Garlic is a plant in the onion family. It is closely related to onions, shallots and leeks. The entire “head” is called a garlic bulb, while each segment is called a clove. There are about 10-20 cloves in a single bulb.

It grows in many parts of the world and is a popular ingredient in cooking due to its strong smell and delicious taste. Garlic comes in several forms, from whole cloves and smooth pastes to powders and supplements like and garlic oil.

Garlic contains a sulphur compound known as allicin, and is also responsible for the distinct garlic smell and is very beneficial for the health. The active compound allicin only forms when garlic is crushed or cleaved when it is raw. If you cook it before crushing it, then it won’t have the same health effects. Therefore, the best way to consume garlic is raw, or to crush and cut it and leave it out for a while before you add it to your recipes.

Garlic is low in calories and very rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin B6 and Manganese. It also contains trace amounts of various other nutrients.

Health benefits

• Garlic supplementation helps to prevent and reduce the severity of common illnesses like the flu and common cold. If you often get colds, then adding garlic to your diet could be incredibly helpful.
• Garlic also reduces blood pressure. High doses of garlic appear to improve blood pressure of those with known high blood pressure (hypertension).
• Garlic is also known for the lowering the cholesterol level of body.
• It contains anti oxidant and reduces the risk of Dementia.
• Studies show that Garlic significantly reduces lead toxicity from body.

It is also known for the improvement of physical performances of individual, so it may be beneficial for the athletes.