Garlic is a plant in the Allium family, closely related to onions, shallots and leeks. Throughout history, garlic was used to treat a variety of medical conditions. Modern science has now confirmed the many beneficial health effects of garlic.
Below are some major health benefits of garlic:
- PREVENTS AND REDUCES THE SEVERITY OF THE COMMON COLD, FLU – In one large 12-week study, taking a daily garlic supplement reduced the number of colds by 63%.
- REDUCES BLOOD PRESSURE – High doses of garlic improve blood pressure for those with hypertension. In some cases supplements may be as effective as prescriptions medications.
- IMPROVES CHOLESTEROL LEVELS/LOWERS RISK OF HEART DISEASE – Garlic supplements can reduce LDL and total cholesterol by 10-15%. High LDL levels are a known risk factor for heart disease.
- IMPROVES BONE HEALTH – Garlic may benefit bone health by increasing estrogen levels in females.
- DETOXIFIES HEAVY METALS – The sulfur compounds in garlic can protect against organ damage from heavy metal toxicity.
Garlic is low in calories but highly nutritious. One clove or garlic contains approximately:
- Manganese – 2% Daily Value (DV)
- Vitamin C – 1% DV
- Vitamin B6 – 2% DV
- Fiber – 0.06 %
- Selenium – 1% DV
- Good amounts of calcium, copper, phosphorous, vitamin B1, potassium, and iron
Garlic also contains trace amounts of other nutrients – giving you a little bit of almost everything your body needs.
Next time you’re grocery shopping, grab some fresh garlic and add it to your daily diet. If you don’t consume enough garlic in your food, choose a high quality natural supplement!
Until next time, stay healthy!
Dr. Steven M. Nickels, DC, NMD, DACBN, DCBCN
