How Garlic Boosts Immunity and Overall Health
Garlic is a herb grown throughout the world. It belongs to the genus Allium and is closely associated to onion, chives and leek. It is widely used for flavouring in cooking, and has medicinal properties as well.
Garlic produces chemical allicin that provides it a robust smell. It contains an outsized number of cloves with a mean height and diameter of two inches. The cloves and therefore the bulb are covered with a paper-like sheath. It has a really pungent taste and adds a nutty flavour to the food.
There are different types of garlic:
Softneck Garlic: this is often the foremost common sort of garlic with soft skin and creamy white colour, often found within the market.
Silver Garlic: it's a pink tint on its outer sheath and features a very pungent aroma.
Artichoke Garlic: it's large and fewer cloves with a light flavour.
Hardneck Garlic: it's a tough , woody stalk with a purple outer sheath.
Garlic grows mainly under low temperatures in well-drained loamy soil during the months of August to November. After harvesting for 4 to 5 months, the garlic bulbs are then dried to increase the shelf life.
Important Benefits of Garlic
Garlic has the following important benefits:
Helps in Stabilizing Blood Pressure
It contains a bioactive sulphur compound, S-allylcysteine, which is liable for lowering vital sign . The deficiency of sulphur leads to high vital sign . Organosulfur compounds can help stabilize blood pressure.
Helps Lower Cholesterol
Garlic extract helps in lowering cholesterol level by 10%. Research was administered on rats and it had been found that garlic inhibited the synthesis of cholesterol within the rat liver cells.
Reduces the Risk of Cardiovascular Diseases
Garlic prevents cardiovascular diseases by lowering lipids and bad cholesterol. It is largely effective against atherosclerosis.
May Improve Bone Health
Garlic is beneficial against osteoporosis and arthritis. Research was administered on lab rats where they were supplemented with garlic oil and was found that the oil could cut-down ovariectomy-induced bone resorption.
Regulates Blood Sugar
Raw garlic reduces blood sugar levels within the body. An experiment conducted on lab animals proved that boiled and raw garlic can decrease blood glucose levels within the body.
Relieves Intestinal Ailments
Garlic has an antibacterial effect on enterobacteria. It is also active against H.pylori infections.
Detoxifies Heavy Metals in the Body
The garlic contains sulphur compounds which can protect our body from heavy metal toxicity. The employees of an automobile battery plant were treated with garlic for four weeks and found that the toxicity was reduced by 19%. It is simpler than the drug D-penicillamine in reducing the symptoms..
Strengthens the Immune System
The antioxidants present in garlic help to remove toxins and reduce oxidative stress in the body which as a result increases our immunity against any disease. It also helps to extend differing types of immune cells within the body.
Conclusion
Garlic is usually a common ingredient that is used to treat conditions related to the heart and blood system. It has been used as medicine for hundreds of years due to its antibiotic properties. It is believed to have possessed in Siberia and later spread throughout the world. Garlic is also used in several other forms such as oil, powder and flavours for food preparation.
FAQs on Understanding the Benefits of Garlic
1. What are the primary health benefits of consuming garlic?
Garlic offers a wide range of health benefits, primarily due to its active compound, allicin. Its main advantages include:
- Cardiovascular Support: It helps lower blood pressure and reduce levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol, which decreases the risk of atherosclerosis and other heart diseases.
- Immune System Boost: Garlic's antibacterial and antiviral properties can help the body fight off common illnesses like the cold and flu.
- Antioxidant Properties: It contains antioxidants that protect cells from oxidative damage caused by free radicals, potentially reducing the risk of certain chronic diseases.
- Blood Sugar Regulation: Some studies suggest that regular consumption of raw garlic may help regulate blood sugar levels, which is beneficial for managing diabetes.
- Improved Bone Health: Garlic may help reduce bone loss by increasing estrogen levels in females, which is particularly important in preventing osteoporosis.
2. How does garlic produce its medicinal properties biologically?
Garlic's medicinal effects are not present when the bulb is whole. The key lies in a chemical reaction. A garlic clove contains a compound called alliin and an enzyme called alliinase, which are stored in separate compartments. When you crush, chop, or chew garlic, these compartments are ruptured, allowing the enzyme to mix with alliin. This reaction rapidly converts alliin into allicin, the potent, sulphur-containing compound responsible for garlic's distinct aroma and most of its health benefits.
3. What is the importance of the '10-minute garlic rule' in food preparation?
The '10-minute garlic rule' is a practical tip to maximise garlic's health benefits. It suggests that after chopping or crushing garlic, you should let it sit for about 10 minutes before exposing it to heat. This waiting period allows the alliinase enzyme sufficient time to convert alliin into the maximum amount of stable allicin. Since heat can deactivate the alliinase enzyme, following this rule ensures you preserve the potent medicinal compounds before cooking.
4. In what ways does garlic specifically support cardiovascular health?
Garlic supports cardiovascular health through several important mechanisms. Firstly, it helps relax blood vessels, leading to a reduction in high blood pressure (hypertension). Secondly, it has been shown to lower total and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels while having minimal effect on HDL (good) cholesterol. Thirdly, its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties help prevent the oxidation of cholesterol, a key step in the formation of arterial plaques (atherosclerosis), thus promoting better blood flow.
5. Are there any side effects or risks associated with eating too much garlic?
Yes, while garlic is healthy, excessive consumption, especially in its raw form, can lead to side effects. Common issues include digestive discomfort, heartburn, bloating, and strong body odour or bad breath. More importantly, garlic has natural blood-thinning (anticoagulant) properties. This can increase the risk of bleeding, so individuals taking blood-thinning medications or those scheduled for surgery should consult a doctor before consuming large amounts of garlic.
6. Is it more beneficial to eat garlic raw or cooked?
Eating garlic raw provides the most significant health benefits. This is because its primary active compound, allicin, is highly sensitive to heat and can be destroyed during cooking. Crushing raw garlic and consuming it preserves the highest concentration of this compound. However, cooked garlic still retains some nutritional value and antioxidant properties and is often easier for people to digest. For a balance, you can add garlic towards the end of the cooking process to minimise heat exposure.
7. What is the difference in benefits between swallowing a garlic clove whole and chewing it?
Chewing garlic is far more beneficial than swallowing it whole. The health benefits of garlic are activated when the clove's internal structure is broken, allowing the enzyme alliinase to react with the compound alliin to form allicin. If you swallow a clove whole, this chemical reaction may not occur efficiently in the digestive tract, meaning you miss out on the most potent benefits. Chewing or crushing the clove first is essential to kickstart this process and unlock its medicinal properties.
