Garlic and its benefits
Being a fan of Italian Cuisine, you must be well aware of the topic we are going to discuss today. Garlic has been used in a lot of foods because of its strong flavoring properties. However, what a lot of people do not know is that we can use garlic bulbs for different medicinal purposes as well, such as chronic health problems.
Garlic is a plant of the onion family (Allium). It is closely related to onions, shallots, and leeks. Each segment of this spice is called a clove. There are about ten to twenty cloves in a single bulb.
In this article, we are going to talk about this spice and the nutritious facts and health benefits that it contains.
Nutritious facts about garlic: Carbohydrate, Calories, and more
The U.S government’s department of Agriculture’s MyPlate states that garlic is one of those healthy ingredients that you can always include in your everyday diet.
Even if you talk about nutritious values, it is the most useful spice that can bring out flavors of the other different healthy foods. Here is a data chart of the nutritive values of garlic.
Calories: 4
Protein: 0.18 grams
Fat: 0.01 gram
Carbohydrate: 0.93 gram
Fibre: 0.1 gram
Natural Sugar: 0.03 gram
Calcium: 5 milligrams
Iron: 0.05 milligrams (0.03 percent daily value)
Magnesium: 1 milligram
Potassium: 11 milligrams
Vitamin C: 0.9 milligrams (0.02 percent DV)
Garlic is also thought to be a source of amino acids and enzymes. It contains the enzymes that can help your body to build muscles. Furthermore, the consumption of garlic cloves helps to protect your gut health.
In addition, there are a lot of other health benefits of garlic. Here are some of them described below:
Garlic to combat sickness, such as common cold
The garlic supplements are known to boost the function of the immune system. A 12-week study found that the garlic supplement reduces the number of colds by almost 63 percent as compared to that of a placebo. The average common cold symptoms reducing span was 1.5 days in the garlic group, whereas, it took five days for the placebo group. Apart from that, another study has found that a high dose of garlic extract can also reduce the days of sick with cold or flu.
The active compounds in garlic can lower blood pressure
Cardiovascular diseases like heart attacks and strokes are one of those biggest killers. High blood pressure is an important driver for these diseases. Human studies have found that garlic supplements can have a significant impact to reduce blood pressure. Studies have shown that 600-1500 milligrams of garlic extract were just as effective as the Atenolol drug to reduce blood pressure.
Garlic Supplements improve the cholesterol levels
Garlic can lower the total low-density cholesterol in our bodies. LDL cholesterol is the one responsible for all our heart diseases. However, garlic does not have a reliable effect on the good cholesterol of our body.
Garlic contains antioxidants, good for Alzheimer’s disease
Oxidative damage from free radicals causes the aging process. Garlic contains different antioxidants that help to get the prevention against these oxidative damages. The high doses of garlic with combined effects on reducing blood pressure and cholesterol combined, plus, the antioxidant properties might reduce brain diseases like Alzheimer’s and dementia.
It may help your liver live longer
The potential effects of this spice on longevity are impossible to prove in humans. However, given the fact that garlic has beneficial effects on reducing blood pressure can make your liver live longer.
On top of that, the spice can improve athletic performance. Moreover, It can also detoxify the heavy metals in the body. In addition, it may also help to improve bone health.
Let us know how you use garlic in your everyday diet in the comment section below.
Sources
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/11-proven-health-benefits-of-garlic
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/265853.php
https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-300/garlic
