2023-06-27 15:25:31
Garlic is characterized by its flavor and versatility and, therefore, it is one of the most used foods not only in the preparation of gastronomic dishes, but also to treat and prevent the development of various conditions, due to its high nutritional density.
It is a nutritious food, which contains minerals such as manganese, selenium, calcium, copper or potassium and vitamins B6 and C; It has few calories and it is advisable to include it in the framework of a balanced and healthy diet to enhance its benefits.
To consume it, the ideal is not to swallow it whole. The correct thing is to crush it or, better yet, cut it into thin slices and, if you want to soften the flavor a bit, mix it with olive, flax, walnut or coconut oil. The digital media Business Insider indicates that a clove of raw garlic barely has five calories, provides 0.2 grams of protein and one gram of carbohydrates.
Among its medicinal benefits, it is said that it helps to alleviate pathologies related to the heart and the blood system, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, coronary artery diseases and arteriosclerosis.
Blood Benefits
One of the benefits attributed to it is that it helps reduce LDL cholesterol levels, known as bad, and triglycerides in the blood, because it inhibits its oxidation, thus reducing the risk of atherosclerosis (formation of plaques on the walls of the of the arteries).
Similarly, the wellness and health portal Tua Saúde indicates that it is a healthy food to control high blood pressure, because it exerts a hypotensive effect and promotes blood circulation, thanks to its vasodilator properties.
Human studies have shown that supplementation with this product has a significant impact when it comes to lowering blood pressure in people with hypertension. An article published in El Nuevo Herald refers to a study, according to which aged garlic extract in doses of 600-1,500 milligrams was as effective as the drug Atenolol in reducing blood pressure over a period of 24 weeks.
In the case of intermittent claudication, that is, when arteriosclerosis affects the legs and requires frequent stopping to walk due to the pain it causes, this food helps blood to reach the muscles better.
Similarly, a publication by the American foundation, AARP, on its website ensures that there is evidence indicating that garlic helps prevent platelets from sticking together and, by promoting good circulation, prevents the formation of clots. This is due to the effects generated by allicin and the content of B vitamins.
In addition to being favorable for the blood, one of the main benefits that this food is recognized for is its anti-inflammatory power. The newspaper El Universal, from Mexico, cites research published in the National Library of Medicine, which reveals that eating garlic would help reduce joint pain and discomfort, for example.
According to the aforementioned source, if you suffer from muscle pain, you can also rub garlic oil on your skin to reduce inflammation.
The digital media Business Insider, for its part, refers to studies according to which this vegetable would help prevent cancer. One of them was carried out by scientists from the Medical University of China and published in the Asia-Pacific Journal of Clinical Oncology. This research determined that garlic, onions, and other vegetables from the Allium family have the potential to prevent colon cancer.
This food is also attributed properties that help alleviate respiratory problems, thanks to the fact that it is expectorant and antiseptic, facilitating breathing, so its use is recommended to treat flu, coughs, colds, hoarseness, asthma, bronchitis and lung conditions. .
One of the aspects to take into account is that it is a food that is sometimes difficult to digest and that is why people who are prone to reflux, heartburn and other gastric conditions should moderate or limit their consumption to avoid irritating the mucous membranes.
On the other hand, garlic can intensify the effects of anticoagulants, such as heparin or warfarin, and antiplatelet agents, which favors the appearance of bleeding. Similarly, people who suffer from diabetes and take medication to control this disease should be careful, since it has hypoglycemic effects, that is, it is capable of reducing blood glucose levels.
Finally, those who face thyroid-related conditions should also take precautions, because due to its iodine content, it is possible that this food generates complications, since products with this mineral stimulate the secretion of thyroxine, the hormone that the thyroid gland produces in excess in people with hyperthyroidism.
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