If we talk about one of the essential seasonings in our kitchen, we have to mention garlic. It is an ingredient in kitchens from all over the world and that gives us a touch of unparalleled flavor to dishes and recipes. But, in addition to its flavor, you must know that it is a very beneficial food for our health, you know? Then we will discover the main properties and benefits of garlic so that, thus, you know why it is a highly recommended ingredient to include in your day-to-day life.
Garlic Properties:
Garlic is an ingredient that gives us a lot of medicinal properties that are very interesting for our well-being. More than 2000 active components present in garlic are known to help us maintain a stronger and healthier organism. Some of these components are:
- Essential oils
- Quercetin (flavonoid with anti-blood, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties)
- Frustratesans (ideal to strengthen our defenses)
- A wide variety of vitamins, especially C and B6
- Very healthy minerals such as calcium, manganese, potassium, or phosphorus
Thanks to its composition, garlic can help us improve our health, strengthen our defenses, and make us stronger and more protected before external agents. But to make the most of the properties and benefits of garlic it is important to take into account something essential: all components can be used when the garlic is crushed, therefore, it is not recommended to take a whole garlic clove, but the best thing is to make it.
Benefits of Garlic:
Having said that, we will know how garlic affects our body, bringing the most interesting benefits and which will help you have iron health.
Natural Antibiotic
The garlic acts as a natural antibiotic. This is because it is rich in alicin, a property that acts as an antibacterial and that will help us avoid the proliferation of bacteria in our body.
Antifungal
It is also an ideal ingredient to prevent the appearance of fungi in our bodies. Many fungi are sensitive to this food, as plant extracts slow down the growth of fungi and will therefore prevent them from growing inside. Due to this property, garlic extracts are used in many fields of agriculture to prevent the appearance of fungi in crops.
Ideal for Fighting Viruses
We continue to talk about the benefits of garlic to refer to its antiviral effect. Some studies reflect how garlic can prevent the spread of some viruses, but it cannot be confirmed 100% since, today, research is still ongoing. However, due to the natural components of garlic, it is quite likely that you will be able to act with an antiviral and prevent the contagion of some diseases such as flu, colds, etc.
The Garlic Reduces Bad Cholesterol
Bad cholesterol (LDL) can block the walls of the arteries over the years, so it is essential to regulate it and lower its levels in our blood. To do this, garlic is a very powerful ingredient as it works by regulating levels and reducing the presence of LDL. In fact, in the United States, many citizens consume extracts of garlic to achieve cholesterol balancing.
Reduces Blood Pressure
Another of the properties and benefits of garlic is that it is an ideal natural remedy to reduce blood pressure and make blood flow more fluid. This is because this food helps to produce a greater amount of nitric acid, a component that dilutes the blood more and therefore contributes to blood pressure. However, it is important to keep in mind that garlic is always complementary to the medical treatment you follow to treat your high pressure, it should never be considered as a treatment in itself.
Powerful Antioxidant
Garlic is also ideal for keeping our body in perfect condition and avoiding the oxidation of cells. This is due to the numerous antioxidants present in the garlic which help to neutralize free radicals and maintain the younger and most protected body. Allicin is one of the most powerful antioxidants present in garlic and with which you will achieve these benefits.
Antitoxic
We end this article with the most prominent properties and benefits of garlic to talk about, now, its antitoxic effect. Sulphoxides present in this ingredient are ideal for avoiding heavy metals in the body, so it can be a great remedy to improve your health globally and bet on a life full of well-being.
The Slimming Properties of Garlic
It has always to be taken in moderation, as in high amounts it is counterproductive for patients with bleeding due to their anticoagulant properties and can cause stomach irritation. It is also important to supplement you with a balanced diet and physical exercise if you want to lose weight effectively.
Ajolic is one of the essential foods in the Mediterranean diet, not only for its characteristic flavor but also for its diuretic and depurative properties, as pointed out by the Spanish Heart Foundation, among which are the following benefits that will help you lose weight:
– Accelerates the metabolism. According to a study by the University of Technology of Texas, garlic contributes to the nervous system increasing the production of the hormone adrenaline and thus increasing calorie consumption.
– It’s a diuretic, as it helps to remove fluids and toxins from the body.
– Regulates blood sugar levels. It allows the body to produce less insulin, which helps regulate the blood sugar level while at the same time working better.
A study of more than 100 people with chronic liver disease revealed that individuals who took a supplement of 800 mg of garlic powder lost more weight than those who consumed a placebo.
How To Consume Garlic to Lose Weight?
In general, the most effective way to take this food to lose weight is in the form of an infusion in the morning and in fasting, as it prepares the digestive system and also has a satiating effect. For your preparation you will need:
– 1 clove of chopped garlic
– 1/2 tablespoon of cinnamon powder
– 1 cup hot water
Pair to prepare should put a glass of water to boil and, once it gets to the boiling point, a chopped garlic clove is added next to the cinnamon. After about 10 minutes of simmering the infusion, already ready to take, slips to which you can also add a tablespoon of lemon juice. This way, you will not only get a slimming aid but will also act as a protector of heart health.
Garlic for Hypertension
This disease, which can affect to a very different degree and which goes unnoticed by up to a third of the people who suffer from it, can cause serious damage throughout the body, from the arteries and the heart to the kidneys and the brain itself, among many other complications and dysfunctions.
In addition to age, an inadequate diet and a sedentary way of life are two of its great triggers, hence the importance of maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle. One of the main allies we can find in the fight against hypertension, in addition to, of course, medical care, is a cheap, tasty, and easy-to-find food: garlic.
According to a study carried out by the University of Valladolid, garlic acts as a protector of heart health, helping to reduce the so-called bad cholesterol and regulate tension thanks, among other things, to its vasodilating effects.
However, it is not necessary to throw yourself to chew garlic cloves to strengthen the cardiovascular system: the Mediterranean diet contemplates the use of garlic as an ingredient in all types of dishes, and there are even more ways to consume it to contribute variety and avoid boredom in the diet.
Thus, garlic cloves as such are often used in all kinds of typical dishes, and in many areas their raw consumption in the mornings is traditional. Also common is the cut-cut garlic clove against a toast of bread, then watered with a few drops of olive oil.
Garlic Salt
Another great resource is the so-called garlic salt: a substitute for salt made from garlic and oil, which helps doubly in the fight against hypertension. To make garlic salt you just fry the furry peeled in a pan with a little olive oil, always trying not to burn. After this, they dry from the oil and store it in a container that keeps them moisture-free. From now on, instead of adding salt to a dish, you can simply grate one of the sofried teeth, to taste.
The Garlic Tea
Preparing garlic tea is also a great very nice complement to having it after lunch or mid-afternoon. To do this, a glass of water should be brought to a boil and, once it gets to the boiling point, a crushed garlic clove is added next to 3 grams of grated ginger and a tablespoon of honey. After 20 minutes of simmering the infusion, is already ready to take, to which you can also add a tablespoon of lemon juice.
This is not all, there are many other ways to take this great food, such as macerated in oil or bought dry as spice. We are lucky to enjoy the one considered the healthiest of the diets in the world: the Mediterranean, which has this great ally in the fight against hypertension as one of its basic foods. It’s just a matter of knowing how to take advantage of it.