Health Benefits of Garlic 

Introduction  

Garlic is the most cheapest and effective wonder drug available in the world with minimum side effects. For many years garlic is believed to scare away vampires but its worldwide reputation is well known in preventing common flu, cold, plague, heart disease, infection, hypertension, impotence and cancer. Researchers believe that allicin; the organic compound that is present in garlic acts as the most potent antioxidant than the other antioxidants like coenzyme Q10 and Vitamin E. 

Benefits of Garlic 

The following are the benefits of garlic. Garlic is used to treat the following symptoms 

Cancer: studies show that a strong immune system prevents cancer and garlic does just that. Garlic reduces and prevents cancer cell formation. It prevents bladder, esophageal, stomach, breast and prostate cancer. Garlic slows and reduces the tumor size. 

Cold: consuming raw garlic or clove drives cold away. Garlic improves immune system, increasing the anti oxidants thus helping in curing cold.

Hypertension: agene, present in garlic controls blood pressure by thinning blood in the system. Use of garlic reduces the blood form clotting. Chinese use garlic to treat circulatory disorders and angina attacks. 

Heart Disease: garlic helps in preventing heart diseases by reducing cholesterol levels. Technically it increases levels of good cholesterol known as (HDL) and prevents levels of bad cholesterol known as (LDL) from depositing on walls of the arteries, which reduces plaque formation. Two cloves of garlic reduce cholesterol by 9 percent. Garlic protects the blood vessel, arota that maintains blood flow and pressure during pumping of our heart. Garlic keeps the arota flexible and prevents its aging. 

Impotence: for century’s people hailed garlic for curing impotence. Garlic by aiding blood circulation keeps the arteries and veins in perfect condition thus preventing impotence. The compounds in garlic stimulate nitric oxide syntheses, the enzyme required to obtain an erection in people who suffers from low levels of it. 

Pregnancy: garlic supplementation results in weight gain in babies. The other birth related risk factors like pre-eclampsia related to hypertension is also reduced.

Garlic also helps in improving memory and prevents "stress-induced hyperglycemia". 

Cooking Methods to Maximize Results 

Garlic’s health benefits are increased by certain cooking methods and diminished by others.

Eating a clove of garlic reduces cholesterol and blood pressure.

Cooking meat with garlic reduces carcinogens caused by grilling and high temperature cooking.

Elephant or large garlic doesn’t have medicinal values compared to regular garlic.

Crushed /minced garlic is more powerful than whole garlic. Garlic should be chopped fine and made into a paste to get desired results.  

Raw garlic is very strong and excessive consuming can damage or irritate the digestive tract. Some people are allergic to garlic like temperature, skin rash and headaches. It should only be used as a supplement and not as a substitute to any other form of treatment. 

One should avoid its usage during surgeries and if one is on medication for blood pressure. It should be used as a supplement in consultation with the physician.