10 Golden Reasons to Love Garlic

• Garlic lowers blood pressure. Countless studies have established this.
• As an anti-inflammatory food, it brings relief from ulcers, acidity and heartburn.
• It helps alleviate the discomfort from allergies and other respiratory issues.
• New studies show that freshly crushed garlic can prevent the onset of infection in burn patients.
• Regular use of garlic can bring down your levels of triglycerides and cholesterol.
• Garlic contains vital Vitamin C, which is good for your immune system.
• Helps metabolize iron, so the body has adequate supply of this important nutrient.
• Although garlic is perceived as an herb that increases heat in food, it actually protects you from strong sun. Farmers in the hot deserts of India carry pellets of chilli and garlic pounded together, to help them stay cool in the fields!
• Garlic makes you stronger. This is a time-tested belief. In the olden times, people ate garlic before leaving for wars or taking on challenging duels and sports. In the bedroom, garlic cloves hung by the bedside were supposed to encourage libido and fertility.
• Regular consumption of garlic can protect you from several kinds of cancer

Useful Tips:

• Adding garlic toward the end of your cooking retains its health benefits and gives you more flavor.
• Garlic with thick cloves is easier to peel and deal with, but contains fewer nutrients than regular garlic.
• Do not preserve garlic in oil, especially for long periods, as it can lead to botulism.
• Fresh garlic is much better for you than paste or powder. It does take a little effort to process, but consider it as gifting yourself nutritional gold.