One of the most commonly used spices, garlic, known for its pungent smell and distinct flavour is loaded with immense health benefits. A sulphur bearing compound called Allicin, gives it its medicinal qualities. Highly valued throughout the ages as a culinary spice, garlic is one of the oldest cultivated plants in the world.
Benefits of garlic
Garlic is guaranteed to transform any meal into a bold, aromatic, and healthy culinary experience.
Freshly sliced or mashed garlic generates hydrogen sulphide, which can promote blood circulation and protect the heart.
When consumed regularly, the anti-inflammatory properties of raw garlic can help ease the painful symptoms associated with swollen arthritic joints.
Garlic helps to lower the body’s cholesterol triglycerides from 15% to 20%. It has the impressive ability to lower blood pressure.
Garlic is known for keeping cold at bay. Eating a clove of garlic when you feel like you may have an onset of cold, improves your immune system and strengthens your immune system.
Garlic is known for its anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-fungal properties and has been used since a long time to treat wounds, typhus, cholera, intestinal parasites and infections. Garlic has compounds that help prevent any kind of heart disease.
Garlic is a huge help with people living with diabetes and helps to prevent it as well because it helps to lower the glucose in the blood.
Muscles can be toned by taking garlic which then can sustain an extra amount of work. It is also a great muscle relaxant.
Other things to know about garlic
Always buy fresh garlic to maximize its flavour and benefits. If you cannot tolerate raw garlic, you can add garlic to foods towards the end of the cooking process to retain the maximum amount of flavour and nutrition.
Even though garlic in flake, powder , or paste form may be more convenient, they may not provide the perfect culinary and health benefits.
Avoid garlic that is soft, shrivelled, and mouldy or that has begun to sprout as this may be indications of decay that will cause inferior flavour and texture. Depending on its age and variety, a whole garlic bulb will keep fresh from 2 weeks to 2 months.
