There is something irresistible about the aroma of roasted garlic. It is so captivating with its powerful notes, that it has been long used as a flavour booster in curries, stir-fries, pizza toppings, dips, meat preparations-you name it!
While garlic is a common ingredient in every kitchen, in the ancient times, it was highly valued for its numerous health benefiting properties, which are still followed in many cultures today. The health benefits of garlic are aplenty. Each small clove is a powerhouse of flavour as well as medicinal properties.
Here are 7 benefits of garlic, you may not have known before.
- The blood purifier: Tired of covering up those zits with concealer every morning? It is the time to tackle the root cause of acne by purifying your blood from inside to get a healthy skin on the outside. Take two cloves of raw garlic with some warm water every-day early in the morning and consume a lot of water the entire day. Garlic will help you to cleanse your system and flush out toxins.
- Cold and flu: Garlic is going to provide you relief from that stubborn cold and flu. Taking 2-3 cloves of raw or cooked garlic a day sipping some garlic tea is not only going to relieve a stuffed nose and cure cold but also build your immunity against these frequent visitors over time.. Garlic is best had in its raw state.
- Prevention of heart disease: Consuming garlic on a daily basis helps to lower cholesterol levels because of the anti-oxidant properties of Allicin. It is also immensely beneficial to regulate blood pressure and sugar levels. It is imperative to consume garlic raw or semi-cooked to derive any of its benefits.
- Anti-bacterial and anti-parasitic: Garlic is one of the best kept medicinal treasures of the past era-it has been used as an antibiotic to treat bacterial, fungal and parasitic infections for the last 7000 years. A garlic based mouthwash may not sound like fresh minty breath but a very small quantity of its extracts is sufficient to ward off cavity-causing bacteria.
- Cancer prevention: Several studies have indicated an association between daily consumption of garlic and prevention of stomach and colorectal cancers. It is said to strengthen the immunity of the body against cancer.
- For skin and hair: The invigorating properties of garlic protect the skin from the effect of free radicals and slow down the depletion of collagen which leads to loss of elasticity in aging skin. Applied topically, garlic does wonders to skin infected with fungal infections and provides relief from skin ailments like eczema. Rubbing crushed garlic extract on your scalp or massaging with garlic infused oil is known to prevent and even reverse hair loss.
- Splinters: Many of garlic’s astounding uses were forgotten in the folds of time but users still vouch for the lesser known benefits. One of them is against stubborn splinters. Place a piece of cut a bandage and voila! Bye-bye splinter.
Every 100 grams of garlic will serve you with close to 150 calories, 33 grams of carbs, 6.36 grams of protein. Garlic is also enriched with vitamin b1, b2, b3, b6, folate, vitamin c, calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, potassium, sodium and zinc.
It is great for rejuvenation and healing of skin scars and gives a glow to the skin as it keeps digestion in top-shape. Garlic is a part of the onion family and the bulb of this herb typically consists of 10-20 smaller sections called the ‘cloves’. Some benefits of garlic are credited to the presence of the sulphur-containing compound, Allicin, found in fresh, crushed or chewed garlic, due to which it has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal.
So, these are some of the benefits of garlic. Hope you enjoyed it. Don not forget to stay connected with us for further updates!
