Garlic might be the most pungent smelling food in your kitchen inventory but it is also one of the most healthiest. If you are ready to forgive it for the obvious bad breath, garlic can offer plenty of benefits. Not only does it add an instant flavour to your dishes, this small pack of nutrients can also help fight infections, control blood pressure and check diabetes and heart diseases.
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While we have heard enough of the health benefits of garlic from our daadis and naanis, did you know that garlic can do wonders to your skin and hair as well? Raw garlic is packed with several essential vitamins and antioxidants that are needed for the replenishment of skin and hair. With all the good things that it does to your skin and hair, perhaps it is time for you to include this wonderful herb in your beauty routine:
Nutritional Facts About Garlic
Garlic is a storehouse of several vital nutrients including flavonoids, sulphur, allicin, aliin. Apart from these, garlic is rich in iron, calcium, vitamin C, protein and dietary fibers. 1 head of garlic contains:
- 23% of the recommended dietary allowance of manganese
- 17% of the recommended dietary allowance of vitamin B6
- 15% of the recommended dietary allowance of vitamin C
- 6% of the recommended dietary allowance of selenium
- 0.6 grams of the recommended dietary allowance of fiber
Garlic For Skin
From treating acne to reducing wrinkles, garlic offers some amazing benefits. Find out more:
For Treating Acne
Garlic is full of antioxidants that fight infections. It has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties that helps you deal with pimples and free radicals.
Removes Blackheads
Blackheads happen due to excessive oil secretion. Garlic contains polyphenols that control oil secretion and thus removes blackheads.
Delays Ageing
Garlic reduces wrinkles to a great extent and thus keeps your skin looking young. The antioxidants in garlic control free radical buildup and makes the skin firm.
Reduces Stretch Marks
Sulphur in garlic works wonders on stretch marks. Garlic cleans the blood and helps in improving skin elasticity and thus reduces stretch marks.
How To Use Garlic For Skin
Here’s how to use garlic as a natural remedy for most of your skin related problems:
- Eat one clove of raw garlic every day with a glass of water. Doing this helps in reducing acne.
- Make a paste of garlic and tomato. Apply it on your face as a mask. The combined properties of tomatoes and garlic help in closing the pores and preventing blackheads.
- Crush a few cloves of garlic and add a teaspoon of honey. Apply it on your face and let it sit for 10 minutes. Wash with slightly warm water.
- Massaging your skin with lukewarm garlic oil helps reduce stretch marks.
Benefits Of Garlic For Hair
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There are various uses of garlic. High level of allicin in garlic solves almost all your hair woes and makes it a great addition to your hair care routine. Check out how garlic benefits your hair:
Promotes Hair Growth
Garlic has an element called allicin that is known to improve blood circulation. When applied on the scalp it can help in hair growth by improving blood circulation.
Cures Dandruff
Garlic is known for its brilliant antifungal properties. It treats the dry and flaky skin on the scalp and thus reduces dandruff to a great extent.
Makes Hair Shiny
Garlic is rich in nutrients like vitamin C and folates, a deficiency of which causes the hair to look dull and damaged. So when you are adding garlic to your hair care routine, you are enhancing the texture of your hair.
Prevents Hair Fall
By removing toxins from the scalp, garlic helps in the treatment of hair loss.
How To Use Garlic For Hair
Here are a few ways in which you can add garlic to your hair care routine:
- Blend 1 cup spinach and two cloves of garlic and make a green smoothie. Drink this everyday and you will notice significant improvement in your hair loss problem.
- Soak a few cloves of garlic in olive oil for around a week. Use this oil to massage on your scalp and hair to prevent hair fall.
- Crush a couple of garlic cloves and add it to your shampoo bottle. Use this to wash your hair if you want smooth and lustrous hair.
- Add a few cloves of garlic in a pot of water and bring it to a boil. Strain and let it cool. Rinse your hair with this water three times a week to get rid of dandruff.
How To Include Garlic In Your Beauty Regime
The best way to include garlic in your skin and hair care regime is to consume it in its raw form. Cooking garlic destroys its properties and you may not get all the goodness of garlic. To incorporate garlic in your beauty routine, start by swallowing a small piece of garlic with a glass of water. Gradually start consuming half a clove of garlic and then a full clove. Additionally, you can use garlic in your recipes including chicken preparations, soups and vegetables.
Other Health Benefits Of Garlic
If these are not just enough reasons to start consuming more of garlic, here are a few other health benefits of garlic that will make you want to reap its rewards:
Helps Lose Weight
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Allicin in garlic reduces appetite and cravings for unhealthy food. It also increases metabolism which in turn burns calories.
Fights Cold And Flu
Garlic has powerful antibacterial and antiviral properties that fight against infections. As a result, garlic is considered great for the treatment of asthma, bronchitis and lung infections.
Lowers The Risk Of Cancer
Selenium in garlic has anti-cancer properties. It prevents DNA mutation and uncontrolled cell proliferation and thus lowers the chances of tumours and cancers.
Controls Blood Pressure
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The deficiency of sulphur is one of the main reasons for rise in blood pressure. Garlic is rich in a bioactive sulphur compound S-allylcysteine that fills the deficiency and controls blood pressure.
Prevents Heart Diseases
By lowering bad cholesterol and improving antioxidant activities, garlic helps fight against almost all types of heart diseases.
Fights Against Diabetes
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Garlic increases the release of insulin in the body that in turn controls diabetes. Eating raw or over-cooked garlic can reduce blood sugar levels in the body tremendously.
Side Effects Of Garlic
Though garlic has plenty of health and beauty benefits, its side effects cannot be overlooked. There are a few side effects of consuming too much garlic that you should know. Read the side effects of garlic here:
Bad Odour
Like onions, garlic has a strong pungent smell that can make your mouth stink for hours after consumption.
Lowers Blood Pressure
Though garlic is prescribed to those who suffer from high blood pressure and hypertension, consuming too much of it can make your blood pressure drop below the recommended level.
Gastritis
Eating too much garlic can irritate the lining of the stomach and lead to gastritis issues in some individuals.
Skin Irritation
Garlic can also cause allergies in some people and be the reason for skin reddening, rashes, flaky and itchy skin.
Sweating
Garlic can raise your body heat which can lead to profound sweating.
Nausea And Heartburn
Excessive consumption of garlic can make you dizzy and in some cases cause severe heartburn.
Frequently Asked Questions
Some common questions about garlic answered:
Q. How Much Garlic Can I Eat In A Day?
A. Ideally, eating 1-4 cloves of garlic in a day is safe. Eating too much of garlic can have side effects.
Q. Who Should Avoid Eating Garlic?
A. If you are pregnant, have undergone an intestinal surgery or are allergic to garlic, you should avoid eating it. It is recommended that you consult your doctor before including garlic in your diet.
Q. How To Reduce The Smell Of Garlic?
A. Chewing mint right after eating garlic can help get rid of the strong smell of garlic.
Q. Can I Eat Garlic With The Skin?
A. No, garlic skin is tasteless and flaky. So avoid eating it. Moreover, the skin doesn’t offer any added benefits.
Q. What Is The Best Time To Eat Garlic?
A. Garlic should preferably be eaten in the morning on an empty stomach to reap the maximum benefit out of it.
Q. Should I Use Garlic For Acne?
A. No. Applying garlic directly on the skin can burn it because of the amount of heat present in garlic. Direct exposure to garlic can irritate the skin and aggravate the acne.
So now that you know it all, it’s time to introduce this superfood in your beauty routine. You’ll love the wonderful effects garlic will have on your skin, hair and health.
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