Often called the stinky rose, this pungent bulb can keep colds and flu viruses away. A daily dose of garlic gets your viral-fighting abilities in high gear.

1. 1. Garlic Guards Against Cold and Flu
1. Eating garlic can boost the number of virus-fighting T-cells in your bloodstream -- important because colds and the flu are caused by viruses.
2. Nutrition scientists from the University of Florida reported in the journal Clinical Nutrition in 2012 that taking aged garlic extract reduced the severity of cold and flu symptoms and that the symptoms went away faster in those who took the garlic extract than among those who didn't The scientists speculated that the garlic extract worked by boosting participants' immune cell function.
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2. 2. How to Maximize the Benefits of Garlic
1. The way garlic is processed or prepared can really change its health benefits.
2. The enzyme alliinase, which converts alliin into the beneficial allicin, only works under certain conditions. It can also be deactivated by heat. One study found that as little as 60 seconds of microwaving or 45 minutes in the oven can deactivate alliinase, and another study found similar results.
3. However, it was noted that crushing garlic and allowing it to stand for 10 minutes before cooking can help prevent the loss of its medicinal properties. The researchers also stated that the loss of health benefits due to cooking could be compensated for by increasing the amount of garlic used.
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5. Here are a few ways to maximize the health benefits of garlic:

6. - Crush or slice all your garlic before you eat it. This increases the allicin content.

   - Before you cook with your crushed garlic, let it stand for 10 minutes.

   - Use a lot of garlic — more than one clove per meal, if you can.

3. 3. How Much Garlic Should You Eat Per Day?
1. The minimum effective dose for raw garlic is one segment (clove) eaten two to three times per day. You can also take an aged garlic supplement. In that case, a normal dose is 600 to 1,200 mg per day.
2. High intakes of garlic supplements can be toxic, so don’t exceed the dosage recommendations.
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Through this article, Kentary hopes that you have learned more about garlic and how it helps to keep colds and flu viruses away. Wish you health!

Sources: everydayhealth, healthline

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