Why Is Eating Garlic Healthy? The Best Miracle Secrets Exposed
Garlic Secrets.
What’s the big garlic secrets I’m talking about?
How much garlic do you use in the average recipe?
A pressed clove here, a diced teaspoon there?
In proportion to the main ingredients in a dish, it’s a small amount.
But as it turns out...
...that little addition is big on health benefits.
Hey, if the pungent odor is any indication, it’s more powerful than any other edible bulb.
Want to know the best garlic secrets?
Stay with me and I'll explain:
Here's the deal today...
...we’re going to discuss why garlic is among the healthiest things you can eat and all about garlic secrets.
I’ll provide a little background, and uncover 11 best health secrets behind garlic.
From there...
...I’ll share some of my favorite ways to incorporate garlic into a healthy diet.
Actively trying to avoid having garlic breath? No worries, because I’ve got your back there, too.
Let’s dive in!
The Miracle of Garlic’s Ancient Medicinal History
Have you ever heard of the Ebers Papyrus, also known as the Codex Ebers?
No?
Here’s a clue:
The Ebers Papyrus dates back to around 1550 BC, and as such, is one of history’s oldest medicinal records.
Like a lot of natural remedies we hold dear, garlic’s fame is due in part thanks to the Ancient Egyptians.
The Ebers Papyrus contains roughly 700 rituals and remedies for various ailments, and garlic is among these.
Garlic was even present in King Tut’s tomb.
Think this is crazy?
Then you need to read this next:
To the Egyptians, the Greeks, the Romans, and more, garlic is both a symbolic and practical wellness tool.
Eating it was said to give warriors and laborers alike more energy and brute force. It has a history of use as an offering to deities and as a way to ward off evil.
Rather impressively, the lore surrounding garlic endures in an age where we don’t share stories like we once did.
Imagine:
Someone asking you a seemingly ridiculous question like, “How do I get rid of a vampire?”
After a laugh or the roll of an eye, you might say, “Garlic.”
But seriously.
Over the centuries, it’s become apparent that many separate ancient civilizations were huge fans of garlic.
And despite the fact that garlic appears on that papyrus, it’s possible that Sumerians brought garlic to China much earlier.
In ancient Chinese culture, garlic is stimulating and mood-boosting. Nearby in India, it was a known cure for general fatigue, respiratory illness, and pain.
To make a very long story short...
...you don’t have to take my word for it.
Garlic is, and always has been, an important symbol, food, and cure essential to mankind.
11 Miracle Secrets of Eating Garlic
So what has modern man made of garlic?
Here are eleven evidence-based benefits we hope you enjoy when you crush a clove.
1. Detox
When I use detox here, I’m not just talking about the detox you might take after binging over the holidays.
We’re talking heavy metal toxicity.
Promising animal studies exist on this, but one human study is most notable.
This experiment involves workers from a battery plant who were exposed to lead. One group took garlic, and the other took penicillamine, a prescription drug.
Lead concentration in the blood plummets in both groups by the end of the study period.
But penicillamine barely outperformed garlic.
Of course, it’s vital to note that preparation and dosage of garlic count here.
In this case, the dosage includes 1200 micrograms of allicin.
Allicin is a miracle, natural compound hidden inside every garlic bulb. Allicin is to garlic what curcumin is to turmeric.
2. Immune System Support
Speaking of toxins!
Tiny little nasties that float into your nose and throat are terrified of garlic.
This is especially helpful for those moms out there whose kids are always dragging home some virus.
It isn’t entirely pleasant, but as soon as I feel something coming on, I begin my cold-and-flu busting routine.
This includes hot concoctions including lemon, ACV, and cayenne, but also a clove or two of garlic.
I chew the clove whole and swallow it quickly.
Next, I drink a glass of water to prevent any stomach cramping (garlic is really strong!).
But you're probably wondering:
Was my colds really shorter?
Stay with me.
There's more:
The answer may be that garlic actually reduces the severity of your symptoms.
I’ll explain with an example:
This human study shows that people who treat colds with garlic extract take 58% fewer sick days. Additionally, they spend fewer days feeling poorly in general.
Garlic may prevent illness as well. This study finds that people who take garlic supplements may be much less likely to get sick.
3. Menopause
A drop in estrogen production is characteristic of menopause.
Unfortunately, the drawbacks of this can be far-flung and devastating. Mood swings, UTIs, headaches, exhaustion - it’s just not fair.
Additionally, osteoporosis commonly results from this drop.
Estrogen loss leads to calcium loss, and bone density suffers.
Generally speaking, we stop building bone between the ages of 30 and 35. So, as our age advances into menopause, the loss hits us harder and harder.
Where does garlic secrets factor in?
Well, this animal study indicates that garlic extract can increase calcium absorption by increasing estrogen.
Phytoestrogens (plant estrogens) are pretty weak when you compare them to human estrogen. Still, garlic is higher in phytoestrogens than any other vegetable.
With concerns about soy production and processing, garlic could be a great food source for bone-preserving estrogen.
4. Cancer Prevention
With a stunning 1.6 million cancer diagnoses occurring in 2016 alone, it seems no one is safe.
The good news is, thankfully, that death rates from cancer continue to decrease.
But staying healthy and reducing our risk still, demands more attention.
There are no guarantees with cancer, but committing to an anti-cancer lifestyle definitely, reduces your risk.
