Garlic isn’t just for making your meals taste delicious (or for making your bread so much better). For such a ubiquitous little thing, it sure does pack a mean punch!
It’s true; garlic can actually treat a lot of things beyond the scope of flavor.
Of course, you’ve probably heard about garlic having health benefits, though, right?
Well, did you catch wind that garlic is also useful in treating diabetes? Yup, you heard right! You can enjoy the benefits of garlic as it helps reduce the risk of complications due to diabetes while also treating diabetes, itself.
Here are 5 reasons why diabetics should love garlic.
#1 Lowers Hyperglycemia
Garlic has been reported to have a hypoglycemic effect. In plain terms, garlic helps get your blood sugar under control.
When diabetic mice were given garlic powder, their blood glucose levels reduced significantly, more so than in those given turmeric or ginger, if you can believe it. (Haven’t you heard that turmeric can heal virtually anything?) This wasn’t the only study to prove that, though. Many studies over the past few decades have shown the same.
#2 Increases Blood Flow
The pungent nature of garlic, aka the essence that makes it so delicious, is due to the polysulfides present in garlic.
Good thing, too, because the polysulfides relax blood vessels so that they open and allow better blood flow. This is particularly beneficial for diabetics as diabetes severely damages blood vessels, causing poor circulation.
#3 Fights Infections
Garlic is absolutely unstoppable in terms of its antimicrobial properties. The allicin in garlic helps fight off infections and illness. In fact, it is pretty effective in preventing the common cold!
Fighting infections is important for diabetics as it is a common secondary complication that arises with poor circulation (which, as you recall, is a major side effect of diabetes). When fresh blood isn’t available to clean out and fight infections, garlic can help pick up the slack.
#4 Protects Against Heart Disease
Diabetics also have the unfortunate disadvantage of being more prone to heart disease (again, thanks to the damaged blood vessels), so garlic’s protective factors against ravages to the heart 
is a health benefit not to be taken lightly.
How does it do this? By preventing plaque build-up in the arteries of the heart. What is even more impressive is that garlic removes plaque in the arteries as well. So it not only helps prevent heart disease but it can also reverse it!
#5 Increases Insulin Secretion
Garlic has a surprising effect on beta cells in the pancreas: it stimulates insulin production! Damaged beta cells are a serious problem for diabetics and garlic helps give them a little boost.
All of this is pretty impressive, right?
So grab your garlic powder, garlic oil capsules, or even just a bulb of raw garlic and start incorporating it into your daily habit. There is nothing to lose and everything to gain!
[expand title=”References“]
Diabetes.co.uk URL Link. Accessed April 4, 2017.
Natural News. URL Link. Accessed April 4, 2017.
Dr. Axe. URL Link. Accessed April 4, 2017.
J Nutr Biochem. URL Link. Accessed April 4, 2017.
Indian Jour Exp Bio. URL Link. Accessed April 4, 2017.
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