Garlic might make it difficult for you to make a good first impression, but you'll get over your love failure for peace of mind, because by eating the spicy vegetable, you're getting huge doses of health directly from nature.
All jokes aside, garlic is probably the vegetable with the most health benefits of all. With it, we can treat everything from colds to stomach aches to burns. Most people believe that garlic has the most medicinal properties when it is ripe. The truth is that its green equivalent is just as recommended. Note that fresh garlic is consumed immediately after cleaning. Don't leave it for too long to get the most out of its beneficial properties.
There are nearly 100 active ingredients in fresh garlic that are useful for the human body. Undoubtedly, allicin has the most beneficial effect. It is contained in the cytoplasm of plant cells.
Allicin and the sulfur compounds formed from it have antiseptic properties against all types of pathogenic bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites without attacking the beneficial intestinal bacteria. The content of allicin is about twice as much in green garlic as in ripe garlic. It is due to this element that garlic supports good heart health. It lowers bad cholesterol levels and blood pressure, which helps to do just that. Eat fresh garlic for healthy heart!
Fresh garlic supports good digestion. The vegetable helps to calm the stomach, eliminate possible inflammations and other irritations that can cause stomach discomfort.
Fresh garlic has higher amounts of vitamins C and B, which repair connective tissue, boost metabolism and support the proper functioning of the thyroid gland. Garlic also contains huge amounts of calcium, phosphorus and selenium.
Fresh garlic also provides protection against bacterial, viral, parasitic infections, strengthens the immune system. It has been shown to have the property of interrupting the growth of tumors.
Fresh garlic, especially in the spring, is an ideal detoxification agent. It more than cleans cells from free radicals thanks to its antioxidant properties.
Fresh garlic also has important cardioprotective properties that can help reduce blood triglycerides as well as cholesterol by 5-15%. Garlic can also protect your blood cells and blood vessels from inflammation and oxidative stress. It also contributes to better blood circulation in the body.
Many scientific data indicate that it is the daily consumption of fresh garlic that is a better protection for the heart than when the vegetable is thermally processed or in any other form.
Specific benefits of fresh garlic
1. Improves digestive processes - yes, garlic has an anti-inflammatory effect and its consumption can help reduce irritation and discomfort in the gastrointestinal tract. It is fresh garlic that is one of the foods that maintain the balance in the digestive system.
2. Strengthens the heart - the allicin in garlic reduces the levels of bad cholesterol and increases the good cholesterol in the blood, which in turn helps to reduce blood pressure - so the risk of heart attack and stroke decreases.
3. Reduces the risk of cancer - allicin is valuable for the body and in terms of its antitumor activity. Since the ingredient is a powerful antioxidant, it reduces oxidative stress in the body and helps prevent not only cancer but also various chronic problems that are becoming a scourge of modern society.
4. Improves blood circulation - another excellent reason for more regular consumption of fresh garlic. Thanks to the high content of vitamin C in garlic, the body absorbs iron much more easily and blood circulation is improved accordingly.
5. Strengthens immunity - spring fresh garlic has excellent antibiotic properties, which make it an ideal vegetable for strengthening the immune system. It can be added anywhere on the spring menu - soups, salads, stews, casseroles and whatever else you can think of. Of course, it's best to consume it fresh to reap the maximum benefits.
Among the other benefits of fresh garlic consumption are protection against bacterial, viral and parasitic infections, purification of cells from free radicals, purification of the colon from toxins.
The unique composition of garlic gives it a well-deserved place in the list of superfoods. It is readily available, cheap and easy to prepare, so unless you suffer from an individual intolerance to it, immediately include it in your healthy diet. It is also possible to take it in supplement form, but its fresh, natural form is the best choice.
Storing fresh garlic
The best way to store fresh garlic is in a container - open or slightly covered, in a cool and dark place, away from direct sunlight and heat. Thus, it is protected from germination and its useful substances are best preserved. It is not necessary to keep it in the refrigerator.
