The health benefits of garlic are legion. The ancient Egyptians used garlic thousands of years ago to help bolster the energy and strength of laborers building the pyramids. In 1858, the French chemist Louis Pasteur, who identified that germs could cause disease, noted that garlic was a powerful antibacterial.
Garlic is also known as Russian penicillin because Russian physicians used it for a long time for treatment of respiratory tract diseases, according to an article in Pharmacognosy Review. .
With cold and flu season upon us, you can harness the disease-fighting ability of garlic by eating it raw, using it in cooking, or taking supplements like aged garlic extract (AGE). Here are some scientifically proven health benefits of garlic:
• Boosts the immune system. According to Verywell Health, garlic contains potassium, zinc, phosphorus and sulfur that help fight infectious diseases by boosting the immune system. AGE may be even more effective in enhancing immunity since it’s made by soaking garlic in liquid which increases disease-fighting compounds.
• Prevents colds and flu. According to Healthline, garlic has shown promise as a treatment for preventing colds and the flu. For one study, 146 healthy men and women took garlic supplements or a placebo for 3 months. The garlic group had a 63% lower risk of getting a cold. Another study found that colds were significantly shorter for subjects who took 2.56 grams of AGE per day during cold and flu season, compared with a placebo group. Their colds were also less severe.
• Fights inflammation. Dr. Matthew Budoff, a noted cardiologist and professor of medicine at UCLA, says that in his research, AGE has shown potent anti-inflammatory properties, similar to the effects of cholesterol-lowering statins. “One of the benefits we believe the statin drugs impart to reduce cardiovascular risk and death is their anti-inflammatory property,” he says. “Now we’re seeing AGE having a similar effect on inflammation.”
• Prevents dementia. Garlic may also be instrumental in staving off dementia, according to studies. Research papers by German scientists suggest that AGE may prevent arterial stiffness by maintaining the flexibility of the arteries and enhancing nitric oxide availability, which relaxes the blood vessels and reduces the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
• Protects against certain cancers. According to the National Institutes of Health, garlic has major antioxidant properties that help ward of cancer. Eating one fresh clove of garlic a day or taking AGE may lower your risk of breast, esophageal, stomach, bowel, and prostate cancer.
Garlic contains many nutrients that boost your health, including a sulfur-producing compound called allicin that helps prevent colds and flu. While there are no official guidelines about how much garlic you should consume to gain these protective effects, experts suggest eating a clove a day or taking the recommended dose of a supplement as recommended by your healthcare provider.
Lynn C. Allison ✉
Lynn C. Allison, a Newsmax health reporter, is an award-winning medical journalist and author of more than 30 self-help books.
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