The benefits of garlic with lemon

A good garlic and lemon tea is the secret recipe of grandmothers when we catch a cold. This home remedy has been an aid for the treatment of various illnesses for generations.

Today in Menu we tell you everything you need to know regarding the benefits of these two foods and why you should incorporate them into your diet during the day.

Garlic, a super food

According to research from Louisiana State University’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center, garlic has been used as a remedy for more than 500 years. Ancient Romans, Egyptians, Chinese and Greeks all have writings and recipe books that mention garlic as a treatment for a wide variety of ailments.

According to Heathline, a media outlet specializing in health issues, current scientists have found that most of the medicinal properties of this food come from the sulfur compounds that are released when cutting, crushing or chewing garlic.

On the other hand, we can say that garlic is a kind of “super food”, since it contains high amounts of nutrients in relatively low calorie portions. Garlic provides the body with vitamins A, B, C, D and E, as well as iron, magnesium, zinc, potassium and selenium. A 100 gram serving has only 118 calories.

All this load of nutrients stimulates our immune system making it stronger and capable of fighting diseases.

A study published in the medical journal Advances In Therapy, experimented with a group of people divided into two groups. The first group of people was given a garlic supplement daily, the other received a placebo.

The results were compelling. People who added the garlic supplement daily reduced their incidence of flu infections by 63%. In addition, people who did get sick saw their symptoms reduced in a shorter amount of time than those who were not taking the supplement.

Another important benefit of garlic is an apparent improvement in cardiovascular health. According to the WHO, cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks and strokes are the leading cause of death in the world. According to Heathline, garlic has a beneficial action in reducing blood pressure and aiding in the treatment of diseases such as hypertension.

As if that were not enough, this food also provides a significant amount of antioxidants, substances that help slow down the natural degenerative process of our cells. In other words, they help combat the negative effects of aging. This includes not only physical problems, but also the prevention of the development of brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s and dementia.

A lemon a day, a little more life

Lemon is another of the most widely used home remedies around the world. And with good reason. According to the Food Data Central of the United States Department of Agriculture, a single lemon contains 31 mg of vitamin C. As with garlic, this nutritious cocktail stimulates the immune system to make it more resistant to diseases.

In addition, this fruit contains calcium, potassium and phosphate, elements that are very important for the health of muscles, nerves, bones and the cardiovascular system. According to the University of Pittsburgh, there are studies that support the effectiveness of lemon juice in preventing the formation of kidney stones.

Gallstones are small lumps, “stones” that form when waste products crystallize in our digestive system. The citric acid in lemons helps to increase the pH of urine, thus creating an unfavorable environment for the appearance of these annoying and dangerous lumps.

On the other hand, eating lemons and other citrus fruits has been linked to preventing some types of cancer. Healthline notes that there are studies that have tested compounds in lemons that kill cancer cells. Additionally, they have found that people who eat the most citrus fruits have a lower risk of cancer.

As far as the digestive system is concerned, lemon provides certain amounts of soluble fiber, which is beneficial for intestinal health, as it slows down the digestion of sugars and starches. This can translate into a lower amount of sugar in the blood.

Lemon and garlic combined

Now that it has become clear why you should be drinking that garlic and lemon tea more often, it remains to talk regarding the benefits of both foods combined.

A study published in the International Journal of Preventive Medicine found that 20 grams of garlic and a tablespoon of lemon juice per day significantly reduced LDL cholesterol and fibrinogen levels.

In addition, a decrease in the blood pressure of the study subjects was observed. The experts in charge of the research concluded that the benefits of these foods are greater when they are combined than when one of them is consumed alone.

So now you know, grandma’s advice and recipes are almost always right. Don’t forget to combine the consumption of garlic and lemon with a balanced diet to stay in good health.

With information from EN