You will rediscover all of its qualities with a new eye. The scientific literature today atributes to garlic more than 150 therapeutic virtues, validated by more than 3000 scientific studies.
Garlic is a plant in the Allium (Onion) family. It is closely related to onions, shallots and leeks. In ancient history, the main use of garlic was for its health and medicinal properties.
Garlic is rich in allicin, a highly active natural compound. It also contains glycosides, lectins, prostaglandins, vitamins A, C, B and E (tocopherols), anthocyanins and flavonoides which may also have health benefits.
This bulb has played important dietary and medicinal roles throughout the history. For Sumerian and the ancient Egyptians to Olympics in Greece, it was fed to athletes for increasing stamina.
Ancient Chinese and Indian medicine recommended garlic to aid respiration, digestion and to treat leprosy and parasitic infestation. In modern medicine the health benefits of the bulb are recognized about its effects in maintaining good health.
Benefits :
Heart —— garlic is effective primarily on the cardiovascular level, where has an improvement in the flexibility of the vessels and a drop in blood pressure.
Thus it reduces the most dangerous cardiovascular risks: Dyslipidemia, a key factor in the development of atherosclerosis and thrombus formation.
In fact, two meta-analyzes concluded that garlic was effective in reducing both total cholesterol and triglycerides. Studies have shown that the active molecules in garlic inhibit enzymes involved in the synthesis of cholesterol and reduce the LDL oxidation, which contribute for development of atherosclerosis.
Blood Sugar——garlic reduces blood sugar and help lower mortality from cardiovascular complications. It fights against the deposit of calcium on the arterial walls, which causes atherosclerotic plaques. 50% of cardiovascular events are linked to a problem with high blood pressure. Consuming garlic extract for one year improved these events (showed by a clinical study).
Infections—— studies have shown that the compounds in garlic can kill 60 species of fungi and more than 20 types of bacteria.
Examples : Helicobacter pylori (responsible for stomach ulcer), Staphylococcus aureus and Pneumococcos responsible for pneumonia. Garlic is ideal for bronchitis or otitis, rhinitis or sinusitis.
Boosts immunity: Who knew boosting your immunity can be as simple as eating more garlic? According to one study involving 41,000 middle-aged women, those who routinely ate garlic, fruits and vegetables had a 35% lower colon cancer risk. Keep in mind that benefits came from raw and cooked garlic – not supplements.
How to get the most out of the benefits of garlic?
The flavour varies in intensity and aroma with the different cooking methods. The parchment like skin is much like the skin of an onion, and is typically removed before using in raw or cooked form.
You can crush and left to stand at room temperature for a good half an hour before cooking it. This time will allow the enzymes in the garlic to give birth to the allicin, its main active substance. If you consume regularly, it can reduce the risk of colds and infections by more than 70%.
You’ll get the most benefit from raw garlic. But if you choose to cook it, don’t heat it above 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Higher temperatures kill the allicin, so add garlic to your recipes when you’re almost done cooking.
You can include garlic in sauces, soups, with bread, beans, rice and more.
Have you ever heard of Black Garlic?
Black Garlic is fresh raw garlic (Allium Sativum) that changes with time through the use of low heat and humidity of about 70% in a process called the Maillard reaction. During this process, the cloves turn a distinct black color. The garlic texture and flavour change as well. It’s softer, chewier and sweeter than regular raw garlic.
While black garlic has less of the active compound allicin than its fresh raw counterpart, it does boost higher concentrations of many antioxidants and other beneficial compounds. These higher concentrations may be at least partly responsible for the many health benefits that black garlic provides.
by Helena
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