Garlic (called as Allium sativum) is widely cultivated all over the world. Due to its aroma and flavour conferring ability, garlic is an important part of most cuisines. It is a super food since it contains a number of compounds with medicinal value and nutritional benefits. Consumption of garlic juice boosts strength, vitality and increases stamina.
Health Benefits of Garlic Juice
- Benefits of Garlic Juice for Hair loss (Baldness): Consumption of garlic juice strengthens hair roots and prevents them from breaking. They remove harmful toxins and infections from the scalp.
- Benefits of Garlic Juice for Skin Problems: Ingestion of garlic juice works as a good blood cleanser, which cleans the system from within. It is good for treatment of acne and pimples as well.
- Garlic Juice Benefits for Weight Control: Garlic juice consumption controls weight gain. As observed in the laboratory animals, Allicin controls insulin and triglyceride levels and prevents weight gain.
Medicinal Benefits of Garlic Juice
Garlic is a wonder drug which has medicinal value and cures or prevents a number of medical conditions:
- Medicinal Benefits of Garlic Juice for Treating Asthma and Cold and Cough: Garlic juice is effective for asthma, cough and cold problems, disorders of lungs and in chronic bronchitis on account of its expectorant properties.
- Benefits of Garlic Juice for Lowering Cholesterol and Protecting Heart: Garlic lowers increased levels of triacylglycerides (TAGs), cholesterol and LDL cholesterol and increases HDL cholesterol. It prevents plaque formation and clogging of arteries. The component Ajoene has anti-clotting properties that prevents aggregation of platelets and prevent clot formation. Thus, consumption of garlic prevents atherosclerosis and confers protection to heart.
- Stabilizing Blood Pressure as a Benefit of Garlic Juice Consumption: A benefit of garlic is the ability to stabilize blood pressure levels. Angiotensin II, a peptide, is responsible for constriction of blood vessels, and leads to high blood pressure. Allicin in garlic attaches to angiotensin II and prevents its movement and does not allow blood vessel to get constricted.
- Medicinal Benefit of Garlic Juice for Blood Thinning: The salicylate content in garlic can make blood thinner. This allows proper blood flow and enhances circulation benefits and prevents thrombosis.
- Anti-cancer Benefits of Garlic Juice: Garlic contains anti-carcinogenic substances and antioxidants that prevent formation of cancer and inhibits tumor growth. These include potent substances such as quercetin, diallyl sulphide, allin, allicin and ajoene. Among these allin and ajoene are found to restrict the cancer cell growth. Germanium is also found to exhibit anti-cancer properties. Garlic juice is known to prevent various cancers such as colon, breast and prostate.
- Garlic Juice Benefits for Stabilizing Blood Sugar: Allicin component of garlic increases insulin secretion. It prevents diabetic complications of the eye, kidneys, skin, heart and blood vessels.
- Benefits of Garlic Juice for Cleansing Liver: Liver needs sulphur to detoxify the body from toxins/drugs. Since garlic is a rich source of sulphur, it activates liver enzymes and enables cleaning of liver from toxins. Further consumption of garlic increases bile juice production, which reduces fat content in liver.
- Garlic Juice Confers Protection from Osteoarthritis: Garlic contains anti-inflammatory properties which protects from osteoarthritis.
- Benefits of Garlic Juice for Boosting Immunity: It improves immunity due to its antibacterial and antiviral properties. Allicin, which is a good antibiotic, and offers a protective shield. It also safeguards body from the infection caused by fungus, ringworm, and yeast.
Other Uses and Benefits of Garlic Juice
- Garlic juice contains some antioxidant substances which scavenge free radicals present in the blood and relieves from oxidative stress. Hence it is good as an anti-ageing agent too.
- Intake of garlic juice saves from bites of poisonous insects. It is also a good mosquito repellent. The commercially available repellents include garlic as one of their ingredients.
- Consumption of garlic juice protects body against heavy metal poisoning.
- Reduces snoring
- Relieves toothache problems
- Prevents cataracts and improves vision
- It is an effective treatment on food poisoning
- Used as treatment of ear infections.
Nutritional Composition of Garlic Juice
Garlic is called as a super food due to its composition. It is a rich source of vitamins A, B-complex and C. It contains good amounts of minerals like calcium, copper, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, iron and copper. Moreover, it contains essential oils, amino acids, glycosides and other rare essential trace minerals like selenium, germanium, and tellurium. It is abundant in various potent substances and contains two vital healthy sulphur-containing components such as allicin and diallyl sulphide. The phytochemical allium is an anti-oxidant and it contains more than 12 types of more anti-oxidants. Garlic in its raw state has health benefits and surprisingly it does not lose its medicinal properties on cooking.
Conclusion
Garlic has various nutritional and therapeutic benefits. However, it should not be consumed in excessive amounts. Overall research studies have shown it to be a wonder drug and still many of the functional aspects of its components are to be studied and utilized for benefits of the humans.