10 Benefits of Garlic for Health

 

Apart from being a cooking spice, garlic has many useful ingredients for maintaining the body. Here are 10 benefits of garlic forhealth.

Garlic is one of the favorite kitchen spices to add a strong aroma and taste to dishes. Apart from being a kitchen ingredient, garlic has many health benefits. In 100 grams of garlic, there are a number of nutritional content that the body needs, such as 4 calories, 1 gram of carbohydrates, 0.2 grams of protein, 0.1 grams of fiber, 5.4 milligrams of calcium, 0.1 milligrams of manganese, 0.9 milligrams vitamin C, vitamin B6, flavonoids, selenium, oligosaccharides, and amino acids.

With so many nutrients, garlic is often used to prevent or cure various diseases. Citing various journals, here are the health benefits of garlic:

• Healthyheart

Garlic is useful for reducing the risk of heart disease. This benefit is most effective in aged garlic extract . This extract is said to be able to reduce soft plaque and can stem the formation of new plaque in the arteries. Continuing the results of the Journal of Nutrition research , dried garlic extract showed a decrease in calcium and C-reactive protein levels in the arteries, which are signs of plaque buildup that can narrow or clog arteries and trigger inflammation. If left unchecked, then a person will be vulnerable to stroke and heart attack. Not only that, the sulfur content in garlic can be converted by red blood cells into hydrogen sulfide gas which functions to dilate blood vessels.

Meanwhile, the results of research in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry concluded that garlic can protect diabetics from cardiomyopathy (a chronic disease of the heart muscle).

• Lowering blood pressure

 Garlic can be a medicine for people with hypertension, even if its properties are comparable to generic hypertension drugs. Based on research from the Pakistan Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences , raw garlic can lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure with almost the same effectiveness as the drug atenolol. These benefits can be obtained through the allicin content in raw garlic. Thus, it is more easily absorbed by the body. In fact, in another study, proving 600-1,500 milligrams of garlic extract had the same level of effectiveness as the drug atenolol and was able to lower blood pressure for 24 weeks.

• Prevent cancer

Based on research by the National Center for Biotechnology Information , consuming garlic regularly can reduce the risk of developing various types of cancer, such as breast cancer, stomach cancer, pancreatic cancer, esophageal cancer, lung cancer, stomach cancer, and prostate cancer. The content of garlic that can prevent the formation and spread of cancer cells, namely active sulfur, which can be obtained from raw white. In addition, garlic contains the compound allicin which is rich in antioxidants and has anticancer properties. In the journal Cancer Prevention Research conducted at the Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention , respondents who regularly consumed raw garlic twice a week had a 44 percent reduced risk of lung cancer.

• Lower cholesterol

Garlic is an effective vegetable that can prevent high cholesterol. In the Journal of Postgraduate Medicine reported, consumption of 1-2 small cloves of raw garlic (10 grams) every day for two months can reduce cholesterol levels drastically.

This benefit can be obtained from the content of allicin compounds in raw garlic. To get it, garlic can be directly chewed, chopped, or ground.

• Improvebone health

The flavonoid content in garlic has the potential to improve bone health. Referring to the Journal of Nutrition in Gerontology and Geriatrics , flavonoids can increase bone formation while preventing bone mineral loss. Another study using dried garlic extract in postmenopausal women showed a reduction in estrogen deficiency, which can lead to osteoporosis.

• Maintain digestive tract health

In a study found that garlic is effective in reducing H.pylori bacterial infection in the stomach so that it can maintain a healthy digestive tract.

• Maintain brain health

A group of research teams from the University of Missouri said the content of FruArg (a carbohydrate derivative in garlic) in garlic can protect the brain from the effects of aging and other diseases. FruArg is effective in reducing nitric oxide levels produced by microglia cells in the brain during the fight against oxidative stress and inflammation. Microglia cells are useful for maintaining the nervous system. However, the longer the fight against inflammation, the more nitric oxide is produced. High levels of nitric oxide can trigger brain damage. However, the FruArg contained in garlic can multiply microglia cells without triggering an increase in nitric oxide levels in the brain.

• Fight the flu

Based on a study published by American Family Physician , a person who consumes garlic regularly can prevent and reduce the frequency of influenza illness. The allicin compound contained in garlic is effective in killing germs that cause colds, coughs, sore throats, and flu. Thus, it can increase endurance.

• Prevent Alzheimer's and Dementia

Antioxidants in garlic are able to fight free radicals in the body that can increase the risk of developing brain diseases, such as Alzheimer's and dementia that cause a person to lose memory, have difficulty thinking and solving problems, to difficulty in terms of language.

• Prevents liver damage

One of the causes of liver damage is excessive alcohol consumption. This risk can be prevented by the properties of the content in garlic. Citing research conducted by Shandong University, China, the content of diallyl disulfide (DADS) can help protect the liver by fighting oxidative stress caused by ethanol. In addition to the 10 benefits above, there are many other benefits of garlic that can support health, such as overcoming acne, overcoming hair loss, providing a detoxifying effect, reducing the risk of osteoarthritis, and preventing premature birth in babies.