Garlic contains multiple compounds, including allicin, which is responsible for garlic’s pungent odor. Allicin stimulates the production of nitric oxide in the body, which serves as a vasodilator. The increased blood flow helps improve sexual function by increasing sensitivity to touch and sensation for both sexes.
Additionally, antioxidants found in garlic provide an array of antioxidants that also react with free radicals inside cells. Free radicals — molecules looking to acquire electrons — are linked to aging and diseases like cancer or Alzheimer’s disease, because they can cause cellular damage over time like how rust damages metal. You can keep these free radicals at bay through regular consumption of garlic cloves — also doubling as spices for your food!
Garlic decreases the levels of a compound called luteinizing hormone and increases testosterone levels. Another study found that taking two cloves of fresh garlic three times a day for nine days resulted in serum testosterone levels to have increased by 155%.
Also, before going to sleep each night you could chew either one teaspoon of raw ginger or take one teaspoonful of crushed clove (crisp outer bits removed), and let it sit in your mouth for 10 minutes before swallowing.
Furthermore, garlic stimulates the production of mineral salts in the body. The two minerals, potassium, and magnesium, both need to be in balance in order for the toxins to flush out, like water through a sprinkling system.
Research has shown that if there is too much calcium in your body (usually from drinking milk) it will actually block these pathways for elimination because calcium blocks their activity. So garlic can work to give your “sprinkler system” more when faced with abundant calcium (i.e., when you drink or eat dairy), helping you counteract this imbalanced situation and eliminate successfully by passing through the stool instead of remaining trapped inside your body where they can accumulate and cause illness.
Garlic is a common seasoning in many kitchens and while some people enjoy its flavor while others find it to be off-putting. The main active ingredient in garlic is allicin which can provide individuals with numerous health benefits such as lowering cholesterol and blood pressure levels, boosting the immune system, regulating heart function, and it also serves as an emergency treatment for snake bites.
It’s safe to say that if you like the taste of garlic then there are plenty of more culinary reasons to add this versatile herb into your dishes. However, if you don’t like the taste or remember smelling like garlic afterward then make sure to take precautions before preparing any recipes since exposure may lead to burning eyes or irritated skin. You should always wash your hands.
What is garlic?
Garlic is a spicy bulbous plant with the chemical name Allium sativum. It contains many beneficial phytonutrients, including flavonoids-properties that help regulate human immune systems.
This means that garlic can prevent infections and heal tissues without causing adverse side effects. Studies have shown that eating about one clove of garlic daily can be useful in combating health conditions such as high cholesterol levels, diabetes mellitus, heart diseases, and various cancers.
Furthermore, cloves of garlic work because they contain natural antibiotics or fungicides to kill off microbes or microorganisms for resistance to developing disease-causing organisms which result in infections or illnesses.
Chemical composition of garlic:
Garlic contains vitamins such as Vitamin A, B6, and C. The minerals in garlic include potassium, manganese, and selenium. The compounds in garlic include allicin which has antibacterial and antiviral properties to help with wounds or illnesses like the flu.
Garlic’s pungent flavor comes from a combination of sulfur-containing compounds — including allyl methyl sulfide, dimethyl sulfate, methional, trisulfide — that are produced by the action of an enzyme named Alliinase on a sulfhydryl group in the amino acid alliin.
When garlic is chewed or cut open by teeth the enzyme loses its substrate (Alliin) to begin reacting with other proteins found in garlic forming yet more flavor molecules. Gastric juices contain proenzymes that release proteolytic enzymes facilitating this process which causes meaningful chemical changes to these larger classes.
Garlic contains many sulfur compounds, including allicin and vinyldithiins. Garlic also contains bioactive flavonoids such as quercetin and kaempferol. One beneficial compound in garlic is ajoene, which prevents LDL cholesterol from oxidizing.
Along with these benefits, garlic also helps your immune system by increasing the number of macrophages and lymphocytes in response to invading bacteria.
It can lower blood pressure by dilating the arteries and helps produce antioxidants to counter free radicals created through the metabolism of food or from environmental irritants like cigarette smoke or pollution that contribute to cancer development. In addition, it improves circulation because it relaxes the walls of blood vessels allowing them to carry more blood.
Health benefits of garlic:
Scientifically, two of the most important health benefits of garlic are its ability to prevent cardiovascular disease by lowering blood pressure or cholesterol levels. Garlic has also been found to have powerful antibiotic properties that help fight colds and improve immune function, as well as detoxifying your body naturally.
Originally, people used garlic for two reasons: its strong flavor helped preserve foods without costly salt brines and because it is a natural insect repellent. Over time, they realized that besides being good for food preservation, garlic had the power to clean the air from persistent bacteria trying to attack a person’s weakened immune system. Garlic has antibacterial properties because it contains an enzyme called alliinase.
The benefits of garlic and its health effects depend on the size and the way it is eaten. Raw garlic will bring about more health benefits than cooked or processed garlic.
If you want to get all of the possible health benefits, eat small amounts every day by spreading it on bread, pasta, or crackers; add it to hot dishes such as sauces and soups; mince it with salt and herbs for a tasty garnish; chop it up in ethnic dishes like stir-fry’s or curries, or use large cloves to rub into meat or fish before cooking.
Garlic has been shown to have a host of medicinal properties, from being an effective antimicrobial agent to being useful at reducing the frequency and severity of an athlete’s foot.
It may also have anti-cancer effects due to its ability to reduce inflammation of body tissue, giving it potential as a cancer prevention agent. In addition, garlic has been shown to lower both total cholesterol and LDL “bad” cholesterol while raising HDL “good” cholesterol levels in people on statin medications or those with high cholesterol/heart disease risk who are not on any other medication.
Garlic may be helpful in lowering blood pressure as well since it contains potassium which can regulate the laxative effect of sodium chloride.
Conclusion:
Garlic is known to produce nausea and other gastrointestinal side effects. Apart from nasal irritation, allergenic reactions, and autoimmune effects, the main adverse effect of garlic consumption is stomach upset. Indigestion can be prevented by taking a little bit of fluid with a bite of garlic before you chew it well.
Some mild dyspeptic symptoms have been observed in some people after drinking water following a meal where garlic was used as a spice or flavoring agent, but this seems to be due to anxiety about indigestion rather than any toxic effect from the _Allium_ species. Onions too cause gastric distress in sensitive individuals — if you suffer from heartburn — it’s best not to eat them at all.
Moreover, some people just don’t like the smell of garlic.
