Food should be your medicine and medicine should be your food.”
Hippocrates, the Greek physician who is regarded as the founder of Western medicine, is credited with saying those well-known lines.
Many of these positive health effects have been confirmed by modern science, which is why he prescribed garlic to treat a variety of medical conditions.
These are human research-backed health benefits of garlic.
Garlic contains medicinal properties
A plant belonging to the Allium (onion) family is garlic. It shares a close relationship with leeks, shallots, and onions.A clove is any portion of a garlic bulb. A single bulb contains roughly 10–20 cloves, give or take.
The pungent aroma and delectable taste of garlic make it a popular culinary ingredient that grows throughout the world.On the other hand, garlic was widely used for its therapeutic and health benefits throughout ancient history. Numerous ancient civilizations, including the Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Chinese, and Indians, are known to have used it.
Researchers now understand that when you chop, crush, or chew a garlic clove, sulphur compounds are created, which contribute to most of the health benefits of garlic.
Garlic is very nutrient-dense, it is low in calories
Garlic is a superfood in terms of calories. Approximately 3 grammes, or one clove, has 4.5 calories.1 gramme of carbohydrates, 0.2 grammes of protein, and a reliable source.
A good source of various nutrients is garlic, including:
manganese, vitamin B6, vitamin C, and fibre made of selenium
Traces of other nutrients are also present in garlic.
Garlic can aid in preventing disease, such as the common cold
According to a 2016 study, aged garlic extract (AGE) may strengthen your immune system.According to the study, those who took AGE supplements for three months during the flu and cold seasons reported fewer days missed from work or school and milder symptoms. studies indicate that the components in garlic might have antiviral capabilities.Trusted Source. It may help stop viruses from entering host cells or from replicating within your cells in addition to enhancing your immune system.
Garlic lowers cholesterol, it may reduce the risk of heart disease
According to a 2018 study, garlic may help reduce LDL (bad) and total cholesterol. The authors advise those who have high cholesterol to increase their intake of garlic, but they also note that further study is required to confirm their recommendations.
Taken for longer than two months, supplements containing garlic have been shown to lower LDL by as much as 10% (Reddison et al., 2016). Researchers observed this effect in subjects whose cholesterol levels were slightly elevated. On triglyceride levels, however, which are another risk factor for heart disease, garlic does not appear to have the same effect. Additionally, studies indicate that garlic has no impact on HDL cholesterol, or good cholesterol.
Also read: 5 Most Delicious Sweets that India has gifted to the World
Garlic could extend your life
It is nearly hard to find evidence supporting garlic’s possible effects on longevity in humans. However, it makes sense that garlic could lengthen your life given its positive effects on significant risk factors like blood pressure. According to a 2019 Chinese study (Trusted Source), older adults who ate garlic at least once a week had longer lifespans than those who ate it less frequently.
It’s also significant that it can aid in the defence against infectious diseases. These illnesses frequently result in death, particularly for elderly adults and those with compromised immune systems.
