Five Benefits Of Eating Garlic

Garlic has an extremely distinctive flavor which is not to everyone’s taste, but there is no doubt that garlic is very beneficial to health and should be a regular part of the diet.

Some of the many benefits of consuming garlic on a regular basis include the following:

1. Garlic helps to stimulate production of nitric oxide which lines blood vessel walls and aids their relaxation. This helps to prevent arteriosclerosis. It also helps to control levels of blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides and platelets; thus reducing risk of strokes or heart attacks.

2. Garlic is a powerful natural antioxidant, which fights free radicals in the blood. The selenium it contains gives protection against heavy metal toxicity and cancer as well as helping to prevent heart disease

3. Garlic is a natural anti-inflammatory, anti-viral and antibacterial and a great source of vitamin C. Combined this makes it a fantastic weapon against asthma and other bronchial complaints, while helping to reduce inflammation and pain in both rheumatoid and osteoarthritis.

4. The allicin found in garlic is one of the compounds which cause it’s pungent odor. It is also an effective anti-viral and antibacterial agent, which along with the vitamin C content helps to kill microbes which cause flu and the common cold. The risk of stomach bugs, yeast infections, and even extremely dangerous organisms like botulism and tuberculosis can also be reduced by consuming allicin.

5. Garlic and onions, when eaten on a regular basis, have proven to be powerful in the fight against cancer. This has been most evident in cancers of the mouth and throat, but also in breast, ovarian, colon, stomach and renal cell cancers.

Garlic has been nicknamed the “Stinking Rose” due to its pungent aroma and its health-giving benefits. Like any other healthy food, garlic is most beneficial when eaten raw, so where possible crush it and add it to salads or mayonnaise. However, if you find raw garlic impossible to digest, add it to stocks and stews.

When you truly can’t take the taste of garlic at all, you can purchase garlic capsules at a health store or pharmacy, which may not contain all the benefits of raw unprocessed garlic, but will introduce many of the nutrients contained in garlic directly into your system.

These five benefits of eating garlic are only the headliners amongst a multitude of health advantages the Stinking Rose has to offer.