Raw and Aged Garlic are potent health-promoting food!
For millennia, garlic has been prized as both a food and a medicine, and while it has been a folk remedy for illnesses for generations, modern medical science is beginning to affirm the fact that garlic possesses a myriad of medicinal qualities and health benefits.
Notably, garlic is extremely beneficial for heart health. Garlic is known to positively affect factors like blood pressure and cholesterol levels which influence cardiovascular health in a profound way. Garlic also contains antioxidants known to prevent Alzheimers, and might be beneficial for detoxifying heavy metals like lead out of the body. Garlic has been studied for its ability to improve athletic performance and to lessen the duration and severity of colds, both with positive results.
One of the great things about garlic is that it is extremely easy to add into your regimen simply by adding it into the food you prepare. Added into foods in its raw state, it is known that garlic will confer many of the above benefits.
Garlic is known to contain many compounds that promote health, but the standout nutrient is allicin. Allicin is found in raw garlic but is unstable, so it is important to eat raw or crushed garlic quickly to obtain the benefits of this compound.
Aged garlic, however, differs from raw garlic in a few ways.
The aging process is thought to increase the efficacy of some garlic’s health-promoting properties. Notably, its effects on blood pressure have been significant and compared to some first-line medications for hypertension.
The aging process also mellows out the strong flavor of garlic––which can be difficult for many to tolerate––to a more palatable flavor.
Raw garlic can cause an upset stomach, especially when consumed in high amounts, but aged garlic is much easier on the stomach and may actually have some benefits to the beneficial bacterial colonies in the gut. The aged form of garlic might be easier to absorb, thus providing the body with more of the potent, health-promoting compounds in a bioavailable form. Aging might also increase the efficacy of the anti-oxidants inherent in garlic.
Aged garlic extracts are usually taken in supplement form, but can be added to food as well.
Garlic is also a potent anti-fungal, which is among the reason it is promoted on The Kaufmann Diet. Aged garlic is an excellent addition to your natural medicine cabinet, whether you are trying to kill yeasts or support overall health. The aged version might also provide a greater array of benefits without the strong flavor of raw garlic, making it a must-have supplement.