What are the Health Benefits of Garlic (Lahsun, Allium Sativum)?

What is Garlic?

Garlic is a species which is most commonly used in the kitchen and is related to family of onion, shallots, and leeks. This is very beneficial and has very strong smell and good in taste. So people use it to add extra flavor to the cooking. It is cultivated in most of the part of India – Ludhiana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, U.P, and Andhra Pradesh and has long been a common seasoning worldwide. The uses and its benefits have been seen with a history of several thousand years of human.

Classification of Garlic

Kingdom Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class Liliopsida – Monocotyledons
Subclass Liliidae
Order Liliales
Family Liliaceae – Lily family
Genus Allium L. – onion

Medical Qualities of Garlic

Rasa (taste) – Madhura (sweet), Lavana (salt), Katu (pungent),
Tikta (bitter) – Kashaya (astringent)
Guna (Qualities) – Snigdha (oily), Guru (heavy), Teekshna (strong, piercing)
Sara – encourages mobility, causes diarrhea, purgation, relieves constipation
Vipaka – Katu – undergoes pungent taste conversion after digestion
Veerya – Ushna – hot potency
Garlic balances Vata and Kapha doshas and increases Pitta dosha.

What are the Varieties of Garlic (Allium Sativum)?

Allium sativum the garlic has two sub varieties Softneck Garlic and Hardneck Garlic. These two have similar healing properties because they belong to the same species, but they differ in flavor, clove size, shelf life, and use. There are two varieties of garlic Girija – Garlic grown in mountains and Kshetraja – cultivated in land.

1. Softneck Garlic

Its name comes from the multi layered parchment that covers the entire bulb, which continues up to the neck of the bulb, and forms a soft, pliable stalk suitable for braiding. This type of garlic is papery skin, cover with a beautiful creamy white color. The bulbs of the garlic are large with a more random distribution of variable sized cloves. Soft neck garlic is again having types and most common are:

Silverskin Garlic – It is easy to grow and has strong flavor and can be stored well when dried.
Artichoke Garlic – It has milder flavor and has more & large cloves in comparison to silverskin garlic.

2. Hardneck Garlic

Hardneck garlic is topped by an umbel or ‘false seedhead’ which enfolds small aerial bulbs. This garlic delights the tongue and is often referred to as gourmet garlic. The range of flavor is extremely wide from hot to mild and from savory to sweet.

What are the Benefits of Eating Raw Garlic?

Allicin, in garlic, which provides numerous health benefits. As garlic is very beneficial for health taken in any form. Here let’s discuss its benefits in raw form:

Treats Cold and Cough
Reduces Hypertension
Lowers Cholesterol Levels
Boosts Heart Health
Treats Wounds
Boosts Immune System
Relieves Earache

Can Eating Raw Garlic Be Harmful?

No its not harmful but the garlic has very strong smell so can cause bad breath, a burning sensation in the mouth or stomach, heartburn, gas, nausea, vomiting, body odor, and diarrhea. These effects are seen when one takes raw garlic.

Is Garlic Good for Weight Loss?

Garlic has many benefits it is also used and has beneficial result in losing weight. As garlic is low in calories yet rich in vitamins B6 and C, calcium, fiber, manganese and many more things.

Garlic increases the appetite

Always having small meals in short interval is much better than large meal in long hours. As it increases the appetite so there is no point of over eating.

Drinking garlic and lemon juice

Lemon is always known good and beneficial in weight loss. The benefits of both increases when added together and used for weight loss and is successful.

How to use?

3 lemons
3 garlic cloves
3 liter water

Spilt the cloves in half carefully rinse the lemon and slice them into small pieces. Mix these with warm water and divide it into 3 containers and store in refrigerator for 3 days. After 3 days strain the ingredients and put the juice in the refrigerator and take the juice early morning at room temperature.

Garlic with honey

Honey and garlic both have the properties of losing weight and garlic juice should be primary ingredient.
Mix 1 teaspoon of garlic juice with honey stir it in a glass of water and drink it.
Best to be used before breakfast as it helps in digestion and increases metabolism.

Does Garlic Help Sexually?

Garlic has remarkable health benefits for men. We all know that garlic tastes is loaded with nutritional benefits for men. It has been experienced from years that eating garlic in any form is always good for health.

Garlic places an important role in sexual life – Garlic has been considered as an aphrodisiac. It boosts the sex drive. As Garlic improves blood circulation, which improves the sexual health.

Can Garlic Cure Infection?

Garlic has positive natural effects on your immune system, cardiovascular system, cancers, and other conditions. Garlic has the good response in slowing down the growth of the Candida fungus that causes yeast infections. Allicin is a major biological active component of garlic which exhibits antibacterial and antifungal properties. Garlic in any form is good even Garlic capsules are also helpful as it is made of standardized garlic extracts.