Garlic is a familiar spice for us in cooking. It not only makes food tasty, but also provides us with numerous health benefits. The benefits of garlic are more awesome if you eat the raw because cooking might decrease the amount and effectiveness of chemicals inside garlic. This article will show you 5 reasons why you should chew raw garlic instead of using them in cooking.
Boost Immune System
Studies have shown that eating raw garlic is beneficial in improving the human immune system. Garlic has anti-inflammatory property, and fresh garlic exhibits a strong effect than the ones that had been cooked. The levels of allicin in raw garlic are greater than that in heated garlic. This compound is most likely the reason for its amazing benefits.
Lower Cholesterol Levels
Those people who consume raw garlic daily for about 2 months showed a significant reduction in their cholesterol levels, in accordance with a study published in the Journal of Postgraduate Medicine in 1991. The bad cholesterol (LDL) has been reduced after consuming fresh garlic for a long period of time while the level of good cholesterol (HDL) has not been impacted at all.
Provide Plentiful Antioxidants
Antioxidants are really necessary to the human body as they can help improve immunity system and fight free radicals. However, our bodies are not capable of producing its own antioxidants in nature. That is when consuming enough antioxidant-rich foods comes into the picture. Eating foods rich in this natural substance is considered the best way to fulfill your daily intake and raw garlic consists of powerful antioxidants. Garlic has plenty of antioxidants, especially in the raw form. It explains why garlic is used as a home remedy for many health and beauty conditions.
Detoxify The Body
In fact, controlling the properties entering your body is not easy at all. Among bad properties that cause serious damage to your body, metal toxicity gets noticed the most. Such kind of properties can be found in common food; however, they are hardly detected. That is why regularly detoxifying your body is crucial to eradicate such harmful properties. Fortunately, raw garlic has sulfur, a compound that acts as a natural metal detox.
Improve Insulin Sensitivity
A decline in insulin sensitivity increases your potential risk of type 2 diabetes. Eating raw garlic might help with this problem. The study published in Nutrition and Metabolism in 2011 was designed to investigate the impact of raw garlic on fructose induced insulin resistance, oxidative stress and associated metabolic syndrome in diabetic rats. The results showed that raw garlic homogenate was effective in improving insulin sensitivity whilst attenuating oxidative stress and metabolic syndrome in such rats. However, because this study had been carried out on rats, so further scientific research is essential to see whether or not the same benefit happens in humans.
Lower Cancer Risk
Consuming raw garlic twice per week or more can potentially halve your risk of lung cancer, according to a study published in the Journal Cancer Prevention Research. It is thanks to the compound found in raw garlic, selenium, which might have an anti-cancer property. Besides, the organosulfur compounds in this spice also play a primary part in fighting against brain cancer cells. This herb has also been scientifically cited as treating and preventing other illnesses like diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels.
About the author:
John Hughes is a Health and Beauty expert who has more than 5 years of experience in Health Care industry. For more health care tips on healthy living, visit him at the website TrueRemedies.com. There, you will find posts on natural treatments, recipes, healthy foods, and so much more.
