Garlic is one of the most commonly used ingredients in Indian dishes but apart from conveying flavour to food, this tiny, white pod also has an immense medicinal properties. Used since from time immemorial to treat the various complaints, garlic is one of the ingredient in kitchen that has number of uses. Here are the top 5 health benefits of garlic one should know about.
Table of Contents
Top Five health benefits of garlic
Helps keep bacterial and viral infections at bay
Due to its natural compounds, garlic can help to keep the both bacterial and viral infections at bay.
How does it help?
They help to control bacterial, fungal, yeast, viral, and worm infections.
Fresh garlic is thought to play a very important role in preventing from food poisoning by killing bacteria like E. coli, Salmonella enteritidis, etc.
Can help to treat skin infections
Since it has both properties like antibacterial and antiviral, garlic is great when it comes to treating the skin infections.
How does it help?
The chemical ajoene found in the garlic may help to treat the fungal skin infections like ringworm and an athlete’s foot.
Tip:
If have any skin infection, can apply the juice of come crushed garlic cloves on area once or twice per day. Wash off the juice with some clean, room temperature water.
Helps prevent the formation of clots in the body
How does it help?
The anti clotting properties of ajoene found in garlic helps in preventing the formation of the blood clots in the body. As this fact is great for people with heart complaints and those prone to suffering from the stroke and other clotting disorders, it also improves the risk of bleeding after surgery.
Tip:
To help stay healthy have one crushed garlic pod everyday on an empty stomach.
Can keep the blood pressure levels in check
How does it help?
Allicin in the garlic pods the activity of an angiotensin II – a protein that is responsible for enhancing in blood pressure and helps in getting rid of blood pressure.
The polysulphides present in the garlic are converted into gas called hydrogen sulphide by red blood cells that helps dilate the blood vessels and helps to control the blood pressure. If the blood pressure levels are of concern, there are natural alternatives to blood pressure medication that could try after speaking to the doctor about the change.
Tip:
To help control the blood pressure could add garlic to the daily meals. Apart from that could also eat one pod of raw garlic on an empty stomach to keep the blood pressure under control.
Helps protect the heart
How does it help?
- With age, the arteries tend to lose their ability to widen and garlic can help to maintain their elasticity.
- It also helps to protect the heart from the damaging effects of free oxygen radicals.
- The sulphur containing compounds of garlic also prevent our blood vessels from becoming blocked and slow the development of hardening of the arteries.
- The anti clotting properties of ajoene – a compound present in garlic helps to prevent the formation of clots inside the blood vessels.
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Top Five health benefits of garlic