Raw Garlic Intake--Benefits & Cautions

Garlic is highly nutrtious but has very few calories. It contains a little bit of almost everything we need. Garlic contains a Compound called 'Allicin', Which has medicinal properties.  Here are some of the proven facts for garlic.

Prevention of Heart Disease

Consuming garlic on a daily basis 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. The study further explains that garlic’s polysulfides promote the opening or widening of blood vessels and, hence, blood pressure reduction.

For Diabetes

A study of diabetic patients showed that garlic may be very helpful at improving the overall health of diabetics, including the mitigation of common diabetic complications like atherosclerosis and nephropathy. A daily extract of raw garlic for seven weeks, significantly have lowered serum glucose (blood sugar level), cholesterol and triglyceride levels

The Blood Purifier

Take two cloves of garlic everyday early in the morning and consume a lot of water the entire day. Garlic will help to cleanse your system and flush out toxins.

Cold and Flu

Taking 2-3 cloves of raw garlic a day is not only cure the cold but also build your immunity. Garlic can be added to hot stews, broths and soups to fight sinusitis, cold and flu. And garlic is best had in its raw state because the sulphur-containing compound Allicin tends to lose its medicinal properties when garlic is cooked whole.

Anti-bacterial and Anti-parasitic

Diluted garlic extract helps children with tapeworm infections. A very small quantity of its extracts is sufficient to ward off cavity-causing bacteria.Garlic’s antimicrobial, antiviral and antifungal properties can fight against any infections. Garlic’s allicin is play an important role in its antimicrobial powers.

Cancer Prevention

Several studies have indicated  that daily consumption of garlic strengthen the immunity of the body against cancer. Garlic’s organosulfur compounds, including DATS, DADS, ajoene, and S-allylmercaptocysteine (SAMC), have been found to induce cell cycle arrest when added to cancer cells during in vitro experiments.

For Skin 

Garlic 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 ringworms.

Cautions:

 Do not consume more than 2-3 garlic cloves in a day otherwise some sideeffects like burning a sensation in the mouth or stomach, bad breath, heartburn, gas, bloating, nausea, vomiting, body odor, and diarrhea occurs.

Garlic in any form acts as a natural blood thinner. Speak to your doctor before consuming raw garlic if you take blood thinners. Due to bleeding concerns, stop taking garlic at least two weeks before any scheduled surgery.

Talk to your doctor before consuming raw garlic if you have low blood pressure, ulcers or other GI issues, thyroid problems, or any other ongoing health concerns.

Consult your doctor before taking raw garlic if you are taking any medications, especially the following:

Blood-thinning medications
Isoniazid (Nydrazid)
Birth control pills
Cyclosporine
Medications for HIV/AIDS
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).