Garlic is a spice that has been known to have so many health benefits. It is a popular cooking ingredient in our households today. The benefits of garlic to our bodies have been studied for centuries, and there are so many reasons why garlic should be a constant spice in your diet. Below are the benefits that garlic has to offer to our health.
Reduction in blood pressure
As most of you might know, heart diseases are among the leading causes of death at present. The biggest marker for such diseases is hypertension. Research indicates that consumption of garlic plays a great role in reducing blood pressure. A lot of studies have been conducted to back up this fact, and it turns out, garlic is just as effective as atenolol which is a drug that people with hypertension use. The difference here is that garlic is better as it is a natural remedy.
Gets rid of bad cholesterol
Consumption of garlic also helps to get rid of bad cholesterol. It reduces the amount of LDL found in our bodies though there haven’t been any observable effects of garlic on good cholesterol. What is worth noting is that cholesterol levels in our bodies are improved when we include garlic in our diet.
Prevention of Alzheimer’s disease
The damage caused by oxidation supports the process of aging, and free radicals support this damage. However, garlic has antioxidants which help the body to protect itself from oxidative damage. If we combine the health benefits that garlic has regarding reducing blood pressure and bad cholesterol as well as being an antioxidant, it goes to show that it plays a great role in the prevention of diseases that affect the brain. Examples of such diseases are Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
Improves performance
Way before any case of doping was ever heard of amongst athletes; garlic is what most of them used to increase their performance and endurance. Traditionally, garlic was used by workers to keep them from becoming fatigued. Research conducted using rodents supports these facts. Concerning fatigue and performance, a significant amount of tests still has to be done on humans so that these can be used as facts.
Good for the bones
Research shows that garlic can be used prevent or minimize deterioration of bones. This can be achieved because consuming garlic helps elevate the amounts of estrogen among females. All of the facts seen here and above lead to longevity of human life