Nothing adds flavour to your food like garlic. Its ability to enhance both the taste and smell of the food makes it a very important ingredient for most people. Besides that, garlic has immense health benefits and can be consumed for several reasons. The benefits of garlic for men and women are immeasurable as you will find out shortly.
Whichever way you decide to enjoy garlic, you can never go wrong. It can be eaten straight, added to food, juiced, and so on. Garlic has been consumed by so many cultures for thousands of years. The nutritional benefits of garlic have also been confirmed by science, as it is rich in so many vitamins and minerals.
While garlic is beneficial to everyone, there are certain things men can gain from consuming it. If you are interested in finding out how you can benefit from garlic as a man, then you should read on.
Benefits of Garlic for Men
Garlic has many Important health benefits to the body, but we are focusing on the health benefits of garlic for men.
1. It helps boost the immune system
Garlic is rich in allicin, a compound that is both antiviral and antibacterial, that helps boost the immune system and makes it easier for the body to fight cold and flu. Not only does it prevent the cold, but it also serves as treatment, so remember to add garlic in your cooking or consume a small clove when you are ill. Allicin also serves as an antioxidant, removing toxins from your body.
This improves the functions of your liver and your body as a whole. These antioxidants are also responsible for improving your brains, reducing the risk of dementia, and for slowing the aging process, helping you maintain that vibrant, youthful look. [1]
2. It helps reduce stress and fatigue
If you have had a long, hard, stressful days at work, then you should consider adding garlic to your daily meal. Garlic helps you stay alert and maintain productivity. Antioxidants present in the garlic would help improve your mood. It also affects, in a good way, how your adrenal glands respond to stress, which would see you doing better. [2]
3. It helps reduce the risk of hypertension
These days, we live on the edge, and the many things we do, see, and hear can increase the level of tension we face. This naturally puts us at risk of suffering from hypertension or having high blood pressure. When consumed, garlic has the ability to significantly lower one’s blood pressure, reducing the risks of being hypertensive. Studies carried out on people with various blood pressure levels showed a reduction after taking a varying dosage of garlic. [3]
4. It protects the heart
If you are looking for a way to protect your heart, then you should consider consuming more garlic. Garlic helps fight heart diseases, especially the one triggered by high blood pressure, with the help of allicin. It also reduces the risks of blood clots. It also lowers cholesterol levels in the heart.
5. It reduces the risk of prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is one of the prevalent cancers affecting men. However, studies have shown how garlic reduces the risk of benign prostatic hyperplasia, which leads to prostate cancer. According to the studies, men who consumed more amounts of garlic were less likely to develop prostate cancer, compared to those who consumed little or none. This is another major reason why you should think of increasing how often you consume garlic. [4]
6. It is a natural aphrodisiac
If you are thinking of taking things to the max with your partner in the bedroom, then you should try consuming healthy amounts of garlic. You can add it to your food rather than consume it whole to reduce the effect it can have on your breath. Garlic helps stimulate blood flow, pumping blood to the right areas, and getting you into the mood to get with your partner. For maximum effect, you can have your partner go on the same garlic diet with you. [5]
7. It improves athletic performance
The use of garlic to improve athletic performance is by no means a recent trend. The history goes back to ancient Greece, where athletes were fed garlic to increase their level of alertness and endurance. It was also used to boost the energy levels of workers. If you are someone who likes to enjoy a game of football, or any other sports, during the weekend with your boys, garlic can help give you that stamina boost you need.
One study found out that fatigue caused by engaging in physical activity can be reduced by consuming garlic. [6]
8. It helps one live longer
Garlic may just hold the secret to a longer life. The allicin in it helps to slow down the aging process, making you appear younger than your years. The reduction in the risks of heart diseases and cancers also means that you have a longer shot at living longer, with good health too.
9. It detoxifies the body
For those of you working in industries and industrial plants, consuming garlic can help remove toxic materials from the body, especially the metallic kind, due to the presence of sulfur in it.
10. It may help prevent Alzheimer’s and dementia in men
Alzheimer’s disease and dementia are becoming increasingly common among men today. These conditions usually results from oxidative damage from free radicals. However, antioxidants can help fight these free radicals that cause aging and lead to diseases like Alzheimer’s and dementia.
Garlic has been said to contain antioxidants that could reduce the risk of having brain diseases like Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. [7]
How to Consume Garlic and Benefit from it
Garlic can be easily added in your diet. You can add it to soups, meals and other dishes.
You can also consume garlic in a variety of ways because it comes in several forms. You can take garlic as whole cloves, smooth pastes, powders, garlic supplements, garlic extract and garlic oil.
However, you should note that eating garlic can cause bad breath. You should definitely talk to your doctor before increasing your garlic intake. Because it is not advisable to eat it if you’re allergic to garlic, have a bleeding disorder or if you are taking blood-thinning medications
Bottom Line
Garlic is a superfood with powerful antioxidants, nutrients and compounds. The benefits of garlic for men includes it’s ability to boost the immune system, reduce stress, reduce heart diseases and improve athletic performance.
Collins Nwokolo is a human physiologist, writer and health enthusiast. He loves writing helpful articles on health and fitness, which he enjoys sharing with everyone.
My man and I, we love garlic, and always while cooking I am trying to add garlic in my recipes! I knew that it’s a superfood, but a few things were totally new for me! So thanks for this interesting post!
Am grateful for coming through this post, thanks.