What are Some Health Benefits of Garlic?

Numerous studies have been performed to discover the amazing benefits of garlic. Garlic has been proven to lower cholesterol and thin the blood, which helps prevent stroke, high blood pressure and heart disease. It blocks the growth of cancer cells; therefore, people who eat garlic tend to develop less stomach and colon cancers.

Garlic has been proven to kill different strains of bacteria that causes ear infections. It helps to boost the immune system and reduce high levels of blood sugar. It has the ability to relieve the symptoms of asthma. One of the valuable benefits of garlic is keeping individual cells strong and healthy, possibly delaying various conditions that are associated with aging.

Garlic is great for the heart and circulatory system. It contains sulfur compounds that thin the blood. One compound called diallyl disulfide prevents platelets from sticking together and clotting, therefore promoting smoother blood flow. Higher platelet activity leads to strokes, heart attacks and arteriosclerosis.

One of the more well-known benefits of garlic is its ability to lower cholesterol and triglycerides. Most of garlic's protecting abilities takes place in the liver where cholesterol is produced. The liver is where fat synthesis takes place and produces blood cholesterol. When fewer substances are made in the liver, fewer substances end up in the blood.

Garlic has been proven to stop the growth of tumors and help prevent cancer. It prevents cell changes in the body that lead to cancer. Garlic has also been known to kill off cancer cells.

An important compound called s-allylcysteine is found in garlic. This compound stops the cells from becoming cancerous. Diallyl disulfide interferes with the cancer cell's ability to divide and multiply, killing off the cells. Diallyl trisulfide, also found in garlic, is much more powerful than diallyl disulfide in killing off cancer cells. Its powerfulness has been compared to widely used chemotherapy agents.

Garlic compounds prevent nitrites from turning into nitrosamines, harmful compounds that trigger cancerous changes in the body. Garlic has been proven to fight off growing fungus found in conditions like swimmer's ear. It has also been helpful in fighting off bacteria where antibiotics no longer work.

Garlic can be eaten raw or cooked and used in a powder form to obtain the healing benefits it contains. Mincing, pressing or crushing garlic maximizes the release of the most healthy benefits of garlic's compounds. When cooking with garlic, it is best to lightly cook it. This will lighten the taste and make it more palatable. Overcooking garlic will destroy all the compounds, eliminating the healthy benefits.