You know the dal is going to be good when you smell the garlicky goodness waft through the kitchen doors. Although it has a strong odour, it adds wonderful flavour to food and most recipes are incomplete without a few cloves of garlic in it. Other than adding flavour to your food, did you know there are many benefits of garlic for the skin, hair and health? Including this one ingredient in your daily diet can help fight a lot of ailments, not to mention give you a whole load of beauty benefits.
Did you know?
Garlic is one of the oldest known food flavourings and it's been used by humans for the last eight thousand years! There are over 450 varieties of garlic found around the world, but it was first discovered in India from where it spread out to other countries. One of the many benefits of garlic is that it is an antiseptic, and this helped cure wound infections during World Wars I and II.
With so many benefits of garlic, one would be foolish to not use this ingredient to its full potential. Here’s how you can use the ingredient to improve your hair, skin and overall health.
- 1. Anti-ageing
- 2. Acne
- 3. Hair loss
- 4. Blackheads
- 5. Treats dandruff
- 6. Helps in losing weight
- 7. Regulates blood sugar levels
- FAQs About Health Benefits of Garlic
1. Anti-ageing
Premature ageing is one problem that many women deal with. Pollution, exposure to UV rays and unhealthy lifestyles, all contribute to free radical damage that leads to signs of ageing showing up on your skin. Believe it or not, but the many benefits of garlic include delaying the signs of ageing effectively. Consuming just one clove of garlic on an empty stomach in the morning with honey and lemon water can be quite beneficial for the health of your skin.
2. Acne
The antiseptic and antibacterial properties of garlic make it an excellent ingredient for treating acne and pimples. When applied topically to acne, it kills the bacteria settled deep inside the pores, and helps reduce inflammation. Extract the juice of a few cloves of garlic, add a few drops of honey to dilute it and apply on the acne using a ball of cotton. Leave it on for not more than five minutes and wash with water. It will help reduce the inflammation and redness and give you clear and flawless skin with continued use. It can also be applied to spots and blemishes to heal them faster.
3. Hair loss
Losing a lot of hair every day can be quite disheartening. If you are sick and tired of seeing loose hair strands on your hairbrush, pillow and around the shower drain, then maybe the benefits of garlic can help you out here. Applying crushed garlic to the roots of your hair will boost collagen production, which is essential for stimulating hair growth. It also cleanses hair follicles, thereby removing dirt build-up which is sometimes responsible for hampering hair growth. Mix a few cloves of crushed garlic with warm coconut oil and massage into the scalp and hair. Wash off after 30 minutes with shampoo and water.
4. Blackheads
Blackheads are a result of excessive oil mixed with dirt that settle into the pores of the skin. Using an ingredient that manages the production of oil can prevent this problem. One of the many benefits of garlic is that it contains polyphenols which help control the secretion of oil on the skin, thereby reducing the appearance of blackheads. Here’s how to use garlic to prevent blackheads: grate a slice of tomato and add a few cloves of grated garlic to it. Apply this paste as a mask all over the face, focusing on the T-zone and wash after 10-15 minutes. With regular use, it will remove blackheads, control oil as well as close the pores.
5. Treats dandruff
Another garlic benefit is that it can offer relief to people who are battling dandruff. Since it is anti-fungal in nature, it cleanses the scalp of dandruff and other infections and makes it squeaky clean. Dandruff can be quite an irritating hair problem, especially when the flakes fall and settle on your shoulders. To prevent this, simply boil a few crushed garlic cloves in water and strain it. Once it has cooled down, rinse your hair with this water. Follow this technique thrice a week for best results.
6. Helps in losing weight
Gaining a few extra pounds takes no time but when it comes to shedding them, it might take much, much longer. Other than exercising, it is important to include foods in your diet that aid weight loss. One such ingredient is garlic, as it contains allicin that helps suppress the appetite and thus helps prevent unhealthy and untimely eating. It has been proven that garlic reduces bad cholesterol levels and increases metabolism, which are essential factors for burning calories. Eat one clove of garlic every morning with warm honey water and you will notice the benefits yourself!
7. Regulates blood sugar levels
If your sugar levels are higher than normal and you are dependent on medicines to keep it in check, garlic may help regulate it. One of the many compounds found in garlic is responsible for releasing insulin in the body, which helps control diabetes. Apart from following a healthy lifestyle and visiting your doctor regularly, you can also try eating two cloves of garlic each morning on an empty stomach to increase the tolerance of glucose in your body.
FAQs About Health Benefits of Garlic
1) Can eating raw garlic be harmful to my health?
A. While the benefits of eating garlic on an empty stomach in the morning are plenty, it can irritate a sensitive digestive tract. Other than causing bad breath, it may also lead to heartburn and gas.
2) What is the best time to eat raw garlic?
A. Eating garlic first thing in the morning ensures smooth digestion and flushes out toxins from the body. Therefore, it is best to consume garlic in the morning on an empty stomach.
3) How do I consume garlic for maximum benefits?
A. The best way to eat garlic is by crushing it and letting it stay at room temperature for 15 minutes. During this time the enzymes will get activated and further boost the healthy compounds of this flavourful ingredient.
Written by Sanya Hamdani on Apr 30, 2020
Sanya Hamdani is a skincare enthusiast and lipstick hoarder, she truly believes no two red lipsticks look exactly alike. With a Master's degree in Communication & Journalism and 5+ years of digital writing experience up her sleeve, Sanya has some of the biggest beauty experts in the country on her speed dial. When she's not swatching products or writing about the latest trends in beauty, you will find her watching F.R.I.E.N.D.S. or cooking up a storm in the kitchen.