15 health benefits of garlic

Garlic is one of the most common ingredients in Indian dishes but apart from imparting flavour to food, this tiny, white pod also has immense medicinal properties. Used since time immemorial to treat various ailments, garlic is one ingredient in your kitchen that has a number of uses. Here are the top 15 health benefits of garlic you should know about.

What makes garlic so special?

• It has a variety of potent sulphur-containing compounds which are the reason for its characteristic pungent odour.
• Allicin, the vital compound in the pod, is known to have great anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal and anti-oxidant properties. That is why garlic is best had when it’s finely chopped, minced or pureed and let sit for some time.
• Garlic is also a reliable source of selenium.
• Allicin, along with other compounds like ajoene, alliin, etc. also have a healing effect on your circulatory, digestive and immunological systems and help in lowering blood pressure, detoxification, healing, etc.

Helps keep bacterial and viral infections at bay

Due to its innate compounds, garlic can help keep both bacterial and viral infections at bay.

How does it help?

• They help control bacterial, viral, fungal, yeast and worm infections.
• Fresh garlic is thought to play a role in preventing food poisoning by killing bacteria like E. coli, Salmonella enteritidis, etc.

Can help treat skin infections

Since it has both antibacterial and antiviral properties, garlic is great when it comes to treating skin infections.

How does it help?

• The chemical ajoene found in garlic may help treat fungal skin infections like ringworm and athlete’s foot.

Tip:

If you have a skin infection, you could apply the juice of come crushed garlic cloves on the area once or twice a day. Wash the juice off with some clean, room temperature water.