1.
Garlic
Contains Compounds With Potent Medicinal Properties
Garlic is
a plant in the Allium (onion) family.
It is closely related to
onions, shallots and leeks. Each segment of a garlic bulb is called a clove.
There are about 10–20 cloves in a single bulb, give or take.
Garlic grows in many parts of the world and is a
popular ingredient in cooking due to its strong smell and delicious taste.
However, throughout ancient history, the main use of
garlic was for its health and medicinal properties.
Its use was well documented by many major
civilizations, including the Egyptians, Babylonians, Greeks, Romans and Chinese.
Scientists now know that most of its health benefits
are caused by sulfur compounds formed when a garlic clove is chopped, crushed
or chewed.
Perhaps the most famous of those is known as allicin.
However, allicin is an unstable compound that is only briefly present in fresh
garlic after it’s been cut or crushed.
Other compounds that may play a role in garlic’s
health benefits include diallyl disulfide and s-allyl cysteine.
The sulfur compounds from garlic enter the body from
the digestive tract and travel all over the body, where it exerts its potent
biological effects.
SUMMARY Garlic is a plant in the onion family that’s grown for
its distinctive taste and health benefits. It contains sulfur compounds, which
are believed to bring some of the health benefits.
2. Garlic Is
Highly Nutritious But Has Very Few Calories
Calorie for calorie, garlic is incredibly nutritious.
One clove (3 grams) of raw garlic contains:
- Manganese: 2% of the Daily Value (DV)
- Vitamin
B6: 2% of the DV
- Vitamin
C: 1%
of the DV
- Selenium: 1% of the DV
- Fiber: 0.06 grams
- Decent amounts of
calcium, copper, potassium, phosphorus, iron and vitamin B1
This comes with 4.5 calories, 0.2 grams of protein and
1 gram of carbs.
Garlic also contains trace amounts of various other
nutrients. In fact, it contains a little bit of almost everything you need.
SUMMARY Garlic is low in calories and rich in vitamin C,
vitamin B6 and manganese. It also contains trace amounts of various other
nutrients.
3. Garlic Can
Combat Sickness, Including the Common Cold
Garlic supplements are known to boost the function of
the immune system.
One large, 12-week study found that a daily garlic
supplement reduced the number of colds by 63% compared to a placebo.
The average length of cold symptoms was also reduced
by 70%, from 5 days in the placebo group to just 1.5 days in the garlic group.
Another study found that a high dose of aged garlic
extract (2.56 grams per day) reduced the number of days sick with cold or flu
by 61%.
However, one review concluded that the evidence is
insufficient and more research is needed.
Despite the lack of strong evidence, adding garlic to your diet may be worth trying if you often get
colds.
SUMMARY Garlic supplements help prevent and reduce the
severity of common illnesses like the flu and common cold.
4. The Active
Compounds in Garlic Can Reduce Blood Pressure
Cardiovascular diseases
like heart attacks and strokes are the world's biggest killers.
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is one of the
most important drivers of these diseases.
Human studies have found garlic supplements to have a
significant impact on reducing blood pressure in people with high blood
pressure.
In one study, 600–1,500 mg of aged garlic extract was
just as effective as the drug Atenolol at reducing blood pressure over a
24-week period.
Supplement doses must be fairly high to have the
desired effects. The amount needed is equivalent to about four cloves of garlic
per day.
SUMMARY High doses of garlic appear to improve blood pressure
for those with known high blood pressure (hypertension). In some instances,
supplements may be as effective as regular medications.
5. Garlic Improves
Cholesterol Levels, Which May Lower the Risk of Heart Disease
Garlic can lower total
and LDL cholesterol.
For those with high cholesterol, garlic supplements
appear to reduce total and/or LDL cholesterol by about 10–15%.
Looking at LDL (the "bad") and HDL (the
"good") cholesterol specifically, garlic appears to lower LDL but has
no reliable effect on HDL.
High triglyceride levels are another known risk factor
for heart disease, but garlic seems to have no significant effects on
triglyceride levels.
