Current research shows that garlic may have some real health benefits, such as protection against the common cold and the ability to help lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels
“Let food be thy medicine, and medicine be thy food.”
Those are famous words from the ancient Greek physician Hippocrates, often called the father of Western medicine.
He prescribed garlic to treat a variety of medical conditions — and modern science has confirmed many of these beneficial health effects.
Here are health benefits of garlic that are supported by human research
1. Garlic contains compounds with potent medicinal properties
Garlic is a plant in the Allium (onion) family. It is closely related to onions, shallots, and leeks. Each segment of a garlic bulb is called a clove. There are about 10–20 cloves in a single bulb, give or take.
Garlic grows in many parts of the world and is a popular ingredient in cooking, due to its strong smell and delicious taste.
However, throughout ancient history, the main use of garlic was for its health and medicinal properties.
Its use was well documented by many major civilizations, including the Egyptians, Babylonians, Greeks, Romans, and Chinese.
Scientists now know that most of garlic’s health benefits are caused by sulfur compounds formed when a garlic clove is chopped, crushed, or chewed.
Perhaps the most well-known compound is allicin. However, allicin is an unstable compound that is only briefly present in fresh garlic after it’s been cut or crushed.
Other compounds that may play a role in garlic’s health benefits include diallyl disulfide and s-allyl cysteine.
The sulfur compounds from garlic enter your body from the digestive tract. They then travel all over your body, exerting strong biological effects.
Garlic is highly nutritious but has very few calories
Calorie for calorie, garlic is incredibly nutritious.
A single clove (3 grams) of raw garlic contains.
- Manganese: 2% of the daily value (DV)
- Vitamin B6: 2% of the DV
- Vitamin C: 1% of the DV
- Selenium: 1% of the DV
- Fiber: 0.06 grams
This comes with 4.5 calories, 0.2 grams of protein, and 1 gram of carbs.
Garlic also contains trace amounts of various other nutrients.
3. Garlic can help protect against illness, including the common cold
Garlic supplements are known to boost the function of the immune system.
A large, 12-week study found that a daily garlic supplement reduced the number of colds by 63% compared with a placebo.
The average length of cold symptoms was also reduced by 70%, from 5 days in the placebo group to just 1.5 days in the garlic group.
Another study found that a high dose of aged garlic extract (2.56 grams per day) reduced the number of days sick with cold or flu by 61%.
However, one review concluded that the evidence is insufficient and more research is needed.
Despite the lack of strong evidence, adding garlic to your diet may be worth trying if you often get colds.
4. The active compounds in garlic can reduce blood pressure
Cardiovascular diseases like heart attack and stroke are responsible for more deaths than almost any other condition.
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is one of the most important factors that may lead to these diseases.
Human studies have found garlic supplements to have a significant impact on reducing blood pressure in people with high blood pressure.
In one study, 600–1,500 mg of aged garlic extract were just as effective as the drug Atenolol at reducing blood pressure over a 24-week period. Supplement doses must be fairly high to have the desired effects. The amount needed is equivalent to about four cloves of garlic per day.
5. Garlic improves cholesterol levels, which may lower the risk of heart disease
Garlic can lower total and LDL (bad) cholesterol. For those with high cholesterol, garlic supplements appear to reduce total and LDL cholesterol by about 10–15%.
Looking at LDL (bad) and HDL (good) cholesterol specifically, garlic appears to lower LDL but has no reliable effect on HDL.
High triglyceride levels are another known risk factor for heart disease, but garlic seems to have no significant effects on triglyceride levels.
6. Garlic contains antioxidants that may help prevent Alzheimer’s disease and dementia
Oxidative damage from free radicals contributes to the aging process.
Garlic contains antioxidants that support the body’s protective mechanisms against oxidative damage.
High doses of garlic supplements have been shown to increase antioxidant enzymes in humans, as well as significantly reduce oxidative stress in people with high blood pressure.
The combined effects on reducing cholesterol and blood pressure, as well as the antioxidant properties, may reduce the risk of common brain conditions like Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
7. Garlic may help you live longer
The potential effects of garlic on longevity are basically impossible to prove in humans.
But given the beneficial effects on important risk factors like blood pressure, it makes sense that garlic could help you live longer.
The fact that it can fight infectious diseases is also an important factor, because these are common causes of death, especially in the elderly or people with dysfunctional immune systems.
