Garlic is one of the most common spicy foods in Nigeria and is added to hundreds of dishes, as well as eaten raw and in the form of garlic powder. Garlic not only tastes great but also as a number of valuable health benefits that have been known since ancient Greece.
Today there are so many proven effects of garlic that doctors and nutritionists advise to consume garlic in various health conditions. Find out everything about garlic benefits and side effects for your body right now!
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1. What makes garlic healthy?
For centuries people had no idea what causes the many positive functions of garlic in the body. However, excessive research has shown that most of the garlic health benefits are caused by just one component called allicin.
Allicin is the agent that gives garlic its distinctive taste and smell, but it also does much more than that. Allicin is formed when garlic is crushed, chopped, or chewed, which is why you can get maximum benefits of garlic from eating it raw and chopped or simply taking bites of a garlic clove.
2. Health benefits of garlic
Any health-conscious person has had this question: “What is the work of garlic in the body?”. The truth is that there are dozens of benefits of eating raw garlic that can help treat conditions or alleviate symptoms in nearly every part of the body. Here are the most important uses of garlic for your health.
- High vitamin content and low-calorie count. Garlic is one of the most nutritious vegetables out there with an incredibly high content of vitamins B6, C, as well as calcium, selenium, potassium, and fiber. At the same time, 1 clove of garlic contains just 42 calories, which makes it a great food for anyone who’s watching their weight.
- Prevent and treat colds. Since the early times, garlic has been known for its ability to treat colds. It can also prevent colds by boosting your immune system. If you do catch a cold, treat it with hot water infused with chopped garlic and honey or ginger for better taste.
- Prevent heart diseases. Heart problems are among the leading causes of death in the world population, but a product that is as simple as garlic can actually lower your cholesterol levels, regulate blood pressure, and normalize blood sugar levels, ensuring a healthy heart and cardiovascular system.
- Healthy gastrointestinal system. Common problems like diarrhea, colitis, and dysentery, as well as parasites, can be effectively treated with garlic, which may be the oldest known function of garlic that is still used today.
- Anti-inflammatory effect. Any inflammatory conditions, as well as infected wounds, can be treated with garlic – simply mix a drop of garlic juice with three drops of water and apply around the wound for quick healing.
3. Garlic for skin and hair
Now that you know the answer to the question: “What are the health benefits of garlic?”, time to find out what garlic can do for your beauty. There are so many ways to use garlic for appearance, and here are the most popular ones.
- Acne treatment. One of the biggest benefits of eating raw garlic for skin is its ability to effectively treat acne. Eat garlic with food, make garlic-based skin products on your own or rub a fresh slice of garlic over a pimple to make it go away faster.
- Help with hair loss. If you’re noticing your hair getting thinner, the problem most likely lies in your scalp. Massage your scalp and hair roots with garlic slices or add garlic juice to your hair oil that you use for massaging the scalp.
- Stop skin aging. In case you’ve noticed first signs of aging skin, make sure to both eat more garlic and add it to your beauty routine in form of lotions, skin oils, or even rubbing raw garlic over your skin once a day.
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