What are the benefits of eating garlic

Garlic is part of the onion family.  Eating it can help lower cholesterol levels, it thins the blood which can prevent blood clotting and has been shown to have anti-cancer properties.  Garlic is high in nutrients and it contains Vitamin B6 and Vitamin C as well as being a good source of fibre.  It can help reduce blood pressure but you would need to eat around four cloves of garlic a day to get the desired effect.  So, what are the benefits of eating garlic?

Eating garlic can help boost your immune system so if you are suffering from a virus or cold, it can also help speed up your recovery.

Adding garlic to your cooking can destroy its ability to make allicin so it would be more beneficial to eat it raw.

Allicin is an organosulfur compound found in garlic.  When it is crushed or chopped the enzyme alliinase converts into allicin.  Allicin helps to fight bacteria and viruses and can aid in the prevention of many serious diseases.  It has also been used in the past as an antibiotic.

So the next time you are feeling under the weather, chop up a couple of gloves and eat with a nice salad.  If this not appealing, you could always try taking capsules.

Garlic contains

• Vitamin C
• Copper
• Calcium
• Vitamin B6
• Manganese
• Selenium
• Phosphorus
• Vitamin B1

If you are pregnant or taking other medicines, you should seek the advice of your GP before consuming.

There are capsules available to suit everyone including an organic vegan version.

5 ways to eat it raw

1. Grate onto a salad
2. Mix with honey
3. Slice onto toast
4. Add sliced garlic in a sandwich
5. Dice it up into very small bits, add it a cup of lukewarm water and drink quickly!

How to combat the smell after eating it

1. Brush your teeth to remove any residue from your mouth.
2. Chew on some mint-flavoured chewing gum for an hour afterwards.

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