10 Surprising Health Benefits Of Garlic You Never Knew!

Mel Brooks, a popular veteran Hollywood actor once said, "The angel of death isn't kissing me! I'm full of garlic!".

As funny as the above quote may seem at first, when we think about it, we realise that this quote subtly preaches about the greatness of garlic in preserving our health!

Now, take a minute and think about your daily diet habits for the past couple of weeks.

Do you think your diet was healthy? Did your diet include enough fruits and vegetables? Did your diet consist mainly of junk foods?

Your answers to the above questions will give you a fair idea about how healthy your eating habits are.

It is a well known fact that the cleaner you eat, the healthier you remain, because nutrition is the fuel which makes or breaks our health.

For example, if our diet consists mostly of foods deemed unhealthy, with not much nutritional value, our metabolic rate and immunity drops exposing us to a number of diseases.

Whereas, if we consume a balanced diet, consisting of all the essential nutrients such as vitamins, proteins, minerals, etc., our body functions well and has the strength to fight disease-causing agents.

Now, there are many ingredients right in our homes, kitchens and gardens which come with numerous medicinal benefits which can prevent, treat or cure diseases and ailments.

Garlic is one such ingredient which comes with a number of medicinal benefits, many of which we may already know of.

So, here are a few surprising health benefits of garlic that you may not know; take a look.

1. Improves Hair Growth

A compound known as allicin found in garlic is very powerful and comes with many health benefits, one of them being, preventing hair loss and improving hair growth, by stretching the roots of your hair.

2. Treats Sinusitis

Garlic is known to cure common cold and cough, thanks to its anti-bacterial property. However, many of us would not have known that it can treat sinusitis by reducing the inflammation in the sinus cavities, thus providing relief from sinusitis-related headaches and other symptoms.

3. Treats Psoriasis

Psoriasis is a serious inflammatory skin condition which causes painful skin patches, itching, peeling of the skin, etc. Psoriasis is extremely difficult to treat and requires strong medication. The anti-inflammatory property of garlic can soothe psoriasis symptoms and provide relief naturally.

4. Aids Weight Loss

Many of us wouldn't have imagined that this tiny natural ingredient like garlic can help us lose those stubborn kilos, right? Well, according to research studies, certain enzymes present in garlic can boost our metabolic rate and help us lose weight.

5. Treats Athlete’s Foot

Athlete's foot is a fungal condition in which people experience itching, pain, burning sensation, etc., in the feet region. The anti-fungal properties present in garlic can destroy the fungus causing athlete's foot and treat this condition naturally.

6. Treats Cold Sores

Cold sores are symptoms of a viral infection in which a person sees blisters or sores in places like the throat, around the mouth, nose, etc., along with flu. Garlic has the ability to reduce cold sores with its anti-microbial property.

7. Reduces Cystic Acne

Cystic acne is a hormonal condition in which people develop large, painful acne over the face from hormonal imbalance. The enzymes in garlic can help set right the hormonal imbalance to reduce cystic acne.

8. Soothes Throat Infection

Throat infection is usually a symptom of flu, in which bacteria is accumulated in the throat, causing pain and irritation. Applying garlic paste mixed with turmeric to the throat can help soothe this condition, as garlic comes with anti-bacterial properties.

9. Improves Immunity

Garlic contains a high amount of vitamin C. Vitamin C is one of the main nutrients required to keep up the strength of your immune system. So, garlic can help improve your immune system to keep many diseases away.

10. Reduces Blood Pressure

Garlic is rich in antioxidants and allicin both of which have the ability to reduce the force of the blood flow against the arteries, thus reducing hypertension. By treating high blood pressure, garlic can in turn reduce heart ailments and serious conditions like stroke.