Benefits of Garlic For Your Health

 

Abu Huraira reported:

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: He who eats of this plant (garlic) should not approach our mosque and should not harm us with the odour of garlic.

In the Arabic language, garlic is called “thaum” or “ثوم” and is referred to in the following Qur’anic verse:

And [recall] when you said, “O Moses, we can never endure one [kind of] food. So call upon your Lord to bring forth for us from the earth its green herbs and its cucumbers and its garlic and its lentils and its onions.” [2:61]

This ancient plant dates back millennia. Evidence of this is apparent on the hieroglyphs on the temple and pyramid walls of ancient Egypt. During the time of the Pharaohs, garlic used to be given to the laborers during the construction of the pyramids to give them the ability to do heavy work and to increase their immune system. In ancient Greek civilization, eating raw garlic before participating in any athletic championship used to be customary. Roman soldiers used to eat garlic before going into the battlefield, to give them strength.

In Marseilles, in 1721, there was a deathly epidemic that caused people to flee the town. The townspeople decided to use convicts from the local jail, who were awaiting their execution, to attend to the piling corpses. Everybody forced to do this job died, except three of them. The government ordered an investigation on why these people survived. They struck a bargain with the convicts, and the convicts only revealed their secret on the condition that they were released. It turned out that the secret ingredient was garlic, which they consumed together with their daily soup!

What is the most important element of garlic? Allicin, one of garlic’s most highly valued sulfur compounds, selenium, manganese, vitamin B6, and vitamin C.

Garlic is not just a delicious cooking ingredient, but it also boosts the immune system. Modern studies reveal that garlic contains antioxidants, lowers cholesterol by dissolving the cholesterol in the body, and prevents heart diseases by strengthening the heart muscles. It is also very important in treating asthma and respiratory problems and is a very powerful antibiotic. In fact, the older generations used garlic to treat bacterial infections, viruses even worms, with garlic. Garlic is also beneficial for those with eyesight problems, liver problems, and cancer.

When you study the early days, how many recipes for how many diseases, we can go on for at least 5-6 pages, full of recipes and cures from many diseases. However, this page is intended to give a glimpse, so feel free to perform your own research to find out more.

Garlic is noted for its strong flavor and aroma and is a delicious ingredient for most savory recipes across the globe.

Eating raw chopped garlic is the best way of deriving most benefits from garlic. If the taste is too overpowering, the garlic can be cooked for a milder taste, although much of its benefits will be reduced if so. Many chefs recommend adding the garlic at the last stage of the cooking process to preserve the maximum amount of nutrition and flavor.

If the flavor of garlic is too overpowering for you, you can also obtain garlic supplements from most health stores.

Mix raw garlic with cooked barley, parsley, and celery and eat this mixture before meals, three-time a day, for alleviating urinary infection or kidney problems. Remember to also increase your water consumption.
Add garlic to yogurt and eat regularly every morning and evening, to increase your immune system.

There are plenty of other ways to consume garlic – with a bit of research, you can discover them too.