How to Add Garlic to Your Diet for the Best Health
If you’re looking to improve your health, adding garlic to your diet is a great place to start. So, how to add garlic to your diet for the best health? Garlic has been shown to have numerous health benefits, including acting as an antibiotic, promoting heart health, and helping to prevent cancer.
There are many ways to add garlic to your diet. You can incorporate it into recipes, take supplements, or simply eat raw cloves of garlic. The best way to get the most health benefits from garlic is to eat it raw, as cooking can reduce its potency.
However, cooked garlic still has health benefits and is a convenient way to get those benefits if you’re not a fan of eating raw garlic. Supplements are also a convenient way to get the benefits of garlic if you don’t like the taste or smell. No matter how you choose to add garlic to your diet, you’re sure to enjoy the many health benefits it provides!
The health benefits of garlic | How to Add Garlic to Your Diet for the Best Health
Garlic as an antibiotic
Garlic has been used as an antibiotic for centuries, dating back to the ancient Egyptians. Garlic was even used during World War II to prevent gangrene. The antibacterial properties of garlic are due to a compound called allicin. Allicin is released when garlic is crushed or chewed. It can also be formed from garlic oil.
Allicin has been shown to kill bacteria, viruses, and fungi. It is most effective against Gram-positive bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). S. aureus is a common cause of skin infections, respiratory infections, and food poisoning.
In one study, allicin was found to be effective against methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). MRSA is a type of S. aureus that is resistant to antibiotics. In this study, allicin was able to kill MRSA without harming human cells. This shows that garlic could potentially be used as an alternative to antibiotics.
Garlic for heart health
Garlic has also been shown to improve heart health in several ways. One way it does this is by reducing high blood pressure (hypertension). High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke.
In one study, participants who took garlic supplements had a significant reduction in systolic blood pressure (the top number in a blood pressure reading). Diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number) was also reduced, but not by as much. Garlic may also help reduce cholesterol levels and prevent plaque buildup in the arteries (atherosclerosis).
Garlic for cancer prevention
Garlic has also been studied for its role in cancer prevention. Some studies have found that garlic can help reduce the risk of several types of cancer, including stomach, colon, and esophageal cancer.
One study found that people who ate the most garlic had a 44% lower risk of stomach cancer. Another study found that garlic supplements reduced the risk of colon cancer by 30%. However, it is important to note that not all studies have found these same results. More research is needed to understand how garlic affects cancer risk.
Garlic may help to prevent cancer by reducing inflammation and boosting the immune system. It may also work by blocking the formation of carcinogens (substances that can cause cancer) or by killing cancer cells directly.
How to add garlic to your diet
Incorporating garlic into recipes
One great way to add garlic to your diet is by incorporating it into recipes. Garlic enhances the flavor of many dishes, so it can be used in a variety of recipes. Try adding garlic to soups, stews, pasta dishes, or stir-fries. You can also roast whole heads of garlic and spread the cloves on bread or use them to make a flavorful garlic paste.
Taking garlic supplements
If you don’t like the taste of garlic or if you want to get the maximum health benefits from garlic, you may want to take garlic supplements. Garlic supplements are available in many forms, including capsules, tablets, and oils. Some people even choose to plant cloves of garlic in their gardens and eat them raw for the most potent health benefits.
The best way to get the most health benefits from garlic
Raw garlic is the most potent
Raw garlic is the most potent form of garlic and provides the most health benefits. Allicin, the compound responsible for garlic’s health benefits, is only produced when garlic cloves are crushed or cut. This means that cooked garlic does not have the same health benefits as raw garlic. To get the most from raw garlic, let the crushed or cut cloves sit for 10 minutes before eating them. This allows allicin to form and maximizes the health benefits of raw garlic.
Cooked garlic still has health benefits
Cooked garlic does not have the same health benefits as raw garlic, but it still has some health benefits. Cooking garlic reduces allicin content, but it also makes other compounds in garlic more bioavailable. These compounds include diallyl sulfides and S-allyl cysteine, which have their own unique health benefits. So while cooking reduces the overall potency of garlic, it still provides some health benefits.
Garlic supplements are a convenient way to get the benefits of garlic
Garlic supplements are a convenient way to get the benefits of garlic without having to eat raw cloves or cook with them every day. Garlic supplements typically come in capsules or tablets that can be taken with water. Most supplements contain allicin, but some also contain other compounds found in garlic like diallyl sulfides and S-allyl cysteine. Garlic supplements are a good option for people who do not like the taste of raw cloves or who do not want to cook with them every day.
The best way to get the most health benefits from garlic is to eat it raw. This is because raw garlic is the most potent form of garlic and has the most health benefits. However, cooked garlic still has health benefits and is a convenient way to get the benefits of garlic.