of essential nutrients.
- Historically, garlic has been notably one of the most nutritious food ingredients and has also been used for medicinal or therapeutic purposes.
Garlic, just like ginger, is a common herbal spice that grows in different parts of the world and is used as a cooking ingredient. Garlic is medicinal, highly nutritious and has many health benefits.
According to scientists, the health benefits of garlic are a result of the sulfur compounds formed when a garlic clove is chewed, crushed or chopped.
One of the most popular of those sulfur compounds found in garlic is "allicin". Other compounds that play a significant role in the health benefits of garlic include s-allyl cysteine and diallyl disulfide.
The health benefits of garlic include:
1. Reduces blood pressure
Among the top health benefits of garlic is its potential to reduce blood pressure. A larger percentage of the global population nowadays suffer from high blood pressure. It makes it worse that many people with high blood pressure are not even aware of their condition.
Just so you know:
People have died from high blood pressure because they weren't aware of their condition or diagnosed on time. It is important that you check your blood pressure regularly, just to be on the safer side.
Studies have shown that garlic supplements have a high impact on blood pressure, lowering blood pressure in people with high blood pressure.
However, you must ensure you consume garlic in relatively high doses to have the desired effect. A garlic supplement equivalent to four cloves of garlic a day can help reduce blood pressure.
2. Garlic is highly nutritious
When it comes to calorie count, garlic contains a minimal amount of calories. Garlic is also very nutritious, which makes it highly beneficial to health.
A clove of raw garlic contains healthy constituents like Vitamin C, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B6, Manganese, Selenium, Calcium, Potassium, Copper, Phosphorus, Vitamin, Iron and Fiber, among trace amounts of other nutrients.
These nutrients found in garlic play different roles in keeping the body in a healthy and balanced state.
3. Reduces oxidative stress
Oxidative stress or damage resulting from free radicals quickens the ageing process. The good news is that natural supplements such as garlic contain antioxidants that offer support and protection from oxidative damage. This is another amazing health benefit of garlic.
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One of the health benefits of garlic is the increase of antioxidant enzymes, which reduces oxidative stress, especially in people with conditions like high blood pressure.
Reduction in oxidative stress and high blood pressure can also reduce the risk of certain diseases that affect the brain, such as dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
4. Improves blood cholesterol level and lowers the risk of heart disease
Do you know another thing that garlic does to the body? Garlic can reduce the level of Low-Density Lipoprotein in the body.
Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL) is known as bad cholesterol and is one of the major causes of heart disease. One of the amazing health benefits of garlic is lowering the level of this bad cholesterol in the blood.
5. Improves bone health
Though human studies have not directly measured the effects of garlic on bone loss, a study carried out on rodents showed that garlic tends to reduce bone loss by increasing the level of the hormone estrogen in females.
One study on menopausal women suggested that garlic supplements may be beneficial to bone health, particularly in women. This means garlic might be of great health benefit to people with osteoarthritis.
Garlic and ginger tea for your health
Have you heard of herbal tea before? The garlic and ginger tea is a potent herbal tea. Ginger and garlic are often used together for cooking and other purposes.
It is necessary to stock up your kitchen with ginger and garlic as these two spices are potent herbs that always comes in handy in the kitchen.
Asides from the delicious taste they add to food and the strong pleasant aroma they ooze when used for cooking, ginger and garlic are known to have strong medicinal properties.
This is why different people have devised various methods to consume ginger and garlic. One of such ways is to consume them as ginger and garlic tea.
What are the health benefits of garlic and ginger tea?
Ginger and garlic, especially when used together, are considered a strong traditional remedy for many health conditions.
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Here are some of the health benefits of garlic and ginger tea.
- Garlic and ginger tea is effective for boosting digestion.
- It has antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties.
- Garlic and ginger tea is a great remedy for cold and catarrh.
- Garlic and ginger tea is an excellent herbal tea for boosting immunity.
- It aids in weight loss.
- The garlic and ginger herbal tea is useful in flushing out toxins.
- It acts as an appetite suppressant and is a natural way of enhancing metabolism.
How to make garlic and ginger tea
Garlic and ginger herbal tea has a soothing effect on the body system and helps alleviate discomfort resulting from sore throat and cold.
You can brew garlic and ginger tea every day and enjoy the goodness of these two herbal spices together.
Are you wondering how to make garlic and ginger tea for yourself?
The good news is that the procedure for making garlic and ginger tea is not complicated. Here are the steps on how to make garlic and ginger tea:
- Boil water in a pot.
- Peel a chunk of ginger, wash it and add to the pot of hot water.
- Add a teaspoon of crushed garlic to the water.
- Add about half a teaspoon of black pepper and allow it steep for about 5 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and strain the mixture in a cup.
- You can add a teaspoon of honey to make it tasty and then enjoy.
Is garlic good for a pregnant woman?
Garlic is good for a pregnant woman as it can be beneficial during pregnancy. However, it should be consumed in moderate quantity.
Some of the health benefits of garlic to a pregnant woman include:
- It reduces the risk of high blood pressure.
- It lowers the level of cholesterol.
- Garlic helps in fighting infections during pregnancy.
- Eating garlic during pregnancy helps combat cold and flu.
- It can cause an increase in the weight of a newborn, thus, preventing low birth weight.
You might be wondering what could happen when you consume garlic in excess amount during pregnancy.
If you eat too much garlic when you are pregnant, it could irritate your digestive tract, thus, causing stomach upset.
Note:
To avoid complication during pregnancy, it is advisable not to consume more than 2-3 cloves of garlic daily.
Excessive consumption of garlic during pregnancy can cause other serious problems such as blood thinning and low blood pressure. Blood-thinning can cause excessive bleeding during surgery.
If you notice any abnormality or sign of complication, do not hesitate to reach out to your doctor immediately.
More facts about garlic
Garlic belongs to the Allium genus, just like onions. It is also closely related to the leeks and shallots. A garlic bulb is segmented into cloves sections, and every bulb has about 10 to 20 cloves. Each garlic clove is packed with nutrients beneficial to health.
Garlic grows in different parts of the world, and because of the health benefits of garlic, it is commonly used in cooking. Garlic also adds a delicious taste and a strong smell to food.
The health benefits of garlic have been documented by many ancient civilisations, including the Egyptians, Romans, Greeks and Chinese. For years back, garlic has been consumed because of its health benefits and medicinal properties.