Garlic is well known as a natural anti-inflammatory, but it can also be used for many other purposes. Garlic has been used in flavour recipes for thousands of years. More recently, it has been recognized to help prevent and treat various diseases and disorders, including arthritis, heart disease, and cancer. Garlic is one of nature’s best healers.
Recent studies have shown that there are several health benefits to consuming raw Australian Garlic regularly. One of the latest studies found that when garlic was consumed regularly, it could significantly lower inflammatory markers in the blood, which lowered blood pressure and helped reduce heart disease risk. Garlic has also been shown to contain several active ingredients that can stop and cure various diseases and disorders. Many of these compounds are powerful anti-inflammatory agents and can reduce the symptoms of arthritis, atherosclerosis, osteoarthritis, diabetes, and gastrointestinal tract ulcers.
Although most of these health benefits of garlic are due to anti-inflammatory and antileukemic active compounds, some of them are also due to compounds called allicins. Allicins are found in all parts of the plant, including the flower, roots, and skins. Some of the strongest allicins are found in the bulb portion of the plant, which is what most people get when they buy garlic bulbs. Although allicins are potent anti-inflammatories, they do not interfere with the normal functioning of blood cells, unlike some other compounds that do. Instead, they help maintain healthy blood cell function and are therefore very important for maintaining a healthy immune system.
When you add cooked garlic to your diet, you can readily reap the health benefits of its potent antibacterial and antifungal properties. Garlic is a highly efficient source of vitamin C, which is an essential element for fighting infection and illness. Vitamin C can be found in many foods, including oranges, strawberries, cantaloupe, tomatoes, broccoli, eggplant, salmon, spinach, kale, parsley, cucumber, celery, asparagus, carrots, green beans, cabbage, legumes, peas, beans, etc. It is easy to get enough vitamin C from the foods you eat; therefore, it is unnecessary to take vitamin supplements regularly.
Garlic can also help prevent cardiovascular disease. In a laboratory test, studies have shown that the allicin in garlic was able to prevent the formation of plaque in the arteries and reduce the risk of heart disease. Other diseases and disorders include diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, osteoporosis, cancer, Lupus, irritable bowel syndrome, and even Alzheimer’s disease. These all health benefits of this superfood can be attributed to its powerful antioxidant properties.
To sum it up, garlic has been heralded as a “superfood” due to its remarkable health benefits. These health benefits of garlic include the improved immune system, cardiovascular disease prevention, reduced risks of certain cancers, and even Alzheimer’s disease. The only way you can reap the full benefits of garlic is to include it in your daily diet. If you do not like the taste of garlic, then take advantage of garlic’s non-addictive, cholesterol-lowering, and anti-inflammatory properties by taking it as a supplement instead. After all, garlic has so many health benefits; the more you know about it, the happier you will be.