Some studies suggest that eating a lot of garlic can reduce the risk of certain cancers. Stomach cancer risk can drop by 50%, and colorectal cancer risk may drop 30%.
Naturally, you do have to consistently eat a good amount for this to potentially apply.
The median amount for these studies averages around 5-7 cloves per week.
5. Lower Blood Pressure
The word “cancer” may instill the most fear into us, but it’s high blood pressure that’s known as “The Silent Killer”.
I’m all about a diet that lowers blood pressure, and it turns out that garlic is a great addition.
Like other natural remedies, garlic can work as well as beta blockers when it comes to lowering blood pressure.
However, if you really want to see faster improvements, consider taking a garlic supplement - click for price.
In particular, those who don’t like the smell of garlic can stick with supplements.
Now, you may be aware that odorless garlic is odorless because the garlic is aged. Some believe that the aging process decreases the potency of allicin, that miracle compound.
But other sources claim that this assertion doesn’t tell the whole story.
They claim that the aging process makes the allicin more stable, although it does get weaker.
To be specific, aging converts allicin into highly absorbable aminos.
As with any supplement talk, this can get confusing.
That’s why I recommend stringently tracking your results. If nothing else, you are getting a concentration of aged garlic extract that may amount to more than you prefer to eat.
6. Lower Cholesterol
Nothing complements low blood pressure like lower cholesterol.
Together, they are exemplary of a healthy heart!
Again, here we find conflicting opinions. One study saw patients using popular garlic supplements to no avail.
Still, other studies find that there is a modest reduction in overall cholesterol.
To be clear, this does mean that garlic doesn’t only lower bad LDL levels.
As one pharmacist puts it, it looks like garlic’s role in lowering cholesterol may be dose-dependent.
In this case, eating plenty of raw garlic is probably more effective than turning to a supplement.
But wait, there's more:
I like the way this research puts it.
Garlic might be a good option for those whose cholesterol is only slightly high. When you’re not ready for medication, add lots of garlic to a healthy diet.
7. Workout Supplement
Now, let’s get back to ancient history.
Roman warriors ate garlic to help prepare them for battle.
Egyptian laborers were said to derive extra energy from garlic as well.
And it’s no secret that the first Olympians ate garlic.
Frankly, it could all be a myth.
But those Egyptians did build the pyramids.
And the warriors of Ancient Rome are, to this day, among the most iconic, legendary military men in history.
And the Olympics?
Still going.
Could we give garlic any credit here?
Perhaps.
Garlic can help reduce your heart rate during strenuous activity, which means you can work harder!
Better still, it helps with fatigue. Whether you’re feeling too tired to get going, or having a tough time recovering from a session, garlic can work.
Oddly enough, one of my own post-workout cravings includes garlic-stuffed olives.
8. Preserve Memory
With its mood-boosting antioxidant properties, garlic can make your memory super sharp.
Rats in one study were able to ace their avoidance tests using garlic.
Overall, garlic’s antioxidant content is such that it may protect your brain from memory loss that’s common with age.
As time goes by, our blood vessels narrow. This can lead to inflammation and oxidative damage.
Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory foods are a key way to slow this process down.
On the whole, garlic is a pick to fight aging. Eating it regularly through the years can prolong life itself.
Best of all, it can improve the general quality of that life.
9. Kills Bacteria
Okay...
...so we know that garlic kills bacteria that make you sick. But did you know that it can kill bacteria on other foods, too?
Indeed, garlic can actually prevent food poisoning.
According to a study from Washington State University, garlic can kill Campylobacter.
Campylobacter is the most prevalent type of illness-causing bacteria we find in food poisoning cases.
In fact, garlic is 100 times more effective than antibiotics at killing Campylobacter.
Pretty amazing, right?
10. Decongestant
When chewing on garlic to make a cold shorter, I noticed something else. My sinuses seem to clear instantly after eating garlic.
Could this be garlic’s greatest secret exposed?
But look, you don’t have to have a virus for it to work.
Have you got allergies that persistently clog one nostril?
Try garlic.
As with colds, just chew a clove and chase it with a glass of water.
Repeat every few hours or so.
Stop when that built-up mucus gets thinner and begins running out of your nose.
Also, I’m aware that some people put garlic in their ears and noses.
While some swear by it, I’d caution against doing so.
Keeping garlic on the skin for long periods of time can cause burns.
11. Major Flavor
Seriously, garlic is in a league of its own when it comes to flavor. The closest thing to it is its cousin the onion, which just doesn’t pack the same punch.
From pasta sauce to relishes and soups, a little garlic makes the meal.
Using garlic in your food can help you reduce the need to add salt!
A bulb is very inexpensive, yet can flavor several meals throughout the week. Across most major cultures, garlic is a seasoning staple.
Garlic Secrets - The Secret Ingredient
If you know how to cook, you know where to put garlic.
But what grabs my interest are the best ways to eat raw garlic. Raw = more potent!
Store it at room temp and crush it, don’t slice it, for maximum allicin.
Here are my four favorite ways to eat it!
Final Word on... Garlic Secrets
So as it happens, garlic has been famous for thousands of years for many excellent reasons.
If you eat it regularly, you can be exposed to these benefits:
Right now, it’s your turn to speak out.
Which of garlic’s secrets was most surprising to you? If so, why?
Would you try an odorless supplement?
Got a great salsa recipe?
Be sure to leave me a comment below, and I’ll be back real soon.
