Benefits of Garlic

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   How to Benefit from Garlic

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   Garlic thins the blood and fights bacteria lowering your risk for illness and heart attacks. But how can we acquire these benefits easily?

   Part 1 of 3: Understanding the Health Benefits of Garlic

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      Know that garlic can improve your cardiovascular health. Garlic can help to improve your cardiovascular health and stave off a number of heart-related issues, such as:
      • High blood pressure, high cholesterol, coronary heart disease, heart attacks and hardening of the arteries.
      • This is due to the fact that garlic contains a unique set of sulfur compounds which enlarge and and relax the arteries, improving blood flow around the body.
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Know that garlic can help to ward off cancer. According to a number of studies, people who eat high quantities of garlic are at a reduced risk of developing certain types of cancer, such as:
• Colon cancer, stomach cancer, prostate cancer, breast cancer and lung cancer. It may also be beneficial in the treatment of prostate and bladder cancer.^[2]
• It is believed that the allyl sulfides found in garlic may be responsible for these benefits.
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   Know that garlic can help to combat colds. Garlic can be used to prevent and treat colds, as it is packed with antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal properties.
   • It also contains a large number of antioxidants, which boosts your immune system and help your body to fight off the cold virus.
   • Garlic can also help to shorten the duration of existing colds by helping your body to fight off the cold virus. Try drinking a garlic-infused tea flavored with honey and ginger.
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   Know that garlic can be used in a variety of home remedies. Garlic is also a popular ingredient in a vast array of home remedies, such as:
   • Soothing psoriasis. Thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties, garlic is sometimes used to relieve psoriasis outbreaks by soothing inflamed skin.
   • Clearing acne. Garlic helps to dry out large pimples and kill bacteria on the surface of the skin.
   • Treating athlete's foot. Garlic's anti-fungal fungal properties make it effective treatment for athletes foot.
   • Healing cold sores. Garlic's anti-inflammatory properties help to reduce redness and swelling, shortening the duration of cold sores.^[3]

Part 2 of 3: Eating Raw Garlic

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   Get a clove of garlic from a local food store. Make sure the garlic is fresh and from a good producer. The fresher the garlic the better the benefits.
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   Peel the skin off of one part of the clove. Put the rest of the garlic in a container in the pantry or freezer to keep it fresh. The fresher it is the more minerals and vitamins are in it and that will provide many more benefits.
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   Cut a small chunk off of the part you peeled. Make sure it is a very small part of the clove you can get sick from to much garlic and the point of this is to make you feel better.
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   Swallow the garlic with a full glass of water. The water helps to calm your stomach and sends helps with digestion.
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   Continue to do this every morning for better health. Make it a habit of this. Combined with vitamins and a good breakfast this will have you feeling much better soon. The garlic will help with dark rings under the eyes and will improve the immune system.

Part 3 of 3: Using Garlic in Cooking

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   Use only fresh garlic. Fresh garlic has more nutritional benefits and greater flavor than garlic flakes, powder or paste. Therefore you should always choose to use fresh garlic in your cooking when possible.
   • When buying fresh garlic, look for plump, firm bulbs with unbroken skin. Avoid bulbs that are soft or shriveled looking.
   • Store fresh garlic uncovered in a cool place away from direct sunlight, as this helps to prevent sprouting. It should last for up to a month before it grows moldy.
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   Prepare garlic correctly. Fresh garlic needs to be prepared in a particular way in order to maximize its health benefits.
   • Separate the cloves and remove the skin from each, then crush or chop the garlic and leave it to sit for 5 minutes before using it in your cooking.
   • This sitting period allows an important enzymatic process to take place: a phytonutrient known as alliin is converted into allicin, an active compound which is responsible for the majority of garlic's health benefits.
   • After the 5 minutes are up, the garlic should be eaten or used as quickly as possible as the allicin will quickly become inactive.
   • During cooking, add crushed or chopped garlic near the end of cooking time to retain the most flavor and nutritional value^[4].
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   Add garlic to cooking. Garlic is an extremely versatile herb, and can be used in a wide variety of recipes. Try using garlic in some of the following ways:
   • Add fresh garlic to salad dressings, salsas and butters to add a fiery and pungent flavor.
   • Add a few cloves of garlic to trays of roasting meat or vegetables to add a milder, more aromatic garlic flavor.
   • Use chopped garlic as a base in sauces, soups and casseroles for improved flavor