5 Surprising Benefits of Garlic
While garlic has a bad reputation for giving people smelly breath, it actually has a number of surprising health benefits. Here’s why you should be using or chomping down on some garlic – just make sure you won’t be smooching anyone right after:
1. Garlic contains a compound called “allicin” which is a natural antibiotic. It boosts your body’s natural defenses, giving you immune system support.
2. Garlic is a natural pain killer. You can apply it topically to the skin to reduce the pain and itching of insect bites or rashes. Simply cut a clove in half and rub the cut side onto the area.
3. Many studies have shown that garlic can help protect your body form various types of cancers, such as colon, breast and prostate cancer. Garlic contains chemicals that may actually block cancer-activating carcinogens from forming.
4. Garlic is incredibly nutritious and contains very few calories. It contains a little bit of almost everything we need, including manganese, fibre, selenium, vitamin B6 and vitamin C.
5. The active compounds in garlic can reduce blood pressure and lower cholesterol. This lowers your risk of heart attacks, strokes, and cardiovascular diseases.