Garlic is an inexpensive way to flavor your food. Eating garlic on a regular basis may improve your health in addition to helping you prepare tasty recipes. Allison Tannis reports in her book, "Feed Your Skin, Starve Your Wrinkles," that there are several types of garlic, including elephant, but regular garlic cloves have been shown to have the most positive impact on your health and well-being. Mince some garlic into pasta sauce or saute with your favorite vegetables to begin taking advantage of all the benefits it has to offer.
May Lower Cholesterol
A diet high in saturated and trans fat may raise your cholesterol levels. High cholesterol levels are associated with heart disease, diabetes and numerous other dangerous medical conditions. Adding garlic to your diet may help lower your cholesterol levels by reducing your levels of LDL cholesterol, which is the bad kind, as well as your triglyceride levels, which are also associated with heart problems, notes Jon Gordon in his book, "The 10-Minute Energy Solution: A Proven Plan to Increase Your Energy, Reduce Your Stress and Transform Your Life."
May Enhance the Immune System
If you are experiencing more colds than usual, adding some garlic to your diet may encourage your immune system to work more efficiently. Gordon notes that garlic is antiviral and antibacterial, which aids in destroying germs before they cause you to get ill. When garlic is placed in a dish with bacteria, the bacteria die, adds Gordon, which makes it a powerful antibacterial agent. Crushing garlic into your favorite recipes is one simple way to get the benefits of a higher-functioning immune system and reduce how many colds and other illnesses you get each year.
May Prevent Cancer
A diet high in garlic may also reduce your risk of developing numerous types of cancer. Gordon notes that it is for a similar reason that garlic boosts your immune system. The compounds that garlic contains are able, in some instances, to attack cancerous cells so they do not form tumors. Two or three cloves of garlic each day can help you decrease your risk. Gordon recommends adding crushed garlic to vegetable juice as one way to consume more.
May Increase Energy
Beyond being very nutritious, garlic may also give you more energy and reduce the time you spend rundown and sluggish. Gordon notes that eating garlic on a daily basis can help keep your energy levels stable and also reduce how much time you spend tired. This is particularly true if you feel a cold coming on, Gordon notes. Eating two or three garlic cloves when you start to feel rundown can help you retain more energy and stay more active.
References
- "Feed Your Skin, Starve Your Wrinkles"; Allison Tannis; 2009
- "The 10-Minute Energy Solution: A Proven Plan to Increase Your Energy, Reduce Your Stress and Transform Your Life"; Jon Gordon; 2006
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