Learn the Herbs: Garlic
Garlic is a flowering bulb of a genus called Allium. It is a popular plant that has widely been used in cuisines and as an herbal medicine for thousands of years. It is known to alleviate and prevent many medical conditions.
Therefore, this article will include the origin, composition, uses and medicinal benefits of garlic that have been proven by science. We have gathered results from various researches that were conducted all around the world.
Chemical Constituents of Garlic
The following major compounds are found in garlic that make it so beneficial:
- Allicin
- Ajoene
- Diallyl
- Polysulfides
- Enzymes
- Flavonoids
- Vinyldithiins
- S-allylcysteine
- Saponins
- Maillard reaction components
Garlic: Origin and History
Garlic is native to South Asia, Central Asia, and Southwestern Siberia. However, its origin is highly debated. This popular crop is one of the world’s highly consumed and oldest crop that was brought to Europe by crusaders. Later, it was taken to America by the Portuguese settlers. And today, garlic is one of the world's most widely cultivated crops.
Garlic: Health Benefits and Uses
Apart from its pungent smell and taste that we all kind of love and hate, garlic is a great herbal medicine for several ailments. Moreover, garlic was also found to be helpful in reducing the risk of osteoarthritis, according to a study conducted in England.
Here are some other proven benefits of garlic:
For Protecting Heart
Consuming garlic oil has shown to protect the heart during surgeries and post heart attack. This is due to diallyl trisulfide, a component found in garlic oil. It can also be used for reducing the risk of heart failure. Another study conducted to see the benefits of garlic oil found that it can help diabetic patients from getting cardiomyopathy.
For Fighting Bacteria
Diallyl sulfide is a compound found in garlic that is 100% more helpful than most of the antibiotics. It is especially useful for fighting a bacteria that causes stomach infections. It can get rid of these bacteria found in our foods and in our environment.
For Helping with High Cholesterol and Blood Pressure
Garlic extracts are proven to reduce high cholesterol among the patients and help with high blood pressure. This study by a researcher shows that Kyolic garlic was highly effective in improving the cardiovascular health of the patients by reducing the cholesterol levels and blood thickness.
All these benefits are tested and proven by science which shows how effective garlic is for helping with certain conditions. Incorporating garlic tincture in your daily diet can have long term benefits.
Is it Safe to Consume Garlic?
Garlic is absolutely safe to consume raw or in the form of tinctures. However, when eaten raw, garlic can cause:
- Bad breath
- Burning sensation in stomach or throat
- Heartburn
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Gas and vomiting
Therefore, make sure you only consume a certain amount of garlic every day. The American Family Physician recommends a dosage of 4g of raw garlic or 7.2g of garlic extract per day for an adult.