Boost Your Immunity with Garlic

Steel yourself to cold and flu season this year with garlic! There are many purported health benefits of garlic (such as reducing cancer, lowering bad cholesterol, and warding off ticks), some of which are better researched than others. Garlic’s ability to fight infections and bacteria is well-known, however.

Garlic contains a sulfur compound called allicin, which gives garlic its distinctive smell and makes it anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-viral. 

You should crush or press the garlic to activate the enzyme processes that produce allicin.

This fall, I’m trying to work a little more garlic into our diet to capture its flu-fighting power. When a recipe calls for 1-2 cloves, I up it to 3-4. We’ll also try to eat more garlic in raw, unheated form, such as in a sandwich spread or homemade salad dressing.

Your body does not build up resistance to the antibacterial properties in garlic, so it’s fine to use on a frequent basis.

Here are 10 dishes to enjoy with garlic:

1. Chili
2. In an alfredo sauce
3. Soups (such as this chilled Cucumber and Avocado Soup)
4. Beans and rice
5. Cozy Lentils
6. Hummus
7. Slow-cooker chicken
8. Broiled on a baguette, with olive oil and cheese
9. Roasted vegetables (we especially like garlic with green beans, asparagus, or potatoes)
10. Garlic Cheese Grits

Check out these other immune-boosting foods:

• Elderberry syrup
• Cod liver oil
• Apple cider vinegar