SUMMARY Garlic supplements seem to reduce total and LDL
cholesterol, particularly in those who have high cholesterol. HDL cholesterol
and triglycerides do not seem to be affected.
6. Garlic
Contains Antioxidants That May Help Prevent Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia
Oxidative damage from free radicals contributes to the
aging process.
Garlic contains antioxidants that support the body's
protective mechanisms against oxidative damage.
High doses of garlic supplements have been shown to
increase antioxidant enzymes in humans, as well as significantly reduce
oxidative stress in those with high blood pressure .
The combined effects on reducing cholesterol and blood
pressure, as well as the antioxidant properties, may reduce the risk of common
brain diseases like Alzheimer's disease and dementia.
SUMMARY Garlic contains antioxidants that protect against cell
damage and aging. It may reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease and dementia.
7. Garlic May
Help You Live Longer
The potential effects of garlic on longevity are
basically impossible to prove in humans.
But given the beneficial effects on important risk
factors like blood pressure, it makes sense that garlic could help you live longer.
The fact that it can fight infectious disease is also
an important factor, because these are common causes of death, especially in
the elderly or people with dysfunctional immune systems.
SUMMARY Garlic has known beneficial effects on common causes
of chronic disease, so it makes sense that it could also help you live longer.
Garlic was one of the earliest "performance
enhancing" substances.
It was traditionally used in ancient cultures to
reduce fatigue and enhance the work capacity of laborers.
Most notably, it was given to Olympic athletes in
ancient Greece.
Rodent studies have shown that garlic helps with
exercise performance, but very few human studies have been done.
People with heart disease who took garlic oil for 6
weeks had a 12% reduction in peak heart rate and better exercise capacity.
However, a study on nine competitive cyclists found no
performance benefits.
Other studies suggest that exercise-induced fatigue
may be reduced with garlic.
SUMMARY Garlic may improve physical performance in lab animals
and people with heart disease. Benefits in healthy people are not yet
conclusive.
At high doses, the sulfur compounds in garlic have
been shown to protect against organ damage from heavy metal toxicity.
A four-week study in employees of a car battery plant
(excessive exposure to lead) found that garlic reduced lead levels in the blood
by 19%. It also reduced many clinical signs of toxicity, including headaches
and blood pressure.
Three doses of garlic each day even outperformed the
drug D-penicillamine in reducing symptoms.
SUMMARY Garlic was shown to significantly reduce lead toxicity
and related symptoms in one study.
No human studies have measured the effects of garlic
on bone loss.
However, rodent studies have shown that it can
minimize bone loss by increasing estrogen in females.
One study in menopausal
women found that a daily dose of
dry garlic extract (equal to 2 grams of raw garlic) significantly decreased a
marker of estrogen deficiency.
This suggests that this supplement may have beneficial
effects on bone health in women.
Foods like garlic and onions may also have beneficial
effects on osteoarthritis.
SUMMARY Garlic appears to have some benefits for bone health
by increasing estrogen levels in females, but more human studies are needed.
The last one is not a health benefit, but is still
important.
Garlic is very easy (and delicious) to include in your
current diet.
It complements most savory dishes, particularly soups
and sauces. The strong taste of garlic can also add a punch to otherwise bland
recipes.
Garlic comes in several forms, from whole cloves and
smooth pastes to powders and supplements like garlic extract and garlic oil.
However, keep in mind that there are some downsides to
garlic, such as bad breath. There are also some people who are allergic to it.
If you have a bleeding disorder or are taking
blood-thinning medications, talk to your doctor before increasing your garlic
intake.
A common way to use garlic is to press a few cloves of
fresh garlic with a garlic press, then mix it with extra virgin olive oil and a bit of salt.
This is healthy and super satisfying dressing.
SUMMARY Garlic is delicious and easy to add to your diet. You
can use it in savory dishes, soups, sauces, dressings and more.
The Bottom Line
INVESTOR CEN
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