Garlic is a plant with long, flat grass like leaves and a papery hood around the flowers. The greenish white or pink flowers are found grouped together at the end of a long stalk. The stalk rises directly from the flower bulb, which is the part of the plant used as food and medicine. The bulb is made up of many smaller bulbs covered with a papery skin known as cloves. Although garlic is known as the “stinking rose” it is actually a member of the lily family.
Garlic uses
Garlic is widely used around the world for its pungent flavor as a seasoning or condiment.
The garlic plant’s bulb is the most commonly used part of the plant. With the exception of the single clove types, garlic bulbs are normally divided into numerous fleshy sections called cloves. Garlic cloves are used for consumption (raw or cooked) or for medicinal purposes. They have a characteristic pungent and spicy flavor that mellows and sweetens considerably with cooking.
Benefits of Garlic
Prevents heart diseases
Consuming garlic on a daily basis (in food or raw) helps to lower cholesterol levels because of the anti-oxidant properties of Allicin. It is also immensely beneficial to regulate blood pressure and blood sugar levels. It is essential to remember that the sulphur-containing compound Allicin tends to lose its medicinal properties when garlic is cooked whole. It is imperative to consume garlic raw or semi-cooked to derive any of its benefits.
It has antibacterial properties
Garlic is one of the best kept medicinal treasures of the past era – it has been used as an antibiotic to treat bacterial, fungal and parasitic infections for the last 7,000 years. Diluted garlic extract helps children with tapeworm infections.
Good for skin and hair
The invigorating properties of garlic protect the skin from the effect of free radicals and slow down the depletion of collagen which leads to loss of elasticity in aging skin. Applied topically, garlic does wonders to skin infected with fungal infections and provides relief from skin ailments like eczema. It is also an effective remedy for fungal infections like athlete’s foot and ring worms. All of us know about the wonders of onion for hair but its brother, garlic is no less of a hero for your thinning mane.
Prevents and treats colds
Packed with antioxidants, a daily dose of garlic in your recipes could benefit your immune system. If a cold does sneak by, try sipping garlic tea: steep chopped or minced garlic in hot water for several minutes, then strain and drink. You can add a bit of honey or ginger to improve the taste. Packed with antioxidants, a daily dose of garlic in your recipes could benefit your immune system.
Helps to get rid of acne
Cut a clove of garlic in half and rub it over the affected area. Done regularly, the antibacterial properties found in garlic cloves will help to clear up your complexion and get rid of acne.
Prevents tooth decay and treats oral infections
Garlic has antibacterial effects on dental plaque bacteria that cause tooth decay if left untreated. Garlic also treats oral infections like periodontitis, oral thrush, and sore mouth from dentures. Garlic may be used in conjunction with antibiotics or to treat multi drug-resistant bacteria. Allicin in garlic combats bacteria by inhibiting sulfur-containing enzymes that bacteria need for survival.
Helps in lowering cholesterol levels
.Garlic lowers total and low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol by inhibiting cholesterol synthesis in the liver. LDL cholesterol is harmful because it clogs blood vessels and increases the risk of heart attacks and stroke.
Lowers blood pressure
Garlic reduces blood pressure in patients with high blood pressure (hypertension). Aged garlic extract reduces blood pressure by increasing calcium and reducing levels, which cause inflammation and elevated blood pressure.
Garlic as per Ayurveda
In Ayurveda, onion and garlic are more like medicine than food items. Ayurveda categorizes food on the basis of rasas (taste) and gunas. It defines nutritional properties of food based on six tastes – sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent and astringent and gunas or qualities, which are Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. Onions and garlic are considered to be Tamasic and Rajasic respectively, which means they are pungent in nature and result in an increase of bile and heat in the body.
Ayurveda specialists suggest that consumption of onion and garlic results in some negative feelings and emotions like anger, aggression, ignorance, over stimulation of the senses, lethargy, anxiety, and increase in sexual desire. Hence, those who practice meditation or choose to follow the spiritual path, live in complete avoidance of consumption of onion and garlic.
Health and fitness 