Garlic Benefits: The Ultimate Super Food For A Healthier You
A widely recognized vegetable, garlic is known and recognized for its health benefits, including fighting bacteria and viruses.
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Can you believe a small vegetable bulb could hold the immense power of natural remedies and culinary wonders? Yes, it is true. Garlic, or as we call it lehsun, has been pleasing the taste buds with its pungent smell and strong flavours for many centuries now.
But it is just not the culinary superstar; in fact, it has proven to be associated with significant health benefits.
Let’s know more about the exciting ways through which this onion-look-alike vegetable, lehsun, can elevate our Indian dishes and also provide us with nutritional health benefits.
Know Everything about the Aromatic Powerhouse – Garlic
Lehsun, scientifically known as Allium sativum, belongs to the onion family and is widely known for its unique flavour and versatility across the globe.
When you peel lehsun, you will see different segments known as clove, which are the edible part of the bulb. Depending on the size, there can be 15-20 cloves in one lehsun.
Lehsun is an integral part of many cuisines, contributing to its unique and distinct flavour and aroma.
You can sauté, roast, grind, or make it into a paste; garlic adds a texture unmatched to elevate the dish to the next level. But garlic’s appeal is far beyond just recipes. Its potential bioactive compounds have been linked to various health benefits.
Nutritional Value of Garlic
Per 1 teaspoon of garlic you add in your recipes, below is the nutritional value you receive [1]:
| Name | Amount |
| Protein | 0.17 grams |
| Fat | 0.014 grams |
| Carbohydrates | 0.927 grams |
| Calcium | 5.07 mg |
| Iron | 0.048 mg |
| Vitamin C | 0.874 mg |
Discover the Amazing Health Benefits of Garlic or Lehsun
This small but power-packet bulb holds a wealth of wellness-promoting health benefits. Thanks to its antibacterial & antiviral properties, it is a favourite ingredient for home remedies in Indian culture.
No wonder Indian mothers have used lehsun for ages for common health issues. Let’s find out some of its excellent benefits:
1. Use Lehsun for Healthy Digestive System
Since Ayurveda, lehsun has been renowned for its exceptional ability to solve digestion problems [2]. Today, even modern science believes it has the power to promote healthy digestion.
Because of its high sulfur content, it helps the digestive system to flush out toxic substances from the body. Interestingly, eating raw garlic is said to provide relief from various digestive problems.
Simply chop one clove, add a pinch of salt and baking soda, and chew it for a happy tummy. It would be best if you preferably looked to start your day by eating the raw lehsun clove for good appetite and digestion.
It can also promote healthy gut bacteria that support the digestive system in absorbing the essential nutrients the body needs.
Take India’s first digestive quotient test and find out more about your digestion!
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2. Eat Garlic to Protect Yourself From Common Cold
As we say in Hindi, lehsun is the ram barn for all your cold problems [3]. If you have not yet experienced it, give it a shot next time you suffer from a cold.
Lehsun has been hailed as a natural remedy for combatting the common cold. Its extraordinary antiviral and antibacterial properties make it a perfect ingredient to relieve cold episodes.
3. Consume Garlic for Better Immunity
Packed with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, this little bulb protects your body from infections [4].
Lehsun is full of antiseptic, antibacterial, and antifungal properties that help to destroy the viruses that try and enter your body, hence promoting better immunity.
Its immunity-boosting properties lie in its allicin content, and by adding it to your diet you can supercharge your immunity.
4. Take Lehsun to Reduce Fatigue
Within the depth of this fantastic onion-liked bulb lies a natural remedy that reduces fatigue and revitalizes the body.
During ancient times, garlic was given as a supplement to Olympic athletes to increase their stamina and enhance performance [5]. Its wealth of nutritional compounds work together to offer an energy-boosting effect to the body.
Hence, garlic is said to be a great energy booster.
5. Use Lehsun to Detoxify Your Body
Lehsun has some remarkable properties that can help to detoxify your body [6]. Because garlic contains sulfur, which has antioxidant properties that help eliminate harmful toxins from the body.
Moreover, all these properties help break down toxins and waste products and remove them from the body. Also, it is an excellent source of gut bacteria that further plays a crucial role in detoxification.
6. Eat Lehsun for Strong Bones
Did anyone tell you eating garlic can help you maintain healthy bones [7]? No. Let us be the first to share this fantastic news with you.
Lehsun has properties that encourage estrogen production that helps control bone loss and can even protect from bone problems. So, now you can ask your loved ones to add garlic to their diet for healthy and strong bones.
Adding it to your diet is simple. You can add chopped lehsun in sabzis or even eat hara lehsun paratha.
For the paratha dough, use Aashirvaad Multigrain Atta, made of six whole grains while being fibre-rich. So, with strong and healthy bones, you will also get a good amount of fibre, doubling the benefit in one recipe.
Ways to Add Garlic to Your Diet
You know by now that lehsun is excellent for a happy tummy.
But how to add it to your diet?
Are you also looking for options and suggestions for adding this versatile culinary king to your diet?
Look no further; check out a few of the ways below and see which fits the best per your requirements.
- Since it’s so versatile, you can add it to any savory dish. Pair it with vegetarian or non-vegetarian dishes to enhance their flavours.
- Lehsun tastes delicious when added to soups and sauces. Add sautéed garlic as a garnish when you make broccoli soup to give it extra crunch and a unique texture.
- If peeling lehsun is a problem, buy its paste or powder to add punch to otherwise bland dishes.
- Next time you make a salad, press a few lehsun cloves, mix them with olive oil, and use it as a salad dressing.
If you are health conscious & want to know how much fibre you consume daily, try this meal plan test. By entering some basic information, you will be able to figure out the right amount of fibre your body needs daily.
Should You Be Worried of Any Garlic Side Effects?
While lehsun is celebrated for its exceptional health benefits, you should also be aware of its potential side effects.
Not much is known, but garlic’s distinct odour can be a problem for some people.
Also, some people may even experience heartburn, so it is advisable to consult a doctor if there is any such situation.
Bottom Line
Lehsun is a culinary gem that transcends flavour and fragrance. Its rich history and miraculous health benefits make it a powerhouse for your overall wellness.
From combating various health issues while enhancing immunity, garlic is no less than nature’s incredible gift. So, don’t wait for more and start using garlic regularly in your kitchen.
FAQs
1. Does garlic offer any health benefits if used in food?
Yes, lehsun is an excellent source of antioxidants and supports our body in fighting against the common cold and flu problems. It is also an effective ingredient for enhancing immunity.
2. Why do people refer to garlic as a miracle food?
Miracle word is always associated with things that do wonders, and lehsun is no less in doing so. With so many health and nutritional benefits, there is no surprise that people often call it a miracle food.
3. What are the different vitamins found in garlic?
Lehsun has high levels of Vitamin A, C, and B complex. Additionally, it is also a good source of potassium, zinc, and sulfur.
4. Is there a best time to eat garlic?
Although lehsun can be used anytime during the day and especially while cooking various Indian dishes, if you prefer to eat it raw, try and eat it on an empty stomach first thing in the morning.
5. Does garlic promote healthy and good skin?
Lehsun has a lot of allicin present in its little cloves. This allicin is antifungal and anti-aging that helps in protecting against skin infections. Hence, if you eat lehsun regularly, you may have healthy and glowing skin.
6. What is the best way of adding lehsun to your diet?
Eating raw garlic with little salt first thing in the morning for digestive issues would be best. It will help in supporting digestive health. Additionally, you can add it to various Indian dishes, chutney, raita, rice, and many other food items.
