Health Benefits of Garlic

Garlic is a popular ingredient in cooking and may also have some health benefits.

 

 

 

 

Garlic is an herb that is grown around the world. It is related to onion, leeks, and chives. It is thought that garlic is native to Siberia, but spread to other parts of the world over 5000 years ago

Garlic (Allium sativum), a herb used widely as a flavoring in cooking, has also been used as a medicine throughout ancient and modern history to prevent and treat a wide range of conditions and diseases.

Health Benefits of Garlic 

• High cholesterol and high blood pressure

  Researchers at Ankara university set out to determine what the effects of garlic extract supplementation might be on the blood lipid (fat) profile of patients with high blood cholesterol. Their study was published in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry⁵.
  The study involved 23 volunteers, all with high cholesterol; 13 of them also had high blood pressure. They were divided into two groups:
  The high-cholesterol normotensive group (normal blood pressure)The high-cholesterol hypertensive group (high blood pressure)

They took garlic extract supplements for four months and were regularly checked for blood lipid parameters, as well as kidney and liver function.
At the end of the four months the researchers concluded "...garlic extract supplementation improves blood lipid profile, strengthens blood antioxidant potential, and causes significant reductions in systolic and diastolic blood pressures. It also leads to a decrease in the level of oxidation product (MDA) in the blood samples, which demonstrates reduced oxidation reactions in the body."
In other words, the garlic extract supplements reduced high cholesterol levels, and also blood pressure in the patients with hypertension. The scientists added that theirs was a small study - a larger one needs to be carried out.

Prostate cancer

Doctors at the Department of Urology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China, carried out a study evaluating the relationship between Allium vegetable consumption and prostate cancer risk.
They gathered and analyzed published studies up to May 2013 and reported their findings in the Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention⁶.
The study authors wrote "Allium vegetables, especially garlic intake, are related to a decreased risk of prostate cancer".
The team also commented that as there were not that many studies, they recommend further well-designed prospective studies be carried out to confirm their findings.

Alcohol-induced liver injury

Alcohol-induced liver injury (ethanol-induced liver injury) is caused by the long-term over-consumption of alcoholic beverages.
Scientists at the Institute of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Shandong University, China, wanted to determine whether diallyl disulfide (DADS), a garlic-derived organosulfur compound, might have protective effects against ethanol-induced oxidative stress.
Their study was published in Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA)⁷.
The researchers concluded that DADS may help protect against ethanol-induced liver injury.

Preterm (premature) delivery

Microbial infections during pregnancy raise a woman's risk of preterm delivery, several studies have demonstrated. Scientists at the Division of Epidemiology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, wanted to find out what impact foods might have on antimicrobial infections and preterm delivery risk.
The study and its findings were published in the Journal of Nutrition⁸.
Ronny Myhre and colleagues concentrated on the effects of Alliums and dried fruits, because a literature search had identified these two foods as showing the greatest promise for reducing preterm delivery risk.
The team investigated the intake of dried fruit and Alliums among 18,888 women in the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort, of whom 5% (950) underwent spontaneous PTD (preterm delivery).
The study authors concluded "Intake of food with antimicrobial and prebiotic compounds may be of importance to reduce the risk of spontaneous PTD. In particular, garlic was associated with overall lower risk of spontaneous PTD."

•  
• Toothache – Among many home remedies for toothache, the use of garlic has been passed down for years to treat this issue; the antibiotic compound called allicin is what give garlic this ability. When garlic is crushed, this compound is released, helping to slow bacterial activity upon application and ingestion. Try applying a crushed garlic clove or garlic powder to the area. It may burn, but the pain from the toothache could vanish within minutes, although it could take hours. Repeat this over a few days, and you all should be well.

• Repel mosquitoes – Although not conclusive, there is a long history of using garlic to get rid of many insects. Garlic has a reputation for protecting people from mosquito bites, specifically.

• Warts – Each night before bed, crush up a clove of garlic, rub it on the wart, and apply a bandage. Additionally, cover the wart with juice from garlic twice a day.

• Earache – Mix some sesame oil with a garlic clove and warm the mixture up in a pan. Afterwards, use it as ear drops. It is recommended that you allow the mixture to sit in the ear for 10 minutes or longer.

• Cough – Boiling cloves of garlic and drinking it like tea will not only make it easier to breathe, but it will also help to alleviate itchiness which could cause you to cough continuously. Check out other home remedies for cough here.

• Stuffy nose or nasal congestion – Adding to garlic benefits, this spice is one ingredient in one of the most popular home remedies for nasal congestion: tomato tea. Tomato tea is by far the most effective method as reported by peers on Earthclinic. It’s hot and spicy, providing steam and pepper to clear your sinuses, as well as a wallop of vitamin C and a boost to the immune system. Combine the following ingredients in a food processor and heat over a stove until steaming.
  • 1 cup tomato juice
  • 1 tsp fresh garlic
  • ½ tsp of hot sauce
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • Pinch of sea or celery salt
  
  

  How does it work?

  Garlic produces a chemical called allicin. This is what seems to make garlic work for certain conditions. Allicin also makes garlic smell. Some products are made "odorless" by aging the garlic, but this process can also make the garlic less effective. It's a good idea to look for supplements that are coated (enteric coating) so they will dissolve in the intestine and not in the stomach.