If you didn't know, garlic is one of the most valuable and incredible foods on earth. Today garlic is well known as a health enhancing supplement.

The main active component in garlic is a sulfur compound which is called allicin. This substance is produced when you cut, chew or bruise the garlic. Researchers discovered that allicin is a powerful antibiotic and a potent agent which helps the body to inhibit the ability of germs to grow and reproduce. An interesting fact is that 1 milligram of allicin has a potency of 15 units of penicillin.

Now, I will share with you some of the most important benefits of garlic.

• Garlic has an incredible effect on your heart. Among the benefits I can recall the fact that it lowers your blood pressure, decrease the platelet aggregation, lowers your LDL- cholesterol (bad cholesterol) levels, increases serum HDL- cholesterol (good cholesterol). Because of these benefits, garlic is an important factor in helping your body to prevent arteriosclerosis and reduces the risk of heart attack or stroke.
• Garlic has an important role in cancer prevention. It is proven that this amazing food has the ability to interfere with the development of cancerous tumors. In 2000 the American Journal of Nutrition had a number of studies showing that people who consumed garlic on a regular basis versus people who ate little garlic or none had about half the risk of stomach cancer and one third less risk of colorectal cancer.
• Garlic has a positive effect on your immune system. The presence of numerous antioxidants in garlic protects the body against all types of bacterial and viral attacks. Also garlic is very good against any types of cold; it is a decongestant and expectorant. It is a very good source of vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C, B6, selenium, manganese which are associated with immune system boosting as well as other benefits.
• The most potent substance in garlic, allicin, it is proven that has an effect not only on lowering blood pressure but also in preventing weight loss as well. A study on a group of animals published in the American Journal of Hypertension shows that even all the animals consumed the same amount of food, only those who were being supplemented with allicin maintained a stable weight or a slight decrease in their weight.
• Garlic is very effective against asthma, coughs, difficulty of breathing and other lung disorders.