7 reasons you should use more garlic in your recipes

“Let food be your medicine, and medicine be your food.” The phrase is from Hippocrates, an ancient Greek physician called the father of oriental medicine, who prescribed garlic to treat various health problems.

Its consumption passed through several of the great civilizations, such as the Egyptians, Babylonians, Greeks, Romans and Chinese. And modern science has already confirmed that they were right.

Most of the benefits come from a sulfur compound formed when a clove of garlic is minced, crushed or chewed. This compound is allicin, which in addition to its medicinal properties, is also responsible for the odor of garlic.

As it is a popular ingredient in cooking and present in many parts of the world, it is easy to consume as it complements most savory dishes. Here are some reasons to include garlic in your diet.

1. It’s low in calories and high in nutrients

Garlic is very nutritious and low in calories. It has good amounts of manganese, selenium, fiber and vitamin B6 and C, as well as calcium, copper, potassium, phosphorus, iron and vitamin B1. It contains a little bit of almost everything we need.

2. Helps fight colds

Garlic boosts immune system function and reduces the number of colds or flu, as well as reducing the average duration of symptoms of these illnesses.

3. Lowers blood pressure

The active compounds in garlic can help reduce blood pressure, which is responsible for cardiovascular diseases like heart attacks and strokes. For this, it is necessary to consume an amount of allicin equivalent to about four cloves of garlic a day.

4. Improves cholesterol levels

Garlic can lower total and LDL (bad) cholesterol by about 10% to 15%. It can also lower triglycerides, another risk factor for heart disease. But there is no proven effect regarding HDL (good cholesterol).

5. Prevent Alzheimer’s

Garlic contains antioxidants that can help prevent disease as it fights free radicals that contribute to the aging process. This effect, combined with lowering cholesterol and blood pressure, helps prevent common brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

6. Improves physical performance

Traditionally used in ancient cultures to reduce fatigue and increase work capacity, it was also used by Olympians in ancient Greece. But there are few current studies on the effectiveness in humans of exercise performance.

7. Garlic can improve bone health

Rodent studies have shown that garlic can minimize bone loss by increasing estrogen in women, especially in menopause, which would have bone health benefits. Onions also have this effect. But more studies in humans are still needed.

To get all the benefits of garlic, the minimum recommended consumption is one clove ingested with meals two or three times a day. An important tip is not to cook the garlic before crushing it. This must be done with it raw.

The information contained on this page is for informational purposes only. They do not replace the advice and follow-up of doctors, nutritionists, psychologists, physical education professionals and other specialists